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Flashing M & S Light, Crank Shaft or Alternator?

1K views 4 replies 5 participants last post by  sierrafery 
#1 ·
Hey guys. just bought my first Land Rover, a 2004 Discovery 2. I've been driving it around and it's done pretty well so far.

This morning I cranked it up and was driving out of my apartment when I noticed it didn't have as much power as normal. I looked down and the check engine light was on, and the "M &S" lights were flashing, along with the "D". I pulled back into my spot and turned it off.

A few hours later I cranked it back up to take it to Advanced Auto to have the computer tested. The check engine light was still on, but there were no flashing lights, and it seemed to be running just fine.

I got down to Advanced Auto, where they ran a few tests.

The first engine diagnostics test came back with an error code "P0455" - Evaporative Emission System Leak Detected. The guy told me that wasn't a big deal, and was probably a loose gas cap, bad gas cap gasket, or a small hose leak somewhere.

Next he ran diagnostics on the battery and alternator. The battery cam back just fine, at 98% life left and was charging well. Then the alternator diagnostic came back and said it was starting to go out. The guy said I could replace it myself for a couple hundred bucks and a couple of hours of my time.

I've read up on the flashing lights and alternator issues some, and the questions I have are:

Are the flashing lights, check engine light, and alternator diagnostic all related?

If I switch out the alternator, will that fix the flashing lights?

Could the CSS be causing all of the issues, or do I need to replace that along with the alternator?

Basically, I don't want to spend the money on the alternator if the problem lies elsewhere and can be fixed with a $20 switch.

Thanks in advance for the help!
 
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#3 ·
I've read up on the flashing lights and alternator issues some, and the questions I have are:

Are the flashing lights, check engine light, and alternator diagnostic all related?

If I switch out the alternator, will that fix the flashing lights?

Could the CSS be causing all of the issues, or do I need to replace that along with the alternator?

Basically, I don't want to spend the money on the alternator if the problem lies elsewhere and can be fixed with a $20 switch.

Thanks in advance for the help!
1 - They can be

2 - Probably

3 - I doubt it's your sensor and the issues you are describing usually do not indicate such.

The last time my alternator went out, these were my symptoms as well. I ended up calling BPU and went with the Bosch 150Amp replacement, which was a upgrade to the 130Amp OEM. It was on sale for $250 at the time, after Core swap, and was well worth the cost. I have not had a Alternator issues since, and that was almost 8 years ago.
 
#5 ·
You have to run autobox ECU diagnostics on it to know exacty what's the problem cos there can be 19 reasons for that even though low voltage or XYZ switch are the most common
 
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