Note. Before you begin, read the caution in section "Safety first!" at the beginning of the Guide and at the beginning of this chapter.
1. If the battery discharge lamp on the instrument panel does not light when the ignition is turned on, first check the connection of the alternator connectors. If the connectors are OK, check if the bulb itself is burned out and if the bulb holder is damaged. If the light still does not light, check the integrity of the wire from the generator to the light bulb. If the wire is OK, then the alternator is most likely faulty. Contact a workshop to check, repair or replace the generator.
2. If the battery discharge light stays on while the engine is running, stop the engine and check the tension of the alternator drive belt, as well as the reliability of the fastening of the alternator itself. If the light does not go out after this, send the generator to a specialist for inspection and repair.
3. If it is suspected that the voltage at the output of the generator does not meet the Specifications, although the control lamp is working properly, you can check the output voltage as follows.
4. Connect the voltmeter wires to the battery terminals and start the engine.
5. Raise the engine speed until the voltage stops rising. This steady state voltage should be between 12 and 13 V, but not more than 14.2 V.
6. Turn on as many electrical consumers as possible (headlights, rear window defroster, heater fan, etc.). The voltage should be between 13 and 14 V.
7. If the voltage differs from the specified one, then this may be caused by wear of the generator brushes, weakening of the brush springs. wear of the collector rings, a malfunction of the voltage regulator, a breakdown of the rectifier diodes, a break in the phase connection, and a host of other reasons. In this case, the generator must either be replaced or handed over to a specialist for inspection and repair.