X5 Alternator - Charging Problem

[Rebecca Jane]

Hello again,

Just as we get the previous issue sorted then another one occurs - I will not be beaten by this car :-)

I had a continual Red Battery Light on the dash and presummed that the battery had lost it charge due to the preious issues.

I have charged the battery overnight but the light was still there this morning (with the engine running)

Bought a new battery this morning but it is still the same.

Checked the voltage output at the terminal posts under the bonnet (alternator seems very difficult to get at) and this records no increase in output.

Can anybody tell me if there is an in line fuse or a better way of checking the alternator or if something somewhere else could be causing this.

Finally if it is the alternator, how do we go about changing it?

Thank you once again

Rebecca

[gmarks1]

I had this problem with my X5 4.8iS - initially thought the battery was the problem, but turned out to be the alternator; it was about £700 fitted from BMW if I remember correctly - it's a huge unit and water cooled in the 4.8iS. Worth checking the rectifier first; you may find that it is just as cheap to source from BMW as they take the old unit in exchange.

Regards, Gary

[arfur daley]

£700? could have bought a decent car for that.

[8Tech]

The alternator is almost certainly the problem and it is available for about half the cost of OEM from German< Swedish and French (GSF) car parts. It is a monster water-cooled unit so you will also lose all your anti-freeze when you replace it. It will be a 150 Amp unit and I have never found any specialists who rebuild them yet.

8Tech.