Hi Forum members,

This is my first post.

I have Magna 2003 TL VR AWD on dual fuel with 151K on the clock.

Recently my car has been showing electrical issues. the first thing I noticed is the Battery indicator turning on intermittently while I was driving. Recently it became more frequent and sometimes the Antilock Braking, Hand Brake indicator trips and A/C compressor turned off.

The car always start at the first go without any hesitation but yesterday it won’t start at all. No light/power whatsoever even the boot release from the glove compartment won’t work. I tried Jumper cable and it fires up OK after I did the ECU learning thingy. I haven’t driven it again since.

From previous threads in this forum about electrical problem I gather that the problem with my car could be with the Alternator, Voltage regulator or maybe the battery itself (I don’t know how old the battery are).

After reading above symptoms what would be your opinion on the matter

1. What do you think the problem are with my beloved Magna.
2. Is it OK to drive in its current state.

I live in Sydney

i would start with replacing the battery first and go for there, especially if you don't know how old the battery is

I had this problem previously I got the voltage regulator swapped on my alternator and fixed the problem intermittently but I really need to get a new alternator

i would start with replacing the battery first and go for there, especially if you don't know how old the battery is

is there any way to check if its actually the battery. Because my friend had a proble with his car. it won't start and he bought new battery for $100 and the car failed to start again after two days.

I had this problem previously I got the voltage regulator swapped on my alternator and fixed the problem intermittently but I really need to get a new alternator

how much it cost to replace an alternator ?

Not too sure best to call up a auto electrician

Most places that sell batteries can do a load test on your battery which will tell you if it's OK, however if it appears old then I would replace it anyway. I guess you've double-checked the battery terminals etc.
A failing alternator can also cause your problem by not keeping the charge up to the battery....this can make you think the battery is bad! Bottom line is that you need a reliable car as one breakdown on the side of the road can cost more for a tow home, so I'd replace the battery, then if the problem re-appeared I would replace the alt with a reco unit. Battery will cost ~$150 for a good one and maybe ~$200 for a reco alt. But as others have suggested, an auto elec should be able to more accurately diagnose the problem so long as the car misbehaves whilst he is looking at it. Good Luck.

Put the battery on a battery charger overnight and try it the next day. If it doesn't start, the battery is dead.
If it starts, check voltage with a multimeter - should give 14.4 volts. If not, the alternator needs looking at.

I found another symptom. I started the car again with jumper cable. I let it idling for a while then I revs it. when I revs the car all the lights (interior & headlight) becomes brighter. Deeper I pressed the throttle brighter the lights.

My unexperienced guess, it would have something to do with the regulator. is this correct ? I’m planning to bring the car to electrician this Saturday.

The lights becoming brighter with more revs could be due to the car battery being almost flat and taking most of the charge from the alternator. Only real test is to put a multimeter on the battery and increase the revs - if over 14.4Vdc then it is overcharging and could fry the ECU etc.

If the alternator is not charging enough or is charging too quickly, then you can damage the battery. You then replace the battery and the new one is damaged before you fix the issue. I would definitely test the alternator function before replacing the battery because a reco alternator is a lot cheaper than 2 batteries. When you do need to replace the battery, I would recommend an optima yellow top. Great battery. You pay $400 for the quality though.

I brought it to electrician yesterday. He did a multimeter test and was showing way more than 14v. I started the car with jumper cable when I was going to electrician. The wiper blade sent on on hyper speed and interior light bulb blown. But I was lucky i didn't damaged the electrics and battery.

All good now. Thanks for the helpfull replies.

So what did you need to repair or replace?

I replaced the alternator, $250 all up.