How to Tell When Your Alternator Is Failing

Vehicles are mechanical, and because of that, things go wrong with them from time to time. When you have a problem, the key is to diagnose the issue, fix it quickly, and get the car back on the road. One of the most common failures that people experience is related to the alternator or charging system in the vehicle. Learn how to tell if your car's alternator is failing.

The battery on your car will lose its charge if you leave something like the lights on, but if everything was off and the battery begins to randomly die, consider checking the alternator. Often, if the alternator is not putting out enough power, the battery will end up supplying the surplus to the car, running the battery dead in the process.

The alternator can look fine and work okay during the day, but at night when you need the lights on, it may not be strong enough to keep up with the vehicle's electrical demands. If you start to see this, the alternator needs testing and potentially replacing.

The accessories in your car are mostly electric. The radio is a good example. If the alternator is having trouble putting out enough electricity for everything in the car, you may see the lights on the radio flickering. It may also cause the radio to shut off and come right back on.

The radio is just one accessory a failing alternator can affect. You may see this behavior in the heater fan, the wipers, and even the headlights of your car.

Noise is never a good sign when you are dealing with a part that spins and has bearings inside. Noise coming from the case is another common sign that the alternator is going. A bearing inside the case could be failing, and since most alternators are not serviceable, replacing it is the only course of action.

Your alternator may continue to work for a little while, but eventually, the bearing will seize and that often breaks the belt on the motor. On cars with a serpentine belt, a broken belt means all the accessories lose the drive from the belt. The water pump, the AC compressor, and sometimes the fan stops turning.

Without the water pump, the engine will overheat and could cause damage to the motor. You will also need towing to a repair shop, further adding to the expense. If the alternator makes noise, test it right away and replace it before it fails.

The best way to test your vehicle's alternator is to take the car to a shop and let the auto technicians test the output of the alternator with the car running. The test is an easy one, and the mechanic will know right away if the alternator is the problem or not. They can test the condition of the battery at the same time and let you know if you need to replace both or just the alternator.

Most shops or parts stores will check the alternator for you at no charge if you stop by with the car. If you find it is bad, you can take the car to your mechanic and have them replace it for you.

At Midway Garage & Salvage LLC, we offer repair services, towing services, and used auto parts from our own salvage yard. Give us a call to set up an appointment to bring your car in, or we can tow it here and do the work for you if it is not drivable.