I think the alternator has just died

[andye30m3]

Driving home from work and the battery light started to flicker, then came on.

managed to drive about 10miles to a friends workshop which is 1/2 way home, now the car won't restart,

Started on the jump pack, once disconnect the runs but if you turn the lights on it just dies, no fault codes some up and it appears to only be charging at 10-11volts.

I'm guessing that's a new a new alternator for me then!

any recommendations for an online shop that will do an exchange one?

or am I better off with a new BMW one? any idea what the cost of a new one is?

Just waiting for the RAC now.

[glendog74]

Deffo alternator - quite a common fault.

That will be around £500 through a BMW stealership... :banghead:

[magnust]

My generator died too. Oddly enough it charged a little bit so I could drive quite far and the voltage would drop very very slowly and each time it ended with the dash board lights blinking like a pin ball game and the SMG locking up in gear and no way to get into neutral :banghead:

A month later the generator in my friends M3 2005 also died. His died more like yours did, no charge whatsoever. Wonder why it's such a common fault?

[Yanto_csl]

it eventually comes to us all matey.....:bigcry:

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/csl-register/general/csl-technical-area/508396-battery-light

[monkeycsl]

Mine went about two years ago,prob does not help if car is used infrequently so alternator is always working hard.I now keep battery charged to hopefully keep alternator from packing up.

[magnust]

From the other thread:

You're not a 'proper' CSL owner unless you experience a red battery light at some point! :hahaha: :hahaha:

:hahaha:

[azrael]

Is covered under warranty if you have it

[derin100]

Mine is doing it too! Pain in the ass! Simply adding to my list of things that need doing!

At least it seems we're not alone!

[mattCSLnut]

They do that unfortunately :banghead: My CSL is on its 3rd alternator now... all done under "good old" BMW Warranty :thumbs:

[derin100]

They do that unfortunately :banghead: My CSL is on its 3rd alternator now... all done under "good old" BMW Warranty :thumbs:

I feel a trip down to Cambridgeshire to get everything done in a "one-er" might be in order for me?! Don't think I can be arsed with my local main-dealership. Judging by my local friend's experience who has had three CSLs the service manager is (to use his term) "a tosser"!

[mattCSLnut]

I feel a trip down to Cambridgeshire to get everything done in a "one-er" might be in order for me?!

Sounds like a good plan :thumbs: you won't be disappointed :smokin:

[andye30m3]

Cheers for the replies

RAC came out and it's definitely the alternator, got me home and I've just finished taking the old alternator off.

No BMW warranty, bugger! just spoken to my brother in law who's a mechanic, he's going to drop it into a local well respected place which rebuilds them and hopefully for a hell of a lot less than £500!

fingers crossed it will be back in a couple of days as I'm supposed to be at Mallory park on Sunday.

[mattCSLnut]

Cheers for the replies

RAC came out and it's definitely the alternator, got me home and I've just finished taking the old alternator off.

No BMW warranty, bugger! just spoken to my brother in law who's a mechanic, he's going to drop it into a local well respected place which rebuilds them and hopefully for a hell of a lot less than £500!

fingers crossed it will be back in a couple of days as I'm supposed to be at Mallory park on Sunday.

IIRC GSF sell these (made by Veleo as per the original) for about £200 ish all in but will need your old unit in exchange.

[shimmy]

Yep I got a decent one from Factors for about £180 with old one as swap. Mine went on before the old one died as I didn't want to get caught short on the continent :smokin:

[andye30m3]

IIRC GSF sell these (made by Veleo as per the original) for about £200 ish all in but will need your old unit in exchange.

£200 seams a lot more reasonable, I'll keep that in mind incase there's any issue with rebuilding it locally