When should alternator be replaced?

Are you noticing that your car struggles to start or gets stuck while running and requires a constant fuel supply? You must be wondering whether it is a case of a bad battery, problematic car starters, or a problematic alternator. You must also be thinking about when an alternator should be replaced. For your vehicle to become reliable again, you should take your car to your auto shop and have these three components: the starter, the alternator, and the battery checked. Nevertheless, one has to understand that a starter system, as long as it has been designed to be durable and work under different conditions for a long time, might develop problems due to constant usage and wear or because of the climate it is exposed to, or lack of proper maintenance.

Several factors can lead to an alternator needing replacement:

• This can be attributed to the wrong use of the jumper cables.
• Belts close and restrictive that negatively impact bearings.
• They should not overload the charging system with many accessories
• When the fluids cause corrosion, particularly on the alternator, it can damage the alternator.

If you have eliminated the car starters and the battery as the causes of your car starting issues, it is likely an alternator issue. OK, what is the alternator? The alternator, mounted on the engine, recharges the battery while the car starters that are powered by the battery fire the engine. More importantly, the alternator ensures a continuous supply of energy to the car through charging the battery. In the case when the alternator is no longer able to take the battery charge, your vehicle is going to die.

Are you sitting down and thinking of when should alternator be replaced? In general, alternators can last anywhere from 7 to 10 years or about 100,000 to 150,000 miles. It varies with the quality of the particular part, your driving style, and the use of additional electronic devices. Unfortunately, the alternator will sometimes go out without much warning.

Here are some signs that it might be going wrong:

• The lights are turned off, or they even flicker.
• The ALT or GEN light comes on in the car's dash.
• Abnormal vibrations and shaking, knocking sounds from the motor.
• Every other electrical system within the car, such as the windows, the locks, or the radio, fails.
• The engine stalls because of inadequate power from the spark plugs.
• The battery dies out since the alternator cannot charge it.

Still unsure when should alternator be replaced? Call our ASE Certified Technicians at Gary’s Quality Automotive for more information about car starters, alternators, batteries, and other related services and to schedule an appointment. Our auto shop proudly serves vehicle owners in Grand Island, NE, Wood River, NE, and Doniphan, NE.