A failing alternator can very quickly leave you stranded. Professional Automotive Services wants to help you to avoid that problem if at all possible, so we’re sharing these warning signs with you.
Your Car’s Battery Isn’t Working Well
Your car’s battery and alternator work together to keep your car running. The battery starts the show by literally giving the car the power it needs to start up. Then once the car is running, the alternator takes over. Ideally, it creates enough power to run the car, anything you’ve got plugged in, and it sends juice back to the battery. Often the first sign of alternator trouble is that the battery seems to not be functioning properly.
You’re Seeing Dash Warning Lights
Your car might seem to communicate with you in ways that you don’t always understand. That’s why the manufacturer includes a communication tool that you really can’t ignore in the dashboard warning lights. In the case of an alternator or electrical problems, your car may light up the electrical system light when it detects issues, but you might need to move quickly. Depending on how bad the issue is, you might not have much time before the alternator and battery stop working altogether.
Accessories Aren’t Working
When you plug accessories into your car’s electrical system, that puts a load on the alternator because that’s what’s providing power to those items. If the alternator is already having trouble, that’s going to cause issues for some of the powered items you’re trying to use. It might even look as if the accessory you’re trying to use is what’s having a problem when it’s really that there isn’t enough power to go around.
You’ve Got Odd Whining Sounds or Hot Electrical Smells
Your car’s alternator is part of the electrical system. That means that when it starts to fail, you might smell hot electrical smells at times. Your alternator also uses a lot of bearings and pulleys to do its job. If any of those are having issues, you might hear grinding or whining sounds. That’s especially the case when you put the alternator under a heavier load, such as by turning the air conditioner all the way up.
Don’t wait if you suspect there’s something not quite right with your car’s alternator. Give us a call at Professional Automotive Services in Greenwood, SC. We’ll test the entire electrical system and make sure everything is working properly.
