Your car has to have a functioning alternator in order to keep itself running. But what does it look like when the alternator is having problems? A1 Automotive knows it can be tough to diagnose car issues on your own, so we’ve got some tips that can help.
Odd Sounds When the Alternator Is Under Load
When you turn on a variety of different systems in the car, like the heat, the radio, and even peripherals, they all run off the power generated by the alternator. As you turn more things on, that causes the alternator to work that much harder to power everything. If you’re hearing more sounds as you turn different systems on, that can be a sign that the alternator is struggling a bit to keep up.
Hot Electrical Smells When the Car Is Running
Something else that you might experience could be electrical smells, particularly anything that smells “hot” or melted, especially when the alternator is working harder. This doesn’t necessarily mean that anything is on fire, but you sure don’t want to take any chances. Any time you smell hot wiring or electrical smells, you need to investigate.
Visible Warning Lights on the Dashboard
Any time that you see warning lights on your car’s dashboard, you need to pay attention to what those lights are telling you. In the case of your car’s alternator, you may only have a light that refers to the battery, but it’s possible that you could see other warning lights as well. Double check the owner’s manual so that you know for sure what lights you might see in connection with electrical or alternator issues.
Problems with the Battery
One of the most common concerns you might encounter is trouble with the car’s battery. That might not hint to you right away that the alternator is what’s having issues, but it is extremely common. The alternator feeds power back to the battery, but when it isn’t working well itself, it can’t do that. That’s when you’ll start to see problems with the battery, often even well before you spot other issues with the alternator.
A1 Automotive in Lincoln, NE is here to help with all of your car’s needs, including problems with your alternator, battery, and elsewhere in the electrical system. Call us today to set up an appointment and we’ll be happy to sort out what’s causing trouble with your car’s alternator.