Since having the alternator replaced last week, I can now recall some symptoms before it finally packed in. My RRS makes all sorts of strange noises and electrical glitches generally but with hindsight this should have occurred to me earlier.

Hopefully they will help others recognise the problem before it gives up altgether and leaves them stranded - like me !!

1. Noticeable 'whine' from the engine when revved.
2. Heated seats not very warm.
3. Low power mode displayed on radio when volume turned up.

 FF 4.4 V8 Soooo looking forward to this bad boy
Ex 2006 RRS SC - garbage
Ex 2016 135i M Sport - dream car
Ex 2003 RS6 Avant - piece of cr*p
Ex 2014 320d X Drive, M Sport Touring - ok I guess
Ex 2007 RRS TDV8 - bloody loved it
EX 2007 FL2 XS - not so bad

I never had any of those symptoms that I can recall. I did get a few spurious error messages on the dash though. A couple of times I had the adaptive lighting fail light come on, a couple of times I had transmission failure warning. Each time, a stop and restart of the engine cleared the fault.

I get the feeling that each RRS throws its own little lst off issues when the alternator is going. These cars really are individuals!

I think bringing together typical symptoms for failing alternators is a good idea, however.  2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

1st warning I got was the red battery light  RRS gone
Audi SQ5...Gone Audi Q7 S-Line 240 3.0TDI Gone
Audi A6 Allroad Sport 270 3.0TDI

Well, yes, me too but in hindsight there were other issues that popped up before it was changed and haven't since. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

There a strange beast thats for sure.Mine has never shown any signs of battery trouble at all.But we went to the lakes for a weekend about 6 weeks ago(a cottage on Esthwaite lake)so not a lot there :roll:Was an 85 mile journey,Saturday morning we got up I got the boots and gear out of the car and we spent all day walking(no mobile reception,pure bliss )when we got back the car wouldn't even open the battery was that flat.The AA came at 10.30pm after he eventually found us I thought it must be the alternator but no that was fine,we jumped the car took it 4 miles.I didn't expect it to start in the morning but it did and was fine for a week but then was very slow starting one day.Just got a new battery and its been fine since.

Yep same here with whine low power mode and also heated front screen not great used a volt meter to check battery not running then running with a full load Range rover Sport tdv8 with bas touch
Landrover discovery4 XS 3.0 tdv6
Landrover discovery3 se 2.7 tdv6 Gone
volvo c70 T5 Gone
leon Cupra 20VT Gone

"Symptoms of a failing alternator"?

About a year ago I took my RRS to a very busy filling station and stopped at a pump, surrounded by others filling their cars. Immediatley, acrid "burning rubber / electronics" type smoke started billowing out from under the bonet. Holy crap, I thought, this is a bad place for a car fire, so I turned the key and to my surprise the engine started. I squeezed through a gap and parked outside the car wash.

I didn't have any tools to disconnect the battery, and by the time the girls behind the checkouts found an adjustable, the smoke had died down.

It turned out that the entire contents of the battery had short circuited through the alternator, the insides of which were just a melted mess.

There was no warning that the alternator was about to fail.

Just picked my car up today and the dealer I bought the car from has put a new battery on it and everything seems to be working fine, but there is still a strong smell of burnt electrical under the bonnet which I am convinced is the alternator. But there's is no warning lights on the dash that it's not charging and the heated seats are now very warm and no "low power mode" as yet.
Give it a few days and see if the battery drains again and if so its £763 for a new alternator to be supplied and fitted.

My experiences with a failing alternator were a nightmare..

2003 BMW X5 V8 - 110K - failed (seized) with zero warning - and almost an engine out job to resolve (largest alternator - water cooled! I've ever seen..) Low loader collection from the motorway... not a good experience

2004 Vogue V8 - 122K - about the worse wet and windy night in the middle of nowhere heading for a night out in Newcastle... thump - power lost and seized... again a nightmare.

No issues so far on the RRS .. but have a warrantly just in case!

Not sure about any warning signs - I didnt have any

Just had my alternator replaced. The thing just wouldn't start one day. Checked the battery first which was dead so charged it up and drop tested it. Battery was and still is good so managed to get it to LR who diagnosed the alternator. At no time did the battery light come on on the dash. I did however have a few warning lights come on leading up to the failure, suspension and electronic handbrake!! Oh and I had the whine coming from the engine bay on revving. Apparently when its time, the spindle lets go hence the whining. Anyway got it done under warranty so cost me zilch