Kia Picanto Alternator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults

On the Picanto, oil leaking from the valve cover gasket directly above the alternator can genuinely kill it.

Illustration for editorial purposes

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OEM Part Number: 37300-04070 (as quoted in catalogue listings — confirm via VIN) — aftermarket alternators Lucas LRA04402 / AS-PL A3900S

Accuracy note: Covers the Kia Picanto (2017-) as listed in the UK aftermarket catalogues. Alternators are sold by output (amps), pulley type and plug, and the same model usually has two or three units depending on engine, start-stop and the electrical load of the trim — a 120 A unit on a car built for 150 A will undercharge, and a rigid pulley on a car designed for a freewheel clutch pulley will shred belts. The references below are UK aftermarket catalogue listings for this generation, labelled by brand; many are remanufactured exchange units that carry a core charge until the old alternator is returned. Genuine numbers are shown only where a listing quotes one. Check the amp rating, pulley and plug stamped on the old unit, or confirm via VIN, before ordering.

Alternators (aftermarket)	Lucas LRA04402 (70 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, remanufactured, core charge £25.12, COM/LIN1 plug); Lucas LRA04275 (120 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, remanufactured, core charge £25.12, LIN plug); Lucas LRA04160 (130 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, remanufactured, core charge £50.24, LIN plug); AS-PL A3900S (70 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, new, PL_2305); BV PSH 155.975.070.000 (70 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, new); BV PSH 155.958.130.500 (130 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, new Valeo-built unit); Rotovis 9091461 (130 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 58 mm, remanufactured, COM plug).
Outputs & variants	70 A for the 1.0 and 1.2 petrol engines without start-stop, and 90 A, 120 A or 130 A LIN-controlled units for the start-stop (ISG) and 1.0 T-GDi cars. All share a 6-rib 58 mm freewheel pulley.
Genuine (OE) numbers quoted	AS-PL A3900S quotes 37300-04070. No other OE numbers are quoted.
Fitment notes	The plug is the key difference, with the basic 70 A unit using a three-pin C-L-FR connector and the higher-output units using a LIN or COM/LIN connector, so match the connector and the Kia part number on the old unit; Lucas exchange units carry a refundable core charge.

A Genuinely Specific, Real Root Cause Worth Knowing — Kia Picanto Alternator

If your alternator keeps failing repeatedly, this is genuinely worth knowing: a documented cause on related engines is oil leaking down into the alternator from the valve cover gasket positioned directly above it. It's genuinely worth checking the valve cover gasket for signs of a leak before fitting a replacement alternator.

A genuinely money-saving, real diagnostic finding worth knowing: one documented case saw persistent low charging voltage survive two separate alternator replacements, with the actual cause eventually traced to the alternator not receiving a proper ground connection from the engine. Running a separate, dedicated ground wire resolved it completely.

It's also worth knowing a genuinely useful diagnostic technique: placing one end of a wooden stick against the alternator housing and the other end near your ear acts as a simple, improvised stethoscope for isolating alternator noise.

Kia Picanto Alternator: Often Blamed on the Battery Instead

On the Kia Picanto, dim lights, slow starts, a battery that won't hold charge — these symptoms point equally to a weak battery or a failing alternator, and that overlap is why so many replacements target the wrong part first, with the real problem only surfacing weeks later.

Kia Picanto Alternator: Watch: Replacing It

🎬 Watch: Alternador de KIA PICANTO Como repararlo MUY FACIL (non-english)

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Spanish; alternator repair/removal on a Picanto, generation not stated

Before you buy: alternator output rating varies by engine size and trim, particularly on cars with more onboard electronics. Always confirm against your VIN before ordering.

Kia Picanto Alternator: What It Does

Electricity generation while the Kia Picanto's engine is running is the alternator's job, charging the battery and directly powering the electrical systems. When it's working properly, the battery mostly just handles engine starting and short demand spikes, not day-to-day electrical load.

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Kia Picanto Alternator: Warning Signs, DIY Difficulty & Aftermarket Advice

These are the same regardless of make or model — see our full Alternator Guide for symptoms to watch for (plus a genuinely useful two-minute test to confirm it's not the battery instead), confirming the right amperage and fitment against your VIN, and which brands are worth trusting.

More Kia Alternator

The same part, covered across other Kia models.