[manabendragogoi]

I have owned and driven at least four cars till now and have never ever faced this issue. I remember my father facing this with his Premier Padmini Fiat 1100 sometime in 1988-89, but never since. So, what exactly happened?

I bought my Hyundai Creta SX(O) iVT (Phantom Black) on 9th April, 2021. Ever since, there hasn't been any problem and I have serviced the car twice i.e. on 6th June, 2021 (1240 kms) and 19th March, 2022 (8800 kms). I haven't done any kind of modification on the car except painting the ugly looking silver C-Pillars black which Hyundai calls the 'Lightning Arch'.

Fast forward to 17th November, 2022. I start the car in the morning for office as usual and though there was no delay in the ignition, the battery indicator would not go away.


I didn't give much thought to it at that time since I was running late for office. At lunch hour, I again saw the same battery indicator throughout my journey home and back to office. However, there was no noticeable sign of other problems except the indicator. I thought I would look it up online once I return home from office that evening. However, I didn't have to.

While returning home that evening, I noticed that the battery indicator was still there but now, my lights started to dim and my horn was rarely blowing. The music system started to fail and then came the big one: the Electronic Power Steering stopped working and so did Electronic Stability Control and ABS. This is when I realised that I am in deep trouble. I was cursing myself for not looking up the issue online in time.

Luckily, I somehow reached the gate to my home after which, the car stopped with irregular jerks. My battery was dead. I could shift to 'Park' and engage the Electronic Parking Brake just in time which was essential since my house is at a slope. I didn't waste any time and called Road Side Assistance. They assessed my situation and sent a team. This team was responsible only for jumpstarting the car. They jumpstarted the car, but soon after it would stop. This is when they concluded that this was probably an alternator issue and hence, the car needs to be towed to the service center. Since, it was already 07:00 PM, I decided that we will need to tow it the next day and informed Road Side Assistance Customer Care accordingly.

The next morning, i.e. 18th November, 2022, I got a call from the driver of the tow vehicle. I asked him if he could get a spare battery since the car cannot be budged from its place without turning on the ignition. Having an automatic car with electronic parking brake is a pure pain in the a** when your battery has died on you. This is when I realised that the Road Side Assistance programme involves separate teams for battery related issues and towing. Hence, I again had to place a request for a team with the spare battery. Once the spare battery was connected, I could reverse the car to a suitable position for the underlift tow to be placed. The battery was then removed and we towed the car to Borah Hyundai Tinsukia Service Center.




The service center couldn't confirm that very day if the issue is with the alternator or any other part. Hence, I had to leave the car there. Also, it was informed by the Service Manager that if the issue is the Alternator, which is highly probable in this case, it would take another 7-10 days for the part to be received. I requested for a loaner car since I cannot commute without my car for so long and that too when the car was still under warranty. The Service Manager agreed and offered a Santro Sportz.

It has been two days since, but the Service Manager and his team have not confirmed the root cause of the problem and hence, haven't yet ordered the faulty item (which seems to be the alternator until now). Most interestingly, they haven't given me any kind of Service ID or Job ID, but instead have created a WhatsApp group with their team members and me wherein they have shared the pics of my car and I keep asking questions which rarely get replied to.

It is shocking that a car that has been driven only 13,000 kms in a period of 1 year 7 months has suffered a faulty alternator. Even the service team has informed me that they haven't witnesses such a thing before and hence, that part is never readily available with them.

I am still waiting for the service team to get back to me. I will update the matter as and when things move.

Thanks for bearing with me!

[Jeroen]

Sorry to hear about your problems. I hope it gets fixed quickly.

Unfortunately, just because things are (relative) new, does not guarantee it won’t break. That is very unfortunate, but it does happens.

I installed a brand new alternator in my Jeep Cherokee a few months ago. Only to find this brand new alternator had a bad bearing. I got another new one from the supplier with no questions asked.

My spanner mate Peter had the exact same thing happening to him with a brand new alternator for his Alfa Spider. Again, we got a new one without any problems.

But it does show that, unfortunately, new stuff can be broken too. Even before installing it.

Good luck with this
Jeroen

[Artyom]

Sorry to hear the ordeal but I am confident Hyundai will take care of the issue.
My Creta 2019 model encountered a premature Slave Cylinder Failure while i was on my cross country trip but Hyundai was prompt to replace it under warranty.
I have clocked 10k after that and so far so good.
Parts fail but what counts is how the manufacturer deals with it.
If you feel the ASC is taking you for granted try to escalate it and hopefully it should get the things rolling.

[manabendragogoi]

Here’s a quick update on the issue:

Yesterday, the Service Manager confirmed that the culprit is indeed the faulty alternator. Hence, the battery is not getting charged. So, it seems they have placed the order but it is going to take a while for the part to arrive. So, there’s nothing I can do now but wait and wait I shall. I’ll definitely keep updating the status.

Thanks!

Regards,
Manabendra

[amods]

I second Jeroen's opinion on this. It may indeed be a one off case of bad luck with your car. Car parts are bound to fail, sooner or later, yours is one of them.

If I were you, I would shrug it off and get it fixed. Do check if they provide warranty on this. Good luck.

[UD17]

Originally Posted by manabendragogoi

Here’s a quick update on the issue:

Yesterday, the Service Manager confirmed that the culprit is indeed the faulty alternator.

Very curious about their diagnosis and root cause. Did they inform any probable root cause or any other details about, what exactly had failed inside the alternator.

Is the 'wind-shield fluid inlet' just above the alternator in your car?

[srini1785]

Originally Posted by manabendragogoi

Yesterday, the Service Manager confirmed that the culprit is indeed the faulty alternator

I wish that this problem is solved with a new alternator. Once it is done, get the old alternator back and check the following.

1. Air gap between the rotor (Magnet) and the coils. It must be uniform around 2mm.

2. Remove the rotor and check for magnetic strength. It should catch a flat spanner very strongly.

3. Measure the coil resistance of the stator and it should be less than 1 Ohm. Any open circuit means that there is a break in wire.

4. Finally if the alignment of the bearings is faulty the rotor shaft would be very hard to rotate with your hand.

[lapis_lazuli]

For the OP it seems alternator issue. But strange, there was no job card opened! Please insist on that.

Originally Posted by srini1785

I wish that this problem is solved with a new alternator. Once it is done, get the old alternator back and check the following.

1. Air gap between the rotor (Magnet) and the coils. It must be uniform around 2mm.

2. Remove the rotor and check for magnetic strength. It should catch a flat spanner very strongly.

I think the alternator would be replaced under warranty and he would not get it back. However considering standard car alternators are Lundells, how would the rotor be a magnet until energized by the battery, through the brushes? Have you personally observed a Lundell rotor residual magnetism to be as strong, so as to hold a spanner? Or is Hyundai using a different (permanent magnet rotor) alternator type, in recent models?

[srini1785]

Originally Posted by lapis_lazuli

However considering standard car alternators are Lundells, how would the rotor be a magnet until energized by the battery, through the brushes? Have you personally observed a Lundell rotor residual magnetism to be as strong, so as to hold a spanner? Or is Hyundai using a different (permanent magnet rotor) alternator type, in recent models?

I have no idea of the type of alternator the creta has. However, even the iron core of electromagnets retain enough magnetic strength to catch a spanner in close range. Maybe the OP can even try energizing the rotor with battery and check.

PS : if the alternator is not coming back then there is no point now is it?.

[bobbyblr]

Originally Posted by srini1785

I wish that this problem is solved with a new alternator. Once it is done, get the old alternator back and check the following.

1. Air gap between the rotor (Magnet) and the coils. It must be uniform around 2mm.

2. Remove the rotor and check for magnetic strength. It should catch a flat spanner very strongly.

3. Measure the coil resistance of the stator and it should be less than 1 Ohm. Any open circuit means that there is a break in wire.

4. Finally if the alignment of the bearings is faulty the rotor shaft would be very hard to rotate with your hand.

Also one needs to check the Regulator & Rectifying diodes that is inside the alternator.

[manabendragogoi]

Here’s an update:

I called the service center yesterday for a status update. The service advisor said he was on leave and hence will update the next day. Today morning he called me up and asked for my name and details to open a “Repair Order”. My car has been with them for 15 days and they have opened the Repair Order only today. Further, when I checked the repair order I found that they put a dummy email id there and an estimated delivery date of 25th December. Then, a lady called up to inform that the part has not arrived and will take another 10-12 days. This pissed me off completely. If they have not opened a repair order, I am pretty sure that they have not ordered the part. So, I asked them to provide me details of the order which hasn’t been provided even after many hours now. Not just that, I wrote a complaint to Hyundai after which a Senior Manager called me and assured that he will look into the matter and also find out the order details. But, I guess it is the Hyundai way of service and even after many hours now, he hasn’t reverted back.

Overall, till now, I am utterly disappointed by Hyundai’s Service.

[manabendragogoi]

Another update:

Just now the Hyundai Customer Service Manager and the Senior Manager have confirmed my fears that the part had not been ordered and the same has only been placed today. Keeping my car unattended for 15 days without even bothering to check up on its status, though the maximum blame is on the Service Advisor, I firmly believe that even the Service Manager should not be exonerated. They have assured that the part has now been ordered on high priority basis but only time will tell.

Very sad state of affairs.

[manabendragogoi]

Final update:

After 27 days, the Service Center handed me over the repaired car and finally it is back at my place.


Even though there is angst in me due to the negligence of the Service Team which lead to this delay, as is said, all’s well that end’s well. I have been driving the car for the last 3 days and as of now, there is nothing to complain about.

When asked about the reason for the alternator failure, they mentioned that it was a manufacturing defect and thus, the solder joints had come apart. However, neither I got back the original part nor did I want to investigate any further. Hope this issue doesn’t crop up again…either with me or anyone else.

Thanks for bearing with me!