Introduction
The alternator’s primary function is to drive the electrical systems in your car and charge the battery while the engine is running. It is generally located in the car bonnet/engine bay. We have written about the car alternator in a separate post. Feel free to read it here. With an alternator’s average life expectancy of 100 to 150 thousand miles, let’s list the symptoms to look out for that might indicate that the alternator might be faulty.
Warning Light on car dashboard
The warning lights on different cars vary. Your vehicle might have a battery light, an alternator light, or a general light. Your vehicle’s battery light on the dashboard might be on for a moment, but it usually goes off pretty quickly(within 1 to 2 seconds). If the light stays on while the car is running, you may want to examine the alternator. However, it might just be a minor issue like battery corrosion.
The warning light does not tell you that your battery is faulty and must be replaced. The warning light lights up if the voltage the alternator generates is low. This indicates that the alternator is not charging the battery correctly. If the warning light lights up, it is best to have the alternator looked at while there is still enough juice in the battery to start the car.
Grinding and squealing noise
If you hear a grinding noise, it can be your alternator’s bearings failing. If you hear a squealing noise, it might be time to check your serpentine belt. Your alternator may not be functioning properly because of a damaged serpentine belt. The same signs of a defective alternator can be caused by a worn belt, which has less traction to rotate the alternator.
Dim or flickering headlights
You’ll be able to tell whether your headlights are dim while driving at night. If you’re just driving along and you see your headlights flickering, such as turning on and off quickly, which can also be a sign of the alternator turning bad.
Engine Stalling
If you are encountering the car of your engine stalling while driving it, it might be due to a faulty alternator or an alternator that is turning bad. It will literally just stop in the middle of the road and turn off. If you’re lucky, you will be able to start the engine again and continue with your journey. Since fuel and spark are controlled by electricity, which comes from the alternator that charges your battery, the car will have an issue maintaining its engine running if the alternator is faulty.
Car accessory failure
A good rule of thumb to determine whether you have a faulty alternator is when various accessories start to fail. Your car radio may be turning on and off or not working at all. Your power windows may be acting up, or your power locks may be acting up.
Conclusion
The symptoms stated are some of the warning signals of an alternator that needs to be further looked at. If you encounter any of the symptoms stated above in this post, you should get the alternator checked before the battery dies. Alternatively, you may do a preliminary test with the voltmeter before heading to the workshop. You can look out for 13.5 to 14 volts (while the engine is running, lights and accessories are switched on) and 14.2-14.7 volts while the car accessories are switched off. Typically if the volts are not within the ranges indicated, there might be an issue with the alternator.
If you have any questions or would like to share more about the symptoms which are relevant to a faulty alternator, feel free to post it in the comment below or drop us an email.
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