Hi all - a relative newcomer to TD5 maintenance, recently moved to the Western Isles so have little choice but to fix things myself. Hopefully someone here can help me out...

Driving through Torridon and I get a Red Battery light on the dash. Electric windows are slow to open/close, wipers are slow. Eventually my fuel gauge and speedo drop to nothing. I manage to get the car back into my driveway, assuming that if I turn the ignition off - she won't start again. Sure enough, I turn the ignition off, and the car won't start again. I assumed the alternator was gone.

Next morning, with the optimism of a new day - I try to start the car. It starts first time, gauges go back to normal, but battery light remains. I turned off the engine, and now it won't start at all. With the key turned to position II in the ignition, I still get dash lights; electric windows; fuel pump noise (?) but nothing on a full turn of the key - just a ticking.

Am i right to suspect a broken alternator and now - as a result - a flat battery? Or could these problems point to another electrical gremlin?

Thanks in advance!

D

Using a multimeter to check battery voltage with ignition off, then on, then running would be a good start
Nice place Torridon called in there doing the NC500

before condemning the battery and alternator as steve2286 said DVM. you could have loose or broken wire's to the alternator loose or badly corrode battery connector's ,badly corroded earth connection so look for corrosion on the cable crimps and signs of damage to cable's where they pass metal components
I know it's a td5 but what vehicle is it fitted to would help