Posted on 10/8/2019
When your vehicle doesn't start, the first thing you think of might be the battery. That may be the culprit, but it also might be that your alternator has gone bad. An alternator sends power to your vehicle's electrical systems and accessories like your entertainment system, charging ports, and so on. Any extra electricity goes to re-charge the battery. So, your battery is what gets your engine started, but once the engine's running, your alternator is what's turning out the power. A failing alternator may not be able to keep the battery charged. One of the most common causes of an alternator's demise is the bearings fail and seize up. That can happen from dirt and liquid getting into the bearings combined with the heat of the engine. You might hear a grinding sound, an early warning that something's wrong. Other signs your alternator may be failing? A squealing noise in your engine, or your headlights dimming when engine RPMs dr ... read more