Vauxhall Insignia Alternator: Specs, Fitment & Common Faults
On the Insignia, a simple belt-removal test genuinely helps confirm whether a whine or grinding noise is the alternator or something else belt-driven.
Illustration for editorial purposes
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OEM Part Number: 13500577 (as quoted in catalogue listings — confirm via VIN) — aftermarket alternators Denso DAN1331 / Hella 8EL 015 637-511
| Alternators (aftermarket) | Denso DAN1331 (140 A, rigid multi-rib pulley, 6 ribs, 54 mm, new, OE quality); Hella 8EL 015 637-511 (140 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 54 mm, new, fitting by qualified personnel); Hella 8EL 012 430-581 (100 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 54 mm, new); Lucas LRA03583 (140 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 54 mm, remanufactured, plug 0248 L-DFM, core charge £25.12); AS-PL A1026(P) (100 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 53.5 mm, new, plug PL_2201); AS-PL A6488S (150 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 57.5 mm, new, plug PL_2201); Ridex 4G0470 (140 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 54 mm, new, plug L-DFM, excludes vacuum pump); Ridex 4G0189R (100 A, freewheel pulley, 6 ribs, 54 mm, remanufactured, excludes vacuum pump, core charge £30.14). |
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| Outputs & variants | Outputs of 100 A, 120 A, 130 A, 140 A and 150 A are listed, all six-rib. The 100 A to 140 A units share a 54 mm freewheel pulley; the 150 A units (AS-PL A6488S, BV PSH 135.921.150.050) use a larger 57-57.5 mm pulley. The Denso DAN1331 is the only rigid-pulley 140 A unit. |
| Genuine (OE) numbers quoted | AS-PL A0814S for OE F000BL08D7; AS-PL A1026(P) for OE 13500577; AS-PL A6488S for OE 104210-2170. |
| Fitment notes | in practice the 100-120 A units suit the smaller petrol engines and the 140-150 A units the diesels and larger petrols, but the amperage on the old unit should be matched. Ridex and Stark units are sold without the vacuum pump, which matters on the CDTi diesels. Core charges of £25.12 (Lucas) and £30.14 (Ridex reman) are refunded on return of the old alternator. |
A Genuinely Reliable Way to Isolate the Noise — Vauxhall Insignia Alternator
If you're hearing a whine or grinding noise that changes with engine speed, it's genuinely worth confirming the alternator is actually the source before paying for a replacement. Removing the auxiliary (serpentine) belt and briefly starting the engine is a well-corroborated diagnostic technique — if the noise disappears with the belt off, it's coming from one of the belt-driven components (alternator, water pump, power steering pump, or tensioner pulley) rather than something internal to the engine. Spinning each pulley by hand afterward, checking for roughness or play, usually reveals which specific component has failed bearings.
Vauxhall Insignia Alternator: Often Blamed on the Battery Instead
On the Vauxhall Insignia, a weak battery and a failing alternator produce almost identical symptoms at first — dim lights, slow starts, a car that won't hold charge — which is exactly why so many people replace the battery, only to be back at the garage a few weeks later with the real culprit untouched.
Vauxhall Insignia Alternator: Watch: Replacing It
Insignia A 2.0 CDTi
Vauxhall Insignia Alternator: What It Does
The Vauxhall Insignia's alternator generates electricity while the engine runs, charging the battery and powering the car's electrical systems directly. A healthy alternator means the battery is mostly there for starting the engine and covering brief demand spikes — not for actually running the car's electronics on its own.
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Vauxhall Insignia 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 Vauxhall Alternator
The same part, covered across other Vauxhall models.