Car generator warning sign

Dim street light

The alternator is part of your vehicle's electrical system. Its main function is to provide power to operate starting, ignition and all electronic accessories in your car. If the generator starts to fail, you may notice that your car lights and/or dashboard lights start to dim. Once the instrument lights or headlights are dimmed, this is a clear sign of a potential alternator failure. The fading communication may cause other electronic accessories, such as power windows and/or power seats, to operate more slowly than usual.

Warning light

Most modern cars remind you when the generator warning light flashes in a dashboard. Normally, the light is shaped like a battery, but some people might say, ALT (alternator) or GEN (generator). This light may only trigger if you are using multiple electrical components. It is usually based on how many vehicle generators in your vehicle have left and how much electricity is left.

Damaged battery or accumulator

A car battery, as the name suggests, has a limited life and does not last forever. As a generator to supplement your car battery; it can only be charged to the point where it has a decent amount and acceptable charge to stay in its life. If the battery is indeed weak or dead, the generator cannot take its life. To solve this problem is the alternator or battery, just charge the battery and restart the vehicle. If the battery is low or dead, the car will continue to run, but after a short period of time, the lights will dim again, indicating that there is a problem with the charging system. If the vehicle has difficulty in fully charging the battery after starting, the problem may be related to the alternator.

Car generator belt

A system belt used in conjunction with work in an alternator. If the belt does not rotate freely, the excess friction will cause the belt to heat up, resulting in the smell of burning rubber. If you find a smell similar to an electrical fire, this may indicate that the alternator pulley on the belt is slipping, resulting in poor generator output. Tightening the belt often does the trick. If you encounter this situation: tightening the generator belt can not solve the peculiar smell and generator output, it is recommended that your generator evaluation be checked by a professional person.

Strange sound

There are many different places where the current generated by the internal rotation of the vehicle's alternator is indicated. If one of these parts is worn or broken, this may cause grinding or whining. Specifically, worn bearings inside generators have been known to cause this type of noise. If the alternator is installed on the bushing and is broken, noise will be generated. The generator is usually replaced as a component.

Visual cue

If you encounter a problem with the electrical system, the car generator itself may not generate electricity, because the problem may be with one of the belts connected to the alternator. By doing a visual inspection of the engine compartment, it can be judged that a belt is too loose or too tight. If the belt is broken or worn, you should be able to spot this.