Alternators

Wondering what your BMW alternator does? It is a motor inside the engine space that charges your car's battery. It also powers a few other aspects of your BMW.

How Your BMW Alternator Works

An alternator motor is a passive engine part that is powered by the spinning motion of your engine's serpentine belt. This drivebelt spins a pair of electromagnets around a coil on the inside of the motor. The rapid spinning effect creates AC voltage which is transferred in the motor and delivered as DC voltage to the car battery when it needs to be recharged. This created power can also be used to power your powered windows, or windshield wipers.

Signs of a Failing Alternator in Your Car

Your car alternator can last up to 100,000 miles in most cases but problems may occur around the 80,000 mile marker. Alternators can wear down over the years and lose their capability to safely charge your vehicle. Signs of a bad alternator are usually electrical plastic burning smells, dimming lights, battery warning light on dashboard, or random whining noises while the car is idling.

Save Cash on Your New Alternator Order

A new alternator for BMW can cost up to thousands of dollars and even more when it comes to labor costs. If you're looking to save money, you can when shopping our online BMW parts store. We save drivers up to 35% off on alternator parts. And we'll have everything shipped right to your front door!

Did we mention that we ship BMW parts nationwide? Match up with your future parts and accessories with our easy to use parts search feature. Then, place an order and receive your new parts quickly! Have questions? Feel free to reach us on our contact page.