Your car’s alternator serves two vital functions: supply power for your car’s electrical needs to recharge your battery. A good alternator can easily accomplish these tasks. Eventually, like every mechanical component, your alternator will start to fail, and you’ll need an alternator repair. What are some signs that you may need auto service soon? As your Ford dealer in Larned, KS, we can replace it for you. Here are some of the signs and symptoms that might suggest you’re going to need a new alternator.
Burning Smells
A hot metal scent can signal a failing alternator. Your alternator is powered by the alternator belt that connects to the crankshaft. As your car moves, the crankshaft turns, and this causes the alternator belt to run across a series of pulleys that start to spin. Each of these pulleys is connected to one of your car’s vital systems, and the spinning of the pulley powers the attached component.
Your alternator pulley spins 3x faster than other pulleys to power the alternator. As your alternator starts to fail, it struggles to produce enough power to supply your car’s electrical demands. In an attempt to produce more power, your alternator will start to spin faster. This extra effort places excessive strain on the alternator and it will start to heat up and you’ll smell the hot metal of an overheating alternator.
Electrical Problems
Any electrical component can show bizarre behavior before it fails. If you notice strange behavior by various electrical components, for example, windows that won’t open or close, or lights that won’t switch on, these point to a deeper problem. The cause of this odd behavior is a problem in the electrical system, and the most likely culprit is the alternator.
As we saw above, the alternator supplies all of your car’s electrical power. As it wears down, it produces less power, which means the available power has to be rationed. Your car’s computer will allocate this power to components that need it. The more components that are active, the greater the likelihood that power will be shifted from one of them to supply another component.
Damaged Wiring
The power produced by your alternator is transmitted to the various components via a network of wires and cables. These wires are connected to every component. They’re protected against the harsh environment of your engine by plastic and rubber coverings. Wires can fray or break, and a damaged wire will cut off power to its connected component.
Your computer will detect that the component isn’t working and signal your alternator to supply more power to that component. As more electricity is forced into the damaged wiring, the wire will grow hotter, and this can cause the plastic and rubber coverings to burn. The smell of burning plastic is toxic, and if you smell it, we advise calling us ASAP so our technicians can fix the wiring problem.
If you think your vehicle is showing symptoms. Call us at Morris Smith Ford of Larned, and our auto service experts will check your alternator.
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