I was driving my 2005 Volvo S40 home yesterday and all of a sudden the radio turned off and I noticed that there was a red "Power system urgent service" light lit up. From looking around online it seems that a number of times this problem ends up being related to the alternator. I have a couple questions:

1). Does the fact that the radio went off (I experienced no other immediate problems) give any further hint at what might be the cause? I didn't notice any other power related issues, and oddly enough, when I put the car into reverse (to parallel park) the radio would come back on. Don't know if that's another useful fact or not....

2). Let's say the problem is the alternator. How do I find out online what type of alternator is good for a Volvo S40? Different websites tell me different things, some giving "general all-purpose" alternators as the right match for the Volvo S40 and some giving other alternators, and again some giving no matching alternators at all.

My car is currently at a local Meineke shop (the guy has great Yelp reviews) but they won't work on the car until tomorrow. If there is a good reason why I should consider going to the dealership down the street I can, but obviously want to save as much money as possible as I hear that alternator problems can get pricey.

Thanks for any help you can give me!

 

I actually got an exact replacement (Re-man) for my Daughter's S40 T5 from a place in Texas called "Maniac Motors" They sold me the Alternator for $169. It was a pain to put on ,but lots cheaper than the $800+ the dealer (100 miles away) wanted !!

 

That is awesome. A little known secret is that alternator rebuilders are located in many towns. I've used a local one in Knoxville for many years.

Mine: Quality Auto Electric - Home

Yours I think? High Output Alternators | Fan Motor Assembly | Power Cable Kits