If you hear growling noises coming from the front of your engine, the alternator may be going bad. This electrical system part is located near the front of the engine where it is attached to the serpentine belt. Whining noises can indicate a problem with the serpentine belt, and this problem can affect how well the alternator generates voltage. This is just one sign your alternator is going bad.
Accessory Trouble
Another sign that the alternator is malfunctioning is problems with your vehicle’s accessories. Specifically, the accessories may slow down or fail to work. They may also turn themselves off, such as your car radio. The alternator provides power to the accessories and they will malfunction if the alternator is going bad.
Dead Battery
The alternator also generates voltage to keep the battery charged. The battery discharges and the alternator replenishes the charge to ensure that you always have a working car battery. If you have had to jumpstart the battery frequently lately, the alternator could be going bad.
Dim Lights
One sign that the alternator is not generating enough electricity is dim vehicle lights. The lights may also flicker or be too bright depending on the problem with the alternator. For example, if the lights are extremely bright, the alternator is producing too much electricity. This means it is malfunctioning.
Frequent Stalling
The alternator also provides power to the spark plugs. The plugs need this power so they can generate sparks in the combustion chamber. If the alternator fails to send power to the plugs, they will not be able to produce sparks. Consequently, your vehicle will stall frequently.
Hot Electricity
We mentioned above that extremely bright lights can be an indication that the alternator is producing too much electricity. Another indication is hot electricity in your automobile. In other words, you will smell burning wires and wire insulation in the engine and inside the vehicle.
Warning Light
Finally, you may end up with a warning light on the dashboard if the alternator is going bad. Specifically, the engine control unit will turn on the battery light to let you know that it’s time to replace the alternator. Generally, the alternator lasts approximately 100,000 miles.
If you are having problems with your alternator, call us today to set up a visit for your automobile so we can remove the old alternator and replace it with a new one. This is an auto repair that does not take too much time, so you may even be able to wait for your automobile.
