Hi Richard... The only thing you still haven't told us is how many miles your wagon has done...!! The alternator can last for anything between 50,000 miles and 140,000 miles depending on any number of different factors - like how often you do night driving or use the rear window demister, which of course use a lot more electricity than summertime daylight driving does..! I changed my 2.0dti alternator at 128,000 miles... If your battery is OK after being charged overnight, then, by elimination, its not a battery problem as such. Incidentally, the ticking you mention is most likely the solenoid that pulls the starter pinion into position not being able to complete the movement because of a lack of current - too few amps available... It will sound like a sssss.sss..stutter.! Whether its being drained by something like the rear boot light is quite simple to check - if you take the bulb out, then it can't be draining through the light. You could try looking at the engine bay fuse box, which is notorious for causing all sorts of problems. Check that the cover is tight and there is no water getting onto the printed circuit board underneath the fuses and relays. If you think you have a fault that is draining the battery but can't find it, provided you have the radio code to input into the unit after a power failure, you can disconnect the battery and hook up an ammeter to see if there is any significant current flowing out of the battery, when everything is switched off. There will always be a minute amount of current - a few milliamps - because of the clock and alarm circuits which are active. But a healthy battery should keep the car alive for about two months and still be able to start, without any problem.
Edited by robin100145 - 9 hours 30 minutes ago at 8:03pm
But I would put money on your problem being with the alternator being faulty or with the charging circuit. The pulley isn't slipping because of a loose belt..?? Good Luck.. Cheers... Robin
Edited by robin100145 - 9 hours 30 minutes ago at 8:03pm