Battery warning light on with no issues?! Ford Fiesta

Battery warning light on with no issues?! Ford Fiesta

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shakka219

Original Poster:

24 posts

78 months

Friday 4th May 2018
quotequote all
Could do with some help here, I'm a petrolhead with a limited knowledge of cars, i.e I like to buy them and drive them but don't really have a clue under the bonnet, other than topping up my screen wash!

I have a Ford Fiesta 1.5 TDCI 2014 (MK7) with around 38K on it

On Tuesday after driving out of the work car park I hit a bump, suddenly the battery warning light came on, no idea if the bump had caused it somehow or whether this was coincidental.

It has remained on since Tuesday i.e 4 days and I have covered around 300 miles in it, the car starts every time, all the electrics are working fine.

I had a service and MOT booked in today, I asked the mechanic if he could take a look, he said it was the alternator (I thought, f*** big bill coming) I asked what he checked, and he hooked up a voltage meter and found it was running at around 12v which is too low and causing the warning light.

I've read A LOT on ford forums about this issue and every single person has said it turned out to be an issue with one of the following:

A) Wiring or Wiring Loom
B) Ford Smart Charge Plug

Now what I'm trying to avoid is paying for a new alternator and still having the same issue afterwards, does anyone have any experience with something similar to this?

If it is the wiring/smart charge how difficult/costly is it to get it fixed?

I'm selling the car so I really don't want to fork out but want to get it resolves before new owner buys it and if I take it to WBAC like this they will rinse me.

Thanks in advance!

niz_vaid

3 posts

73 months

Monday 29th October 2018
quotequote all
Hi shakka219,

Wondering if you got to the bottom of the issue?

I have had the alternator changed, as well as battery. Still showing up.

As you have researched, I have also done the same. It seems to be a wiring fault. The fault code is u0120.

Regards

shakka219

Original Poster:

24 posts

78 months

Monday 29th October 2018
quotequote all
I sold it in the end tbh matey, never got it fixed.

I ran it for 3 weeks with the light on though, did around 1,000 miles and no issues, car started every time and drove fine which was strange!

I'm certain if the alternator was faulty the battery would've died and the car wouldn't have started, as I mentioned a much lower voltage was running through but running nonetheless.

After researching it seemed as if it was either the wiring loom or the ford smart charge thing, the battery itself was fine. I'd find a local auto electrician and get them to check the wiring, it CAN be expensive though, wasn't worth doing in the end on mine as the company I sold it to only knocked £100 off for the warning light

niz_vaid

3 posts

73 months

Monday 29th October 2018
quotequote all
Out of curiosity, what did it sell for?

And £100 off is nothing really. Probably cost that to get it fixed if not more.

One guy, just by me explaining over phone what has happened has quoted £80 for wiring loom to be replaced.

I had the same low voltage issue and the heated windscreen and rear heated screen does not work. And the start stop does not work. Did you have this issue?

Regards

shakka219

Original Poster:

24 posts

78 months

Monday 29th October 2018
quotequote all
Didn't have stop/start but electrics worked fine including windscreens.

Think I got just over £5K for it in the end at Evans Halshaw

niz_vaid

3 posts

73 months

Monday 29th October 2018
quotequote all
Out of curiosity, what did it sell for?

And £100 off is nothing really. Probably cost that to get it fixed if not more.

One guy, just by me explaining over phone what has happened has quoted £80 for wiring loom to be replaced.

I had the same low voltage issue and the heated windscreen and rear heated screen does not work. And the start stop does not work. Did you have this issue?

Regards