The alternator is the electrical system part that produces power for the battery, accessories, and spark plugs. Without a functioning alternator, you won’t be able to get your vehicle started. We’ll talk more about this below as well as the other signs that your alternator is going bad.
Accessory Malfunction
For example, if the vehicle’s electrical accessories are not getting enough power, they will slow down or shut off by themselves. Things such as the power seats, windows, navigation system, and entertainment system need power from the alternator and battery to function properly.
Battery Warning Light
You may even see the battery light turn on when the accessories malfunction. This is a sign that the alternator is having difficulties producing power, which can happen after 100,000 miles of service. Take the battery warning light seriously and drive to our shop for an alternator test.
Frequent Engine Stalls
If you ignore the problem, your car, SUV, or truck may start to stall frequently. The reason why is that the alternator is not producing enough power for the spark plugs to generate sparks. You will also feel the engine misfire as the plugs struggle to operate. This feels like your car has the hiccups.
Growling Engine Noises
The alternator can also get vocal, if you will, when it goes bad. It will growl as the internal mechanisms wear down and grind against each other. You will hear this noise coming from the engine. If the alternator belt is the problem, you will hear whining or squealing coming from the engine.
Hard Starts/Dead Battery
Aside from powering everything we discussed above, the alternator also makes sure your battery maintains a charge. If the alternator is going bad, it may not keep the battery charged, which will make starting your vehicle difficult or impossible. A frequent dead battery could be an alternator problem.
Overheated Electricity
We mentioned that the alternator generates power. In fact, it generates power anywhere from 13 volts to 14.5 volts. A dying alternator can get overly ambitious and generate too much power in its effort to maintain everything. This will cause your car’s electrical system to overheat and smell hot.
Vehicle Light Problems
If the alternator is generating more than 14.5 volts of power, your vehicle’s lights will be extremely bright. If the alternator is unable to generate as much as 13 volts of power, the lights will be dim. If the alternator is generating an unsteady amount of power, the lights will flicker.
Call us today to schedule a service visit for your automobile if you believe the alternator is acting up. We will test it and replace it if necessary.