Volvo V40 Alternator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults
On the V40, a specific alternator pulley on related models can genuinely fail on its own, sometimes mistaken for a full alternator failure.
Illustration for editorial purposes
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OEM Part Number: 8251655 (genuine alternator — confirm via VIN) — aftermarket alternators Bosch 0 986 084 230 / Valeo 439906
| Alternators (aftermarket) | Bosch 0 986 084 230 (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 54 mm, remanufactured exchange, plug PL174, excludes vacuum pump, 192 mm length, core charge £47.03); Valeo 439906 (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 55 mm, new, four-point fixing); Valeo 440576 (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 55 mm, remanufactured exchange, core charge £50.24); Lucas LRA03470 (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 54 mm, remanufactured, plug 0213 COM/LIN2, core charge £25.12); Hella 8EL 011 713-771 (freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 62 mm, new, 14 V charging, fitting by qualified personnel); AS-PL A3267S (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 54 mm, new, plug PL_2305); AS-PL A3622S (180 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 51 mm, new, plug PL_2305); AS-PL A3581S (180 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 53.5 mm, new, plug PL_2305) |
|---|---|
| Outputs & variants | Outputs of 150 A, 175 A, 180 A and 215 A are listed, almost all six-rib. The 150 A six-rib 54-55 mm units (Bosch, Valeo, Lucas, AS-PL A3267S, Rotovis, Mapco) are the main fit; the 180 A units come on smaller 51-54 mm pulleys (AS-PL A3622S, A3581S, A0439, BV PSH 815.539.180.004) with the five-rib A0439 and Rotovis 9090555 for the five-cylinder cars; the 215 A AS-PL A0774S is a 62 mm rigid-pulley unit. The Ridex 4G0616 is a five-rib rigid option. |
| Genuine (OE) numbers quoted | AS-PL A3267S for OE TG15C186; AS-PL A0439 for OE 0125811020; AS-PL A0774S for OE 0125812009; AS-PL A3622S for OE FG18S107; AS-PL A3581S for OE FG18T125. |
| Fitment notes | the Ford-derived four-cylinder engines and the Volvo five-cylinder engines use different alternators, so match the rib count, pulley diameter and amperage on the old unit. Only the Bosch and Ridex units are stated as excluding the vacuum pump. Core charges of £47.03 (Bosch), £50.24 (Valeo) and £25.12 (Lucas) are refunded on return of the old alternator. |
Volvo V40 Alternator: Often Blamed on the Battery Instead
Early on, a weak Volvo V40 battery and a dying alternator look almost identical — dim lights, sluggish starts, a car that won't hold its charge — which is exactly why so many people fit a new battery and end up back at the garage weeks later, the actual fault still unaddressed.
Volvo V40 Alternator: What It Does
On the Volvo V40, while the engine runs, the alternator generates the electricity that charges the battery and powers the car's electrical systems directly. With a healthy alternator, the battery's real job becomes starting the engine and covering brief demand spikes, rather than running the electronics on its own.
Volvo V40 Alternator: Watch: Replacing It
V40 II; location video bHyk26I3sHA (Where is Alternator in Volvo V40 II 2012-)
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A Genuinely Useful Piece of Context Worth Knowing About Alternator Pulleys — Volvo V40 Alternator
If you're chasing an alternator noise on related Volvo models, this is genuinely worth knowing: some alternators use a one-way clutch or decoupler pulley rather than a solid pulley, and this specific component can fail and cause noise on its own, sometimes without the alternator itself being at fault.
It's also worth knowing that when replacing an alternator, it's worth double-checking the exact part number against your VIN, since not every alternator that physically fits is necessarily the correct electronic specification for your car.
Volvo V40 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 Volvo Alternator
The same part, covered across other Volvo models.