Got the red "power system service urgent" message yesterday while out shopping...stopped and restarted the car, and it went away for a few miles, then came back. Repeated that cycle a few times trying to limp home, and wound up needing a tow (did another stop, but battery was too weak to restart). Hooked up the DICE and got (among others), codes P062001 "generator control circuit - general electric failure" and P062074 (generator control circuit - mechanical failures - actuator slipping"). After I got home, the tow driver hooked up his starter box (across the engine bay jump point, not direct to the battery) and got 10V with the engine running. So, it looks like a bad alternator...except that today when I hooked my meter direct to the (fully charged) battery, with the engine running and all accessories on, I got about 13.9V dwindling to 13.65V and holding there. So, questions:
1) Is voltage in the high 13V range low, or is that low?
2) Anything else I should check before popping for a new alternator?
3) Should I be OK with a remanufactured Bosch unit, or is there a consensus for Volvo-branded?
4) I've read in other threads that on the 2.5T, the control system for the alternator changed around 2005 making it tricky to get the right alternator. Any similar pitfalls on the V8?
1) Is voltage in the high 13V range low, or is that low?
2) Anything else I should check before popping for a new alternator?
3) Should I be OK with a remanufactured Bosch unit, or is there a consensus for Volvo-branded?
4) I've read in other threads that on the 2.5T, the control system for the alternator changed around 2005 making it tricky to get the right alternator. Any similar pitfalls on the V8?