Alternator issues

I have a 2004 bmw x5. I have ahd the alternator replaced twice since December 2011. Battery was replaced in December 2011. Alternator light is on yet again. Any suggestions???

who is doing the work, WHY are they doing the things they are doing? What exactly has been done. Any diagnostic tests?

Mary, you might want to repost this over on the 1999-2006 X5 board here in case someone there has experience with this situation in the earlier X5's. Of course Ard's questions are valid for any year and would help determine the problem/cause/possible solution. Just on your initial question it sounds like you need another opinion besides the service provider you are using now.

First time, Service shop second time BMW dealership. dash board lit up like a christmas tree and then eventaully everything wen tdead. At first one of the battery cells was dead so I replaced battery and then "the alternator was not working." I replaced it. I was on the way to San Antonio when alternator light came on again. BMW eventually went completely dead so I was towed to the BMW dealership and they said it was a "faulty alternator" so it was replaced for free. Here we are six months later and the alternator light is on once again.

Well for sure it needs to go back to the BMW shop that replaced the alternator -- those repairs/parts are, should be, warranted. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that it was a bad part after all. Good luck and let us know how it turns out.

Our 2004 X5 would intermitently turn on the battery light. Took it to 2 different shops (not the dealer) and both told me they couldn't find anything wrong with the alternator or battery. After about a year, the alternator died. When I went to replace it, I noticed it was covered with power steering fluid - from a loose seal on the reservior, located directly above the alternator.

I've notice most of the hoses on the X5 use a crimp-on style hose clamp - and they suck. Replaced the alternator and replaced the crimp-on hose clamps for the reservoir with the screw-on type and have not seen the battery light since.