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Thread: Mk7 R Alternator failure

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    bright town VIC
    Posts
    134

    Mk7 R Alternator failure

    Hi all. thought I'd share a recent experience in case anyone else faces a similar issue. Not long ago, whilst driving along the great ocean road, I started getting weird electrical issues, firstly the radio volume disappeared, then random error messages, and eventually the car dropped into neutral and I lost all steering. Eventually figured out the battery was flat because the alternator had failed. Being in a remote location, no one had a battery and no one had an alternator and I ended up finding a local wrecker to replace mine and it it only took 2 days to get mobile again. They used a 15 year old one out of a Q5 Audi, so not sure how long it will last!
    I discovered a few things:
    1. If your alternator dies, you can drive for about 2 hours on a fully charged battery, with all electrics off, before the car completely stops again
    2. The VW $1700 alternator is about $600 from an auto electrician if you can give them the right part number
    3. The pulley on the alternator is a consumable part that is rated for 40-60,000km. The right person with the right tools can replace it on the car for about $100 and 2 hours labor. Removing and replacing the complete alternator is about 4-5 hours otherwise.
    4. If you are going to charge your battery while it is in the car, don't connect to the negative terminal, use the body attachment point instead (the negative terminal has a cover over it, I think for that reason).

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    2,393

    Sorry to hear of your problem, but thanks for the useful info
    2017 MY18 Golf R 7.5 Wolfsburg wagon (boring white) delivered 21 Sep 2017, 2008 Octavia vRS wagon 2.0 TFSI 6M (bright yellow), 2006 T5 Transporter van 2.5 TDI 6M (gone but not forgotten).

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