Without your car’s alternator, you’ve eventually got no power anywhere. Cool Green Auto has these tips that can help you to spot problems with your car’s alternator before you end up stranded somewhere.
You’re Smelling Smoke or Hot Electrical Smells
Your car’s alternator is the main source of power for the whole car once the engine is running. If there’s a problem somewhere in the alternator, you might smell hot electrical smells or you might see smoke. This can happen when belts and pulleys aren’t working properly or when wiring gets overheated.
You Hear Whining Sounds When the Alternator Is Under Load
One way to try to figure out if your car’s alternator is having issues is to put it under a heavy load. That means you let the car run and then do things like turn on the lights and then crank up the heat or the air. As you add more of a load to the alternator, you may hear it whining under that pressure.
The Battery Is Dead
Did your battery die? Sometimes that happens because the battery itself is old or damaged somehow. But very often the battery is a casualty of alternator issues. That’s because the alternator sends power back to the battery once the car is running. A failing alternator can’t hold up its end of the bargain.
Accessories and Lights Aren’t Working Well
It’s easy to blame the light bulbs or the other accessories you’ve got plugged into your car if they’re not working properly. That’s especially true if everything else seems like it’s working fine. If you’re seeing dim lights or accessories aren’t working, you might want to investigate the alternator.
You’re Seeing a Dashboard Warning Light
Dashboard warning lights are always a sign that there’s trouble somewhere. In the case of your alternator, you might see ALT, GEN, or even a small picture of a battery that lights up. It’s really important that you don’t ignore those lights if you do see them on the dashboard, because they’re trying to help you avoid a big problem later.
If you’re having trouble with your car’s battery or alternator, contact us today at Cool Green Auto in Shepherdstown, WV. We can thoroughly inspect all of the parts of your car’s electrical system and pinpoint the problem for you. From there, you’ll have all of the information that you need in order to get your car properly repaired.