How long can you drive with a failed alternator

[ISL]

Originally Posted by BorderVolvo

So you're heading home tomorrow and the AA have a heads up you're needing a new alternator belt yet they'd rather pay a garage to recover you??
The AA used to offer their patrols an incentive called "enhanced repair", it was to save on expensive recoveries such as what you're describing.
It's in yours and theirs best interests that this is resolved by the fitting of a new belt......I'd be arguing this with them.
Downside might be if there's a reason other than the belt failing with age that has caused this to happen??

Best of luck, not a great end to your holiday.

Thank you, Totally makes sense and have argued this with AA. The broken belt is tired and worn - a shame my garage didn’t pick this up on a recent service. They have agreed to now send out a patrol van but will not arrive until 5pm (6.5 hours from our original call) but then still not sure whether they will fix it. Have managed to source a belt myself but cannot collect until the morning then still need to find tools to fix it if the AA cannot. My mechanic at home says it is a simple job, and comes up on the system at 30 minutes to fix. In the meantime I’m trying to organise a taxi to pick up my girls from a theme park a few miles up the road. This is a real test when you require the services of the AA while on holiday, something you just presume that they will take care of. Not quite sure what service I am paying for, but pay in the region of £150 a year for breakdown, recovery and home start.

[ISL]

Originally Posted by john.wigley

I am particularly concerned regarding the apparent disregard for the welfare of 'ISL's dogs. That is unacceptable, unforgivable in this heat and very probably illegal - an owner could well face prosecution if they did so.

We were quite shocked at this policy, and have told the AA that this will not happen, which will probably result in one of us taking the train home with the dogs. The policy was explained to us that it was due to Health and Safety and possible driver allergies. All in all the AA have been extremely unhelpful. Also show no concern that our daughters are at a local theme park with no way home until we can find a reputable taxi firm to collect them.

I was thinking this morning that this would have been a simple fix. AA man arrives, fixes car and we carry on enjoying our holiday. 😀

[KeithR56]

I’ve had nothing but bad experiences with the AA and RAC.

On one occasion wife wife broke down when we were members of the AA. She was on her own, on an A road in below freezing conditions. She waited for couple of hours for the AA to turn up, but got to the stage where she was suffering from the cold, hungry and needed the toilet. She then rang me and I got a taxi out to where she was and stayed with the car whilst the taxi took her home. We kept phoning the AA who assured us that they were on their way. Then, after several more hours they said that their patrol had been to the location, but couldn’t find me. (I was sat in the car freezing my b****cks off). I got a taxi home after that and arranged to meet them at the car the next day.

On another occasion, when we were with the RAC, we stopped at a motorway service, but the car refused to leave when we went to leave. After numerous phone calls, the RAC patrol man took over 4 hours to attend. He got the car started, but said he needed to change something on the injection system and asked me to follow him to his depot. It turned out that his depot was less than 30 yards away at the back of the main building. There was three more RAC vans parked up and the patrolmen were all sat around drinking tea.

Needless to say, I’ve never used either company since. In recent years I’ve had Volvo breakdown cover, but never needed to use it yet.

[ISL]

Just to say the AA man has just arrived and fixed the belt and back on the road in time to pick up my girls. The AA chap was first class and had taken the initiative to purchase an alternator belt on the way. It was just a shame that we had wasted most of the day waiting for him to arrive but that was not his fault.

I want to say a big thank you for all your messages and help today and now know that you cannot drive very far with an inoperable alternator. Really appreciate your help. Can now enjoy my last day of our family holiday in beautiful Pembrokeshire with the relief we can tow the caravan safely back to Herefordshire in the morning. This is the first time using this forum and certainly will be back to share any knowledge that I may have.

Thank you.

[Deck1ng]

Time to try Green Flag maybe. Certainly not the level of assistance I would be happy paying for.

[Tannaton]

I’m pleased to read it all ended reasonably well, actually very well as sometimes when the aux belt goes it takes the timing belt with it…. Could have been a stinker…

[Easington]

Perhaps look at Volvo's breakdown cover that you usually get FOC with a service.

I got a letter just before my annual service was due offering me the breakdown cover at a cost of about £115 which is cheaper than your AA cover.

I've heard about this before with dogs as we have two and did read it is at the discretion of the recovery driver. The heat aside I think ours would be terrified being in the car on their own on the back of a lorry

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Easington

Perhaps look at Volvo's breakdown cover that you usually get FOC with a service.

I got a letter just before my annual service was due offering me the breakdown cover at a cost of about £115 which is cheaper than your AA cover.

I've heard about this before with dogs as we have two and did read it is at the discretion of the recovery driver. The heat aside I think ours would be terrified being in the car on their own on the back of a lorry

Actually this is one occasion when having Volvo Assistance would have worked out really nicely. Volvo would have sent someone to assess your car, usually arriving within 2 hours, they would have immediately diagnosed the failed belt and recovered your car to a dealer, which would have had the part on the shelf and you could have stuffed your face with fancy biscuits and posh coffee whilst they fitted it. It's not a long job so I expect you would have been on your way for circa £100-£150 with genuine bits fitted.

You get 12 months Volvo assistance free of charge with every scheduled service at a main dealer - or you can buy it for about £120.

[Toprivetguns]

Might be worth contacting a local mobile mechanic. AA cover is great until you really need recovering when far from home. I hope all goes well.

[Seanl82]

Originally Posted by Deck1ng

Time to try Green Flag maybe. Certainly not the level of assistance I would be happy paying for.

I've got GreenFlag recovery through my bank. In 23 years of driving, I've only had to be recovered twice and both times were within 6 weeks of each other and in my current and only Volvo I've ever owned!
One a failed rear caliper motor failing to release, the other an injector.

Anyway my point was meant to be that GreenFlag use third party recovery firms as well. Had to wait 4 hours the second time for them to take me two junctions down the M5, then another 90 mins wait for another to turn up and drop me home.

They're all as bad as each other, and I wouldn't count on Volvo assist being much good out of normal working hours either.