Maintaining your alternator correctly is essential for your car’s electrical components and the overall drive. Without a functional alternator, your battery will become exhausted faster and could cause stalling or worse issues.

Luckily, your alternator will typically warn you before it fails. Dimming or flickering headlights, illumination of the service engine light, and a sputtering battery are all common indicators.

Overheating

A dead battery can place a lot of stress on the alternator, causing it to overheat. This is because the battery needs to draw a lot of electricity from the alternator to maintain a charge. A faulty serpentine belt, loose or broken drive pulleys, or an alternator that is too small for the vehicle’s electrical system can also cause overheating. Overheating can lead to internal component failure and expensive repairs. Professional alternators Winter Garden FL mechanics have the experience, knowledge, and equipment to quickly and accurately diagnose alternator issues and provide quality repair work. They can help prevent overheating by inspecting the electrical connections, checking for corrosion or rust on exposed metal parts, testing voltage readings, and cleaning or replacing worn belts. They can also address any potential issues before they become more serious problems down the road, such as dim headlights or interior lights, battery draining quickly, dashboard lights staying on, or a burning smell.

Corrosion

The alternator converts mechanical energy from the engine to electrical power for your car’s battery and other components. It regulates how much electric current is fed back to the battery for recharging, so it’s a key component in maintaining your car’s electrical system. Problems like dim or flickering headlights, a weak or dead battery, and faulty electrical systems can indicate a problem with the alternator. Corrosion can affect the performance of an alternator by restricting the flow of electricity. It can also cause corrosion to the metal parts inside an alternator, which can decrease its efficiency and cause malfunctions. A professional auto repair shop should perform a visual inspection and voltage tests on the battery and alternator during every significant service appointment. This will help identify any issues before they become costly problems. In addition, a mechanic should clean the battery terminals and tighten their connections to prevent corrosion.

Faulty Parts

If your alternator has gone wrong, you may wait to notice it. Your car is preprogrammed to prioritize which power-hungry features get electricity first. So, you may only see that your lights or gauges flicker when you turn on the radio or adjust your air conditioner or power windows. This is one of the most common signs that you need alternator repair, mainly if it occurs regularly and is paired with other symptoms like dimming headlights or a whining sound from under the hood. It is essential to get your alternator repaired by an experienced mechanic as soon as possible to prevent further damage to your battery and electrical system. If you do this, your vehicle will continue to perform optimally for years. Plus, professional repairs and replacements are usually faster and more efficient than DIY projects. And, if you choose to trust the professionals at an auto shop, they can also guarantee the quality of their work and spare parts.

Battery Drain

When the alternator isn’t working correctly, it may be unable to recharge the battery. This can cause a parasitic draw, which drains your battery even when your car is off. To check for this, use a multimeter in the DC milliamps setting to probe the battery cable at the alternator’s end for current. If you detect more than 50 milliamps, there is a parasitic draw from the alternator that needs to be repaired. Another common symptom of a failing alternator is the battery warning light coming on. This indicates that the battery isn’t being charged, which can damage your other electrical components. While you can fix your alternator independently, the best way is to bring your vehicle into an auto repair shop for a thorough inspection and diagnostics. Since the symptoms of a bad alternator and a bad battery can overlap, a technician can determine which is causing your problem and fix it accordingly.