SYMPTOMS OF A BAD ALTERNATOR
purpose
The purpose of the alternator is to charge the battery and run electrical components in your car. In order for this to happen, your car’s engine has to be turned on.
Location
The location of the alternator will vary from car to car. Some cars have the alternator towards the front of the engine, while others have it towards the left of the engine.
The average life expectancy for an alternator is between 100,000 to 150,000 miles. If your car is within this mileage range, look out for the symptoms that will be discussed in the article below.
symptoms
warning light
The first symptom of a bad alternator is a warning light. Different cars have different warning lights. Your car may have a battery light, an ALT light, or a GEN light.
odd noises
The second symptom you could be experiencing is hearing weird noises. If you hear a grinding noise, it could be the bearings going out of the alternator. If you hear a squealing noise, maybe it’s time to look into your serpentine belt. A bad serpentine belt can be the reason why your alternator is not working properly. A worn belt can have less traction to rotate the alternator causing the same symptoms as a bad alternator.
headlight problems
The third symptom of a bad alternator is having headlight problems. When you’re driving at night, you’ll notice that your headlights are dim. Also, when you’re driving down the road and see the headlights flickering (turning off and on fast), it’s a good indicator that your alternator is faulty.
engine stalling
The fourth symptom of a faulty alternator is your engine stalling. You’ll be driving to the store, and your car will randomly turn off in the middle of the road, leaving you wondering what happened. For your car to run, it needs air, spark, and fuel. Fuel and spark are controlled through electricity, which comes from the alternator that charges your battery. If the alternator is not working properly, nothing in your car will work.
ACCEssory failure
The fifth symptom of a bad alternator is an accessory failure. Your car’s radio could be turning on and off, or sometimes not even working at all. Your power windows could also be super slow, or your power locks could start to act up. A good rule of thumb to know if you have a bad alternator is when multiple accessories are going out at once, and not just one.
dead battery
The sixth symptom you could be experiencing is a dead battery. If whenever you turn on your car you hear a rapid clicking noise, and the only way to get your car to start is through jumper cables, you might be thinking that you just need to replace the battery. However, whenever you replace the battery, you find out that it’s dead again the next day. Now you can have the best battery for your car, but if your alternator is not doing its job, then your battery is always going to be dead.
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