My 2016 LR4 charge system light came on.
Pulled over saw that belt was broke.
Drove 5 min back to house and car died.
Towed to mechanic who replaced belt and battery.
All makes sense.
Car would not start and found starter fuse had blown.
Made sense as when belt broke it wrapped and seized starter.
Replaced fuse and good to go.

Day after I get car back I do a business trip and drive car for 3.5 hrs no problems.
Driving back got 2 hrs into trip and car shuts off at red light.
Like the eco system kicked on.
But no, the car shut down.
No warnings, dash lights, etc.
Just wont start, period.
Sit for 30 minutes and check battery connections and fuses and all seems good.
Wiggle a few things and then try to start.
It starts!
No warning lights, etc.
Drive down road 10 minutes, stop and another red light and car shuts off.
Same as above.
Get car running again but this time I see a small whiff of smoke from front of battery compartment.
That's it, park car, call tow.

Fast forward, mechanic has car and has checked battery, alternator and all good.
They cant recreate failure mode.
No faults recorded.
They are scratching heads.

Is this an ecosystem issue?
Maybe a board or fuse gets too hot?

Thanks.

 

That is a mysterious situation....but what caused your belt to break in the first place? 47K is pretty early for a belt to break. I just wonder if you still have a problem with something on the pulley drive train, and it’s causing your belt to slip and not drive your alternator properly. Might be okay at idle (when mechanic checks it) but slipping at higher RPMs. I know the idler pulley can go bad and shred a belt. Tensioners can fail. Not sure what else.

Could also be a bad ground wire given that you wiggled a few things and it started up. I’ve read of a ground point in the passenger front wheel well that can cause problems. No personal experience with it.

Are you sure the smoke came from the battery compartment? Any evidence of something heating up - some charring?

 

Thanks!
No evidence of anything burning.
interesting ideas.
Will definitely check ground.
Also the alt belt tension.
I am thinking maybe more elec / control than mechanical.
But who knows.