Is my alternator dying?

[MNRS6]

My battery voltage while running is sitting around 12.1 volts and dipping to 11.9 when u turn on the lights. Is this the end of my alternator? Can I just replace the regulator? I got these numbers from my vag-com btw.

[Brav]

Yep. Should be next to that white dot to the right, around 14. Put the car on the charger.. you can expect to go about 20-30 miles on full charge with no alt.

Fairly easy job if you have any mech. ability (with respect to the rest of the RS6).

[MNRS6]

Best bet to start with a voltage regulator and not the entire alternator?

[4.2Crew]

My battery voltage while running is sitting around 12.1 volts and dipping to 11.9 when u turn on the lights. Is this the end of my alternator? Can I just replace the regulator? I got these numbers from my vag-com btw.

Probably on it's last leg....

My alternater just died last month... It's kinda a bitch to remove. And the alt needs to be removed to get to the reg. The hardest part for me was prying the alternater from the mounting bracket.

Once it was removed, I took it to a place in Savage, MN called Automotive Electric for bench testing. The regulator was shot----everything else checked out fine. They insisted on using ONLY an oem Bosch regulator. Total bill was $105 and about 3 hours of my time. A reman from the dealer will set you back over $700!

[MNRS6]

Do you have a phone number or address for this place? I ordered a new regulator online and it was $175!! I work in Bloomington so I am not too far however I could not find a contact for Automotive Electric.

[4.2Crew]

Sorry, my poor memory butcher'd the name... It's:

A & B Auto Electric

952-894-5147

<!-- start of the bean header -->12601 Chowen Ave S
Burnsville, MN 55337

Ask for Aaron.

[alrightroad]

Probably on it's last leg....

My alternater just died last month... It's kinda a bitch to remove. And the alt needs to be removed to get to the reg. The hardest part for me was prying the alternater from the mounting bracket.

Once it was removed, I took it to a place in Savage, MN called Automotive Electric for bench testing. The regulator was shot----everything else checked out fine. They insisted on using ONLY an oem Bosch regulator. Total bill was $105 and about 3 hours of my time. A reman from the dealer will set you back over $700!

That is a deal.

[Brav]

Yes in most cases its the voltage regulator. Good idea to pull the starter and also have the diodes tested, as they can go bad as well which typically means new alternator.

I swapped my VR, and all is well. But batt light still on and cant figure out why.. may be unrelated.