You turn the knob, and all you hear is quick clicks instead of firing the engine up. “My battery is dead!” Or is it more complex than that? If you ignore the signs of a failing alternator, the same condition could happen with a new battery again. Many persons, including experts, are eager to believe that the battery is poor, but if the failing alternator often destroys the recently replaced battery, this may be an expensive mistake. So What Are the Symptoms of a Bad Alternator that will help car users assess and solve the problem early?
Here are the List of Possible scenarios of What Are the Symptoms of a Bad Alternator
Dim or Overly Bright Lights
An overcharged alternator (or a defective external voltage regulator) will trigger the exterior lights of your car to be too bright. Also, the bulbs can flame out faster than normal.
An undercharged alternator, on the other hand, will trigger the exterior lights of your car to be dimmer than usual.
Service engine light
Another obvious sign is the one your vehicle tries to tell you. This varies by the model, but when the alternator starts to let go, it can light up a “Check Engine,” “ALT,” or a battery icon indicator.
Discharged Battery
The alternator charges the battery, as it provides electricity to the rest of the vehicle. It will not charge the battery as quickly if the alternator begins to go wrong. Then the battery does not hold adequate power to fuel the vehicle or even separate accessories.
To Know about the battery sign of symptom’s
Odd Noises
The serpentine belt could have stretched with age and may not be spinning the alternator pulley effectively, leading to a lack of charge.
The serpentine belt is also known as the drive belt. A drive belt’s function is to drive accessories installed on your engine. The drive belt will control and provide power to the alternator, water pump, and air conditioner compressor. If the serpentine belt breaks down or is damaged, the car won’t be able to drive. If you try to run the engine without the drive belt working, the engine would overheat, since the water pump isn’t working. The broken belt can also damage the radiator and coolant hoses.
Symptoms of a broken drive belt include loud noises, squealing noises, and other sounds coming from beneath the hood. The charging system warning light could also come on since the alternator will stop charging the battery. A bad alternator and a bad drive belt go hand in hand.
Engine stalling
It may be an alternator problem if the motor unexpectedly cuts while driving. Fuel injection requires a decent amount of electrical control, and the engine easily stalls without it.
Strange Smells
Smell is the third sensory sign of alternator trouble, and it comes from the fact that your alternator is working way too hard to the brink of overheating.
Have you ever been near an electrical fire? An overworked alternator might smell kind of like that. The hot wire scent can be caused by an overheated alternator, one pushing too much power through the rotor and stator.
Or burning rubber? Yeah, that’s another possibility, thanks to the rubber belt that keeps the alternator going, as well as the rubber sheaths on the wires that connect everything in your electrical system. A pulley that isn’t in alignment or not turning freely will cause more friction on the belt, which creates heat and then the smell of burning rubber. If those get too hot, your nose will probably know.
Not all bad smells indicate potential alternator trouble. The aroma is distinct from other attention-worthy car smells, like the smoky sting of burning oil, the sweet stench of overflowing coolant, or the singe of overheating brakes. Of course, none of these things are good, so if you smell any of them, get them checked out.
What are the Reason for Alternator not Charging?
Damaged or Worn-Out Alternator
The most common reason that your alternator is not charging is because of a damaged alternator.
Battery That Is Past Its Lifetime
Unfortunately, batteries don’t last long. Usually, a car battery lasts between 2-5 years, which can vary based on how much you travel, how long you travel, and where you live in the particular environment.
Broken Belt
There are a number of pulleys and belts that operate in unison as you look at the radiator mechanism to efficiently transform the mechanical energy into electrical energy to power the alternator.
Broken Pulley
A broken pulley goes hand-in-hand with the broken belt. The pulleys and belts are part of the system which converts energy into the alternator
Broken or Damaged Fuse
Fuses can get damaged when a power surge occurs, or during a long period of time where they wear-out through prolonged use. If this happens, the current can stop flowing to the alternator, preventing the alternator from charging.
Some vehicles do not contain an alternator that is dependent on the fuse for it to run smoothly and correctly. Be sure to check your owner’s manual in your car to see if your vehicle has this specific type of alternator and fuse set-up.
Wiring Issues
In order to charge and keep working, there are different wiring systems that help deliver the right amount of power for an alternator. The power would avoid being produced and running to the alternator if one wire is disconnected or destroyed. As a result, the battery can’t charge the alternator.
Frequently Asked Questions
With a poor alternator, can a car run?
For a faulty alternator, a vehicle can only operate for a short time. When the engine is running, the alternator charges the battery and, if the battery is drained, the car will die and unable to restart.
How long does an alternator last?
An alternator is intended to last the vehicle’s life, but it doesn’t always occur. In some cases, the alternator may require replacement before the car is ready for the junkyard. That generally occurs between the 100,000 and 150,000-mile mark anywhere.
How much does it cost to replace an alternator?
$500 and $1,000 to have a professional replacement
How do I test my alternator?
Usually, to thoroughly test an alternator, a technician would require specialized tools, such as a digital charging system analyzer. But, using a wireless mustimeter set to DC volts, you can run a simple charging device performance test.
Attach the black meter to the negative battery terminal and the red meter to the positive battery terminal to measure the alternator. The battery should have a base reading of at least 12.2 volts with the engine off. Otherwise, the measurement for the charging device would not be precise.
How to Test a Battery Amp with Multimeter in detail steps
Start the vehicle and raise the engine speed to about 1,500-2000 RPM until you’ve decided that the battery has a sufficient charge. In general, if the alternator is charging, the reading on the meter with all the lights and accessories switched off should be about 13.5 to 15.0 volts.
