![]() ![]() ![]() See how you can find the right mechanic to work on your vehicle. For these reasons, it’s best to get your alternator fixed to protect yourself and other drivers on the road.³įixing your battery or alternator can be an expensive repair. Your vehicle can also lose power on its power steering, which can result in you losing control of your car. If you don’t have the resources available to jump your car and find yourself in a remote area, this could leave you stranded. Also, your car’s battery will deplete eventually, causing your car to die. Driving on a bad alternator can cause a variety of issues in other parts of your car, including the engine and electrical components. While your car can run with a faulty alternator for a short period of time, doing so includes risks and can be dangerous for you and everyone else on the road. Find out how to test an alternator.Ĭan you drive with a bad alternator or battery? However, this is not a good idea because it could damage the electrical system of your vehicle and cause greater problems. Some may recommend running the engine with the negative battery cable disconnected to test the alternator. Are there signs your alternator is overheating, such as the smell of burning rubber or hot wires? If so, it’s time to replace it. Did you hear a growling sound before the trouble started? That sometimes occurs before an alternator fails. Do you notice your headlights running brighter as you accelerate and dimming as you stop? This is often caused by the alternator not keeping the battery adequately charged. If the dashboard gradually dims, the alternator is likely at fault. While running the car, note the brightness of the interior lights. Find out how to tell if your alternator is bad¹²: There are certain bad alternator symptoms to look for. If the above steps reveal that the battery is working, it’s time to take a closer look at the alternator. This problem occurs when your alternator has overcharged the battery due to a bad voltage regulator. If your battery is bloated, you should be able to notice thanks to manufacturer design: You’ll easily be able to identify bulging in the battery’s casing. This is an odd problem that typically will happen only on certain vehicles, and it is a result of the battery having only enough voltage to start the car. This can happen for a number of reasons, but checking your battery is the best place to start. If you notice your radio display or headlights flickering or dimming, there’s a good possibility your battery isn’t well-charged. If your ignition is in the on position, the battery should be able to run your radio, headlights, windshield wipers, and other electronic components. However, there are steps you can take to help preserve your car battery life. Eventually, the level of battery charge diminishes to the point where, no matter how much power the alternator gives to it, the battery can’t hold enough power to start the car. On average, car batteries last between 3 and 5 years. As batteries age, they become less able to retain a charge because the metal inside corrodes. If you can’t get it to restart, this is a sign the alternator is doing its job of keeping the battery working while the motor is running, but the battery isn’t retaining the charge when the alternator has stopped. After running the motor for a while, turn the car off. If it still won’t start, use a rag to carefully wipe away any corrosion on the battery and have someone jump-start it. Then make sure these are all turned off and once again try to start the car. Try turning on your windshield wipers, lights or automatic windows. If the dashboard lights are dim, something is likely wrong with your battery. The battery should be giving a charge, even while the vehicle is off. Are the dashboard lights dim? First, check the dashboard battery gauge.Signs of a bad batteryĬheck for these common symptoms of a dead battery: If a jump starts and keeps your car running, but the car can’t start again off of its own power, a dead battery is probably your answer. If the engine starts but dies immediately, your alternator probably isn’t keeping your battery charged. Using the process of elimination, find the culprit by bypassing the battery’s role and jump-starting your car. Finally, the alternator completes this cycle by charging the battery. This starts the engine running, which puts the alternator into action. First, the battery delivers a jolt of electricity to the starter. Starting and running an engine, in its simplest form, is a 3-step process. Battery or alternator: what’s causing the problem? If it’s one of those things, recognizing which one can be relatively simple. ![]() If your car won’t start, it’s often due to a malfunction of either the battery or the alternator. You go to start your car, but when you engage the ignition, your car won’t start - and your stomach sinks. ![]()
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