Alternator Bosch or OEM Volkswagen

The 07K 2.5l came with either a 140A Valeo or 140A Bosch alternator. Be sure you're buying based on alternator brand.

First, if your alternator is putting out 13.8V while the car is running, your alternator is fine. Period. If your battery passes a load test after being fully charged, it is fine.

I recently purchased a 120 amp (refurbished) Bosch alternator at Advance Auto and kept the receipt. My original 90 amp alternator lasted 14 years before it stopped charging battery.

250,000 KM and still on the original alternator ( 1998 Audi A4 . Bosch 120 Amp Alternator ) . Had to replace a couple of bearings but that's it.

Alternators can be rebuilt. YMMV of course, but I rebuilt the Bosch alternator on my old Mk1 VW Rabbit several times (brush would wear down) with no issues.

I replaced it with a Duralast Gold. After replacing the issue still existed so I replaced the alternator with an OEM Bosch remanufactured unit.

I pulled the alternator to have it tested at o'reillys. Test showed it was dead so I bought a reman'd Bosch, but still needed a jump. Car fired up right away, but the voltage gauge still read low and just slowly dropped until the car died again.

Funny thing is, the Bosch alt. I had in the car at the time is sitting in the car in my driveway. Okay, I replaced the brush pack a few times. The 90 Amp alt. itself is at least 10 years old, if not more.

I figured alternator, so took it to Autozone to scan and everything passed. Then took it to Meineke for them to check and they told me alternator was bad and replaced it. Well my interior lights were still flickering so I took it back and they say seems like the one they installed was defective, so they replace it again with an OEM Bosch and also print me a printout of a bulletin stating that under load lights may flicker and there is no solution.

A friend had a rebuilt bosch unit that he lent me to try and that too doesn't put out any voltage.