Five miles from home, the power steering suddenly failed and the traction control warning light came on. There were no other dashboard warnings, and certainly nothing in red. So, since I was in heavy traffic, I decided to battle on for a bit. Then the engine went lumpy and after another quarter of the mile the car just went 100% electrically dead. A very kind stranger gave me a 30 yard push into a gateway. Couldn't even work the hazard flashers. Everything totally wiped out.
AA patrolman arrived. The short version of the story was that my alternator had gone short-circuit, to the point where it was pushing out wisps of smoke. The battery, only a year old, and fully charged, had been instantly killed. Oooh, said the patrolman, that doesn't often happen that badly with alternators. Perhaps I'd better disconnect it before something catches fire?
![Laughing :lol:](./images/smilies/icon_lol.gif)
So he did, and he lent me a battery which got me back to my trusty garage. Who confirmed the cooked alternator, and who tried all night to charge my battery without success. So it was five hundred quid's worth of alt and battery that hit my Barclaycard.
It could have been worse, of course - If I'd been in France, where ordinary parts can take two weeks to arrive instead of overnight, as in Britain, I'd probably still have been waiting. But then, the holiday budget is now somewhat depleted in any case. I do try to see the bright side of life......
![Neutral :|](./images/smilies/icon_neutral.gif)
BJ