# Alternator Workshop Alert



## Jwalb02VR6 (Sep 14, 2007)

My Alternator Workshop alert keeps going off while I'm driving. Sometimes the battery light will stay on for a couple minutes afterwards. I checked both the battery and alternator and readings came back perfectly fine. Does anyone have any input as to where I should go from here? Power sterring belt? New alternator? Thanks in advance for any help:beer:


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## DWI_gti (Jan 12, 2004)

New alternator, bring it to advanced and have it checked out


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## GTIVRon (Jul 24, 2009)

As DWIgti said, take it to advance or auto zone. They will test your alternator before you replace it for no reason.

Our cars use a serpentine belt, one belt drives all the accesories, so theres not a single PS belt.


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## Jwalb02VR6 (Sep 14, 2007)

Thanks for the input guys. What I don't understand though is that I've already had my alternator tested, yesterday, and the results were perfectly normal.


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## DWI_gti (Jan 12, 2004)

you didn’t say "tested" you said checked, and when it comes to vortex and the stupidity that usually mean you looked at it and said, hmm looks normal.

Ok moving on if its come one while under load I would probly say it is a belt tension issue, either the belt it self is wore or the tensioner is broke, so look at the and see if its actually tensioning the belt, if it is go buy a new belt and try that


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## '97Trek2.0 (Jun 21, 2001)

The accessory belt that drives your alternator also drives your water pump, power steering pump, and I believe your AC composer. Are all those systems working without issue for you? Earlier this summer my accessory belt tensioner seized causing all of the above systems to fail at once. That was a blast on the way to the airport. What I'm getting at here is that if you lost tension on that belt (i.e. broken belt tensioner) you should probably notice some issues with a couple of the other systems driven by that same pulley. Make sense?


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## Jwalb02VR6 (Sep 14, 2007)

Thanks guys, and yes that does make perfect sense. The car shat out lastnight when I got home from work..I think my logical next step is to have the battery/alternator/charging system checked once more before I start spending money....best case scenario- dead battery..keep your fingers crossed and thank you everyone for the valuable input


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## 97VWJett (May 17, 2003)

If the 24v alternator is in anyway similar to the 2.0 and 1.8t alternators, they might have a regulator in there that will intermittently charge and not charge. It can be very hard to check it when it's failing. 

The guy I use out here for alternator and starter rebuilds, that are not Chinese junk from Napa, Schuck's/O'Reillys, Autozone, etc, replaces the voltage regulator with a newer version, among other things, when it' rebuilt and no more issues.


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## Jwalb02VR6 (Sep 14, 2007)

Hmm.. that's definitely worth looking into if I'm already going to be taking it out. Speaking of taking out my alternator, does anyone have a trustworthy how-to for replacing my alternator? I know there's got to be one out there worth looking at, any help is much appreciated. Thanks again to everyone so far.


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## DWI_gti (Jan 12, 2004)

if you havent taken the alt out yet how were you able to have it tested at autozone?


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## biggins82786 (Mar 2, 2007)

My car did this yesterday. The "Alternator Workshop" light flashed, battery light flashed, and my power steering went out for 2 seconds. It was raining like mad and my car is fairly low...I had hit a semi to moderate puddle and threw water EVERYWHERE. A buddy of mine said a little water probably got in between the belt and pulley/pullies and caused it to slip for a second.

Maybe?


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## Jwalb02VR6 (Sep 14, 2007)

DWI...with an alternator/charging system tester that they use at autozone/other shops.


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## hot wort (May 29, 2006)

*pull the fuses!*

I had the same prob. The battery light came on, changed battery, then alt workshop. It wouldn't go away till i pulled most of the fuses for inspection. none blew -- I think it help reset the passat's brain. Now it's charging fine @ 13v and no warning lights:beer:


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## golfcabriolet90 (Nov 21, 2004)

If your car is a manual, then I'm pretty sure I know whats up.

I experienced exactly the same last year, i changed the belt and the tensioner bearings and nothing helped.

The problem was the free wheeling bearing of the alternator, easy to change but a special puller is needed.

This slip bearing allows the alternator to spin freely even when engine rpms are lower, i.e. when changing gears, this was also the times when I heard the beeps.


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## zndy_zonto (Jun 1, 2009)

where would you get a free wheeling bearing? My car has being giving me this light everyday for the past week now


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## golfcabriolet90 (Nov 21, 2004)

Hi.
The bearing can only be purchased from VW.
It's more than just a bearing, includes the wheel as well, and I doubt you can take it apart and change just the slip-bearing.
I think this is the part no.: 022903119C
But check with your vw-dealer.
*


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## dldeal (Mar 1, 2012)

so what was the result of all of that work? im currently having the exact same problems and dont really want to buy an entirely new alt. this thread had been a great help tho!


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## .boston. (Aug 17, 2015)

Bringing back this post..

Currently own an mk4 R32 and recently had Alternator workshop pop up on my cluster and instantly went back off. No battery light, no cel, no nothing. 
The same thing happened 2.5 months ago, so it doesn't happen often. 
Possibly the bearing within the pulley? Any input is appreciated!


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## mapple1020 (Aug 18, 2018)

Hey guys, I have a 03 W8 and the alternator work shop came on and I checked the battery and it’s not getting a charge. So I went in and chased all the wires and tested them. The alternator is not getting power to turn on from the car. The ECM has to be the issue. Looking at the dirgram for the ECM it runs straight to the alternator. Any ideas on reflashing the ECM? I talked to VW delaer and they totally dropped the programming for the W8. So I can’t even take it to them to get it reprogrammed. Any help would be appreciated!


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## mike4-vr6 (Jun 11, 2011)

Same issue here only the alternator is new, new belt, tension appears to be fine. I had the alternator rebuilt to 150amp. Only happens when I downshift or let off the gas. Just flips on and off for a second. Any ideas?


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