[JSTee]

I have full breakdown cover including Home. Briefly my car is making nasty banging/rattling noise accompanied by flickering battery and ABS warning lights. Symptoms go away for a bit and then return.

I suspect (am hoping) that it’s something to do with one of the accessories being driven by the same belt as the alternator rather than something to do with the engine dismantling itself.

Scared to drive it because I’m wondering whether I will do serious damage.

Called for roadside assistance and possibly recovery to my local repairer. Evidently not entitled as I am not actually broken down.

I had politely explained that I was at home, not urgent, didn’t want to deprive anybody stranded at the roadside of service and any time in the next few days would do.

Been a member of the RAC for 45 years continuously.

Thoughts anybody?

[Rolebama]

Purely guesses, but my first thoughts are alternator bearings or water pump.

[JSTee]

@Rolebama

Many thanks, I have also come to the conclusion it’s one of the accessories on the Serpentine Belt.

The RAC to be fair, did send out a patrol van after saying they wouldn’t. Unfortunately, for the five minutes he was there the awful noise failed to manifest itself. And it started making it just as he pulled away.

Given that I now don’t think it’s anything engine related, I will drive it the 1.5 miles to my local repairers on Monday.

My point here was that for a while, because my car was still capable of moving (even with an awful rattling/scraping noise) the RAC woman I spoke to said they wouldn’t send a patrol vehicle.

For a while I thought that by the sound of my car the engine would self destruct should I drive it anywhere, but it wasn’t technically a breakdown emergency.

Just making people aware of the interpretation of At Home Breakdown service.

[olduser]

It will be in the Terms and conditions.

Read carefully, I think it can be interpreted that, the engine would start so not broken down.
Or they retain the right to not attend if they suspect you are trying to avoid paying for the work at a garage.

[Drivingforfun]

I'd certainly agree with the others' interpretation. However, I wonder, if you'd taken out a warranty - maybe even an RAC warranty - and the car self-destructed while driving it to the garage, there is a clause about not being covered if you fail to cease driving if this would prevent further damage. It seems like you can't win!

[JSTee]

It turned out that the serpentine belt, idler pulleys and tensioning pulley I think were in the process of self destructing.

Interesting comments above, it seems there may be a gap between breakdown cover and warranty cover.

I was not trying to avoid paying for repair work, just wanted an opinion on whether the car needed recovering to a place where it could be repaired.