# Alternator gone bad 37k Miles



## Mick300ZX (Mar 13, 2012)

The battery light just came up on my 2012 VW Routan SE. Took it to my local dealer (where I bought it) They quote me $750.00 to replace the Alternator, it has a short and it's off guarantee with 37K miles. Now my question is if I should complaint about the alternator going bad at only 37K miles? And if so, to whom? By the way, had to pay for the repair, it still at the dealer. 

Thanks in advance.


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

You have RSE? Kids been watching movies with engine off? Something about these Chrysler vans with RSE kills batteries. Everything points to bad alternator, and the battery tests good, but it's the battery. You can find posts about it on the ChryslerMinivans forums, where some of the Dodge/Chrysler dealership techs speak up on it. It happened to me several months ago and I went on faith on what those forums said and replaced what I thought was a perfectly good battery thinking I really had a toasted alternator, and it turned out.....it was the battery. No problems since.

It very well could be that your alternator is indeed dead and that's the culprit, but I'd ask for the original part to be returned to you. Then if you're back in a week you can say they screwed up the diagnosis and it was the battery all along and to switch it out and give you your $750 back. (And yes, I know in reality that doesn't work and snowball's chance they would refund your money....most likely they will say your original alternator was bad and had already fried the cells on your battery before they replaced the alternator and before the "bad" battery had shown any symptoms, etc.).

Not trying to stir up the puddin' or get your blood pressure up. At this point I hope it is the alternator and you got fixed what needed to be fixed. Just looked up the cost of the alternator on online dealership, and it's expensive. $580 list part, sold online for $460-ish. Bet the dealership is closer to list price, but you find some room for them to work with you if you point to what other dealerships are charging for the OE part.


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## Mick300ZX (Mar 13, 2012)

Yes, I do have RSE and don’t think that my kids, mostly my daughter will watch anything with the car off. I did take a voltmeter and check the battery and alternator. It was at ~12v and decreasing, that's when I took it to the dealer. I will read around. If now the battery goes "bad" I'm not going to be a happy camper and somebody (might be the wrong person) will have to at least hear me


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## Mick300ZX (Mar 13, 2012)

Update: Today the alternator was replaced. So far so good. Let's see...


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## Mick300ZX (Mar 13, 2012)

Update: I took it up with VW USA and complaint about the alternator going bad at such low mileage. They requested all paper work and today I got an email apologizing for my inconvenience and will be issue a full refund. 😊 

Sent from my Lumia 920 using Tapatalk


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## Zambee500 (Jun 23, 2011)

Awesome news. I love to see when a company steps up to do the right thing. It seems with VWoA that it's sometimes a crapshoot whether they will help or tell you to go pound sand.


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