Engine light/Alternator/Battery/ESP Help!!

[Insiguser Learner Driver Find all posts View Profile Close Insiguser]

Hi everyone

I bought an insignia a month and half ago and I am having electrical issues. The check engine light and battery light come on intermittently. There is a Battery charging system warning as well as service ESP. I do feel that the ABS is not working well. I can feel vibrations on the break pedal when breaking, especially on lower gears. The fan/air con starts randomly on full power. The alternator looks new (It must have been fitted not too long before I bought the car).

I had a mechanic check the car yesterday, he tested the battery and alternator voltages, as well as some wires near the battery and the fuse box. At first the readings were low (around 1.34-1.36 I seem to remember), and he thought he had identified a potential issue (some sort of washer that was preventing a good connection somewhere near the alternator but I don't know where exactly), then the voltages was around 1.46. It seemed ok for a little while, but then the issue came back. The voltages seem to drop and jump every now and then. Sometimes the voltage seems fine on both the battery and alternator, and then it goes wrong.

A car electrician should have a look at it on Saturday.

Has anyone any idea of what could be happening?

Thank you for any advice!

[lizzard-t The Stig Find all posts View Profile Close lizzard-t]

1.34 to 1.36 is that volts ?
and 1.46 is this volts as well ?
all seem very low or maybe it's a mis print
but the charging system on most modern cars is of the intelligent flavour , so will only change as the consumers detect
but also with the esp playing up it could be due to low voltage .
but you need to read the codes to confirm if the esp is due to low voltage .
do you know if the alternator is new or reconditioned?

[Insiguser Learner Driver Find all posts View Profile Close Insiguser]

I assume that it was volts, but I don't know anything about electrics so I wouldn't for sure. The mechanic had a tool which looked like a screwdriver, but on which he could read numbers when it touched whichever eletrical connection.
He read the codes and told me that I would need to change the speed sensor. I did read the codes some time before that with a (bluetooth) OBS scanner and the code for this particular fault was C1222. I don't know if the alternator was new or reconditionned, but I would assume.

[Insiguser Learner Driver Find all posts View Profile Close Insiguser]

*I would assume it was new