Alternator died on the Volvo yesterday...

"JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!" (jqj213)
10/30/2018 at 21:50 • Filed to: Volvo, Tow

Got the charging system failure warning Saturday night. Was trying to drive it to the dealer when everything imaginable went wrong; had to coast off the road (lost brakes, throttle, and power steering).

You’ll never believe how expensive this damn alternator is. Hopefully it’ll be back on the road Frid ay.. I’ll post the final bill then.

DISCUSSION (28)

CB > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 21:59

Glad you’re safe after everything failed while driving. Sucks about the cost of fixing it, though.

random001 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 21:59

Is this one of those things where you say it’s an alternator, but really, it’s the transmission?

nj959 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:05

I believe the expensive alternator. My dad had a 2010 S80 for a few years and it was super reliable, but the few times something did go wrong it was stupid expensive to replace.

Meanwhile, my Jeep likes to have minor things break fairly regularly, but parts are stupid cheap so it’s not such a bad deal. Just kind of a pain in the ass.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:09

It’s always hell on Earth when a turbo fails. Best of luck!

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:11

I had the exact same thing happen driving my mom’s old XC60 T6 back in high school. Had the Charging failure light pop on at my grandmas house, I proceeded to attempt to make it home, only to have the car lose power in my neighborhood , lock up the steering and lose power brakes. Luckily a curb in my neighborhood stopped me..

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > random001
10/30/2018 at 22:12

Right before it died, it honestly gave me every single warning imaginable. Transmission, headlights, brake lights, power steering, abs, traction control, airbags, and a couple others I can't even remember...

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > CB
10/30/2018 at 22:12

Was so glad I was able to get back into the neighborhood before it completely died.

random001 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:12

That means you need a new car. Everything is broken.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > random001
10/30/2018 at 22:15

You jest, but never say never.

The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:16

#StanceNation

Kinja'd!!!

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:18

That dolly has some sweet stance yo

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:18

It’s crazy what a little low voltage will do to a computer. I had a battery that wouldn’t charge in my Galant so any time you let the car idle it would die completely. The alternator couldn’t keep up, ECU didn’t get enough power, no ECU means no fuel. I had to keep my foot on the gas and idle at 3000 rpm or so.

wafflesnfalafel > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:19

That’s still a damn fine looking car even on the back of a wrecker...

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > m-b-w loves his SUBAROO
10/30/2018 at 22:44

I was lucky enough to have a nice open patch of grass where they were getting ready to build a house..

Can't say I was expecting to lose complete control like that... Scary shit

jminer > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:50

Yeah, alternators on modern cars can be crazy expensive and difficult to change. The alternator failed on my wife’s Flex about a year ago and the cheapest I could find was a $600 reman unit, and it took me a solid 5 hours to replace (if I did it again that would be cut in half).

I can easily see how that would be a $1500 job easy at a dealer.

Hope it didn’t take anything else with it when it went and you get back on the road soon.

E92M3 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 22:52

Volvo part s can make german cars seem affordable.

NKato > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 23:06

And this is why I'll never trust EVs.

NKato > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 23:07

I think that happened because you were so low on power, every imaginable sensor shut down, tripping the alarms.

Milky > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 23:11

Hopefully it preforms like a star again soon and gets back on the pole!

m-b-w loves his SUBAROO > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/30/2018 at 23:28

Agreed. Honestly even though i was going less than 15 when it happened to me, it was one of the scariest experiences while driving that I’ve ever had. Just had to accept the fact that i wasn’t in control and was just along for the ride.

Amoore100 > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/31/2018 at 00:55

Jesus, consider me shooketh, although at 117K perhaps the alternator is a replacement unit already; reminds me of a year ago though when I took it in for a clicking noise and came out with a $2K bill for a new AC compressor clutch, serpentine belt, and subframe mount (but the latter was probably my fault...)

random001 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
10/31/2018 at 06:45

Damn you, Zoidberg!

EL_ULY > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
10/31/2018 at 07:31

S ometimes you can get away with just the voltage regulation on those.....pretty penny for those as well. Getting to the alt. in a 3.2 or T6 is unnecessarily difficult

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > jminer
10/31/2018 at 07:36

Yeah you are virtually spot on with everything there. I think Volvo bills over 4.5 hour labor on it.

Only other thing it may have taken was my battery that is less than 2 years old.. service advisor said it only registered 4.5 volts so it might not come back. I'm expecting another call later today or tomorrow.

Arrivederci > The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock
10/31/2018 at 08:01

Dammit, came to post the same, lol.

jminer > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
11/01/2018 at 00:24

Yep, same with the wife’s car. Had to replace the battery with it. It actually overcharged it to death..

Steve in Manhattan > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
11/01/2018 at 01:10

Friend was a service writer at an MB/RR/Volvo dealership. The staff was always talking about how a particular part on a Volvo 740 cost more than the equivalent part on a Rolls Royce. I believe alternators were mentioned.

Akio Ohtori - RIP Oppo > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder!
11/18/2018 at 15:26

Oddly the battery went dead on my C30 last week and yeah... it was pretty apocalyptic . First time it happened back in 2014 the immobilizer kept kicking in, but eventually I got it started and to the dealer for a warranty replacement . This time the wipers were stuck on full, the turn signals wouldn’t work, and I kept getting “Stability control needs service” “BLIS reduced function” and “Headlight failure” warnings. It was... fun... lets say.