Worried About What Causes Alternators To Fail?
If your car is getting hard to start or it stops running after you get it started, you may be worried about some kind of problem with three important components of the starter system, the alternator, the car battery, and the car starter. How do you know which one is the culprit, you ask? This is when you need to head to your auto shop to have your mechanic check out these three components and pinpoint the source of your starting problems.
If the starter and battery are ruled as the cause of your starting problems, that means the alternator is failing to do its job of keeping the battery charged. This means that your battery is not receiving the power it needs to ignite the car starter, and eventually, your battery will be completely drained of power.
But how can you know when your alternator is starting to fail so you aren’t left stranded on the side of the road one day? Here are some general recommendations from manufacturers of alternators for preventative maintenance:
- Inspect some components, like brushes, at specific mileage or time intervals (about every 12 to 24 months).
- Follow specific procedures for testing the field of outputs.
- Visual inspections (while your vehicle is in for other services) can pinpoint damage to the alternator from heat, vibration, and external contaminants to the connections, as well as oil or other fluid leaks.
- Check the tension of the belts about every 30,000 to 40,000 miles. Too tight can damage the bearings and too loose prevents proper charging.
Tip to Remember: In older vehicles, the alternator only had to power a few things, such as the radio, lights, and ignition. However, in today’s vehicles, the alternator’s load has increased significantly powering GPS units, heated seats, power windows, seats, door locks, built-in computers, and sensors, plus more!
Are you worried about what causes alternators to fail? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Gary’s Quality Automotive for more information about the starting system and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop proudly serves vehicle owners in Grand Island, NE, Wood River, NE, and Doniphan, NE.
If your car is getting hard to start or it stops running after you get it started, you may be worried about some kind of problem with three important components of the starter system, the alternator, the car battery, and the car starter. How do you know which one is the culprit, you ask? This is when you need to head to your auto shop to have your mechanic check out these three components and pinpoint the source of your starting problems.
If the starter and battery are ruled as the cause of your starting problems, that means the alternator is failing to do its job of keeping the battery charged. This means that your battery is not receiving the power it needs to ignite the car starter, and eventually, your battery will be completely drained of power.
But how can you know when your alternator is starting to fail so you aren’t left stranded on the side of the road one day? Here are some general recommendations from manufacturers of alternators for preventative maintenance:
- Inspect some components, like brushes, at specific mileage or time intervals (about every 12 to 24 months).
- Follow specific procedures for testing the field of outputs.
- Visual inspections (while your vehicle is in for other services) can pinpoint damage to the alternator from heat, vibration, and external contaminants to the connections, as well as oil or other fluid leaks.
- Check the tension of the belts about every 30,000 to 40,000 miles. Too tight can damage the bearings and too loose prevents proper charging.
Tip to Remember: In older vehicles, the alternator only had to power a few things, such as the radio, lights, and ignition. However, in today’s vehicles, the alternator’s load has increased significantly powering GPS units, heated seats, power windows, seats, door locks, built-in computers, and sensors, plus more!
Are you worried about what causes alternators to fail? Contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Gary’s Quality Automotive for more information about the starting system and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop proudly serves vehicle owners in Grand Island, NE, Wood River, NE, and Doniphan, NE.
