Alternator on way out?
 

Hi All,

I have searched, but could not find similar symptoms.

Yesterday, the dash showed the message "Check Brake Lights" and "Check
Tail Lights". Also the 4X4 light, ABS light and another next to it (can't remember what it was for) came on.

The brake and tail lights were fine, and I was in a rush to get to work, so didn't check anything else.

In the evening and today the car was fine.

Is this a sign the alternator is on the way out?

The car is a 2006 E53 X5 3.0d.

Any advice would be great.

JG

It's a bit soon the be calling the alternator on this one - but you might end up there! :rolleyes:

First step will be to enable the hidden menu in the BC and keep an eye on the voltage while driving (menu item #9). This should show the current main bus voltage (minus about 0.2-0.4v due to measurement losses) as around 13.8volts or so. I've seen mine as low as 13.6v and as high as 14.0v but it usually settles to jumping between 13.8v and 13.9v.

I'm currently a bit suspicious of my alternator/battery too, although I'm not really seeing any symptoms - other than occasionally seeing the 4x4 lamp light briefly when I turn over the starter, which doesn't seem normal (at least, not normal when the battery is fully charged - it IS normal to see this lamp flash when starting when the battery is getting down). My BC voltages look ok - maybe jumping around a little more than I remember but then, I've never paid it this much attention. :dunno:

If your BC voltage reads UB: 13.8V then it seems like the alternator is OK, although this is not conclusive.

check out my signature. Follow steps to unlock OBC, monitor voltage. Probably your battery though. I also managed to rebuild my alternator a while back, still going strong.

For what its worth, when my alternator was taking a shit I didn't get much warning - but it was at the 12-13 year mark -


It will definitely take a dump either on the coldest day of winter or hottest day of summer, when it goes. Some have rebuilt with new voltage regulator and cleaned the slip rings. I didn't have that choice but I hope my new one gets the same 12 year lifespan. I was on a new battery at the time it went.

mine just went a month ago on me, after replacing my battery (now I know why my battery died) and it was instant. fine one morning, dead that night.
Also mine lasted 13 years.

same here alternator died and it lasted 13 yrs, as well as the battery dead.