If your battery keeps dying and it’s new, the problem may not be with the battery at all. Unless you ended up with a bad battery, it should maintain a charge without a problem. The Shop Tire and Service Center advises that the battery may be dying because the alternator is not keeping it charged. This is just one thing the alternator does, and problems with a new battery is just one sign the alternator is going bad. Here are other signs of a faulty alternator.
Accessory Problems
The alternator also supplies power to your vehicle’s power accessories. As such, they will start to have problems if the alternator is dying. For example, your radio may not remain turned on because the alternator is not sending it enough juice. You may also have things such as your power seats slow down.
Burning Electricity
The above is an indication that the alternator is not producing enough power. Burning electricity is an indication that the alternator is producing too much power. The maximum power a car alternator should produce is 14.5 volts. If yours is producing more than that, it will overheat the electrical system.
Dashboard Warning
Your vehicle’s dashboard may also give you a clue that the alternator is going bad. You may end up with an illuminated ALT, GEN, or battery-shaped light. The light will turn on and stay on until you replace the malfunctioning alternator. We can do that here at our shop after we test it to make sure it’s dead.
Flickering/Dim Light
Another problem that is caused by a faulty alternator is flicking and/or dim headlights, interior lights, and taillights. If the alternator is cranking the voltage too high, the lights will be very bright. You may not notice a problem with your vehicle’s lights until it is dark outside and hard to see.
Frequent Stalling
You have already discovered that the alternator powers many things in your automobile, and we’re not done yet. The alternator also provides the juice the spark plugs need so they can produce sparks in the cylinders. Frequent engine stalling suggests that the plugs are being starved of power.
Strange Engine Noises
Finally, the alternator may start to growl or whine inside your engine if it is going bad. We recommend that you head straight to our shop anytime your engine is making strange noises.
We are The Shop Tire and Service Center in Elk River, MN, and we’d be happy to test your alternator to see if it needs to be replaced. If it does, we’ll do that, too.