7 Signs Your Alternator Needs Maintenance
The alternator is an essential part of your vehicle’s electronic system. It charges your car’s battery, powering everything from the spark plugs and headlights to the radio and heated seats. Here’s how to spot when this critical component needs service.
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Headlight hijinks
If you notice that your car’s headlights are flickering, or they’re too bright or too dim, it may not be a problem with the lights themselves. Instead, the probably typically lies with the alternator providing erratic voltage to the lights.
Accessories gone awry
Are your vehicle’s accessories behaving unexpectedly? Common issues include sluggish or non-responsive power windows and seat adjustments, underperforming seat warmers, and erratic dashboard instruments. This could point to an alternator issue. Luckily, cars are programmed to disable non-essential accessories before compromising ones that impact your safety, like the headlights. Even if you can tolerate driving without your radio and power windows, have your alternator checked out before the issue becomes more severe.
Batteries gone bad
There are times that you’ll just have to replace your car’s battery due to age or overuse. However, if it seems that you’re having to replace your battery with unusual frequency — or your new battery falters before a few years have passed — your alternator could be the problem. Give your vehicle a jumpstart when it’s failing to start, and drive it around to help the battery recharge. If your car remains functional after a few startups, the problem probably doesn’t lie with the alternator. But if it fails upon subsequent startups, it’s probably an alternator issue.
Strange smells
If you smell burnt rubber or an electrical fire, it could indicate that components in your alternator are breaking down. The alternator has a series of belts that are under constant tension and friction. If they wear out, you’ll be able to smell it. And if the alternator is being overworked from too much electricity flowing through it, it can cause the wires to give off excess heat and create a burning scent.
Starting and stalling
When you turn the key and are met with a clicking noise instead of your engine starting up, it’s usually a battery or alternator issue. And if your car is stalling out while you’re on the road, it’s possible that the spark plugs aren’t getting enough electricity from the alternator to ignite the fuel properly
Nasty noises
Hear growling or whining from under the hood? That’s never a good sign — and it could point to a problem with the alternator. According to Firestone, that sound comes from a misaligned belt in the alternator’s pulley system grinding against other components. It could also come from faulty rotor shaft bearings. But regardless of whether the alternator is the source of the sound or not, strange sounds from under the hood should always be inspected by a professional.
Warning light woes
When the battery light pops up on your dash, it seems pretty self-explanatory — it’s a battery problem, right? Not always. It could indicate an issue with other components of the electrical system, such as the alternator. Normally, alternators put out 13/14.5 volts. But if yours is over- or underperforming, the warning light will activate.
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Want some more tips on taking care of your car? Check out these hidden signs that your vehicle needs service.
Kimiko Kidd is a native Daytonian. She graduated from Wright State University with degrees in environmental science and sociology. She loves her trusty old Honda Civic, but dreams of owning a 1974 Ford Falcon XB with a custom paint job and a vintage Kawasaki Z1000. In her free time, Kimiko can be found watercolor-painting, baking muffins, collecting rocks, playing old-school Nintendo games, writing her novel, sewing stuffed animals, and cosplaying as her favorite Mad Max characters. See more articles by Kimiko.