Any car is a complex system, the performance of which depends on a very wide range of factors. Failure of any component or system is fraught with serious enough problems, and some of these failures can lead to the fact that the car will no longer work. Electricity is a key element for the performance of a car. It is required to start the engine, the operation of all electronic systems, air conditioning, headlights. Even listening to music from your radio or multimedia system is powered by electricity.
Therefore, there is no doubt that electrical problems can be extremely frustrating and even dangerous for you. Very often, drivers may encounter a situation where their battery runs out very quickly and often. Because of this, they begin to think that they need to replace him. However, special attention should be paid to the alternator. The thing is that it is the alternator that is responsible for feeding the battery during trips and does not allow it to quickly discharge. Breakdowns of this unit are fraught with serious problems. As part of this material, we will try to consider in more detail the features of problems with the alternator, as well as the cost of replacing it.
First you need to consider what a alternator is and what is the principle of its operation. The battery and alternator are the source of all the electricity in the car, while the battery is needed to provide a starting charge, and the alternator provides electricity during trips, moreover, it also charges the car itself. As a result, thanks to the alternator, your battery charge will be constantly maintained at an optimal level.
The advantage of his work is the fact that all the work of the alternator takes place in complete silence. However, you need to understand that the alternator is constantly subjected to loads, which gradually leads to the fact that it fails. Sooner or later, any alternator wears out and fails. If you do not notice this, then the battery of your car will begin to gradually discharge, after which it will completely sit down and you will no longer be able to charge your car. The moment you encounter a alternator failure, there is no doubt that repairs will cost a really large sum of money. We will try to figure out in more detail whether the repair will really cost such a large sum of money.
Replacement Cost
We will try to immediately understand how expensive it is to replace your alternator, and then we will dwell in more detail on the causes of such a breakdown. It is worth pointing out right away that it is impossible to name a specific price, since there are a huge number of cars, each of which has its own alternator model. It is the model of your vehicle that will determine the cost of the alternator. Obviously, the cost of a alternator for a new Mercedes will be much higher than the cost of a alternator for a conditional Kia. A large amount of money will need to be paid for the alternator of an extremely old car. This is due to the fact that spare parts for such devices are extremely difficult to find, as a result, you will have to pay a large amount of money.
At the same time, you need to remember that you will have to pay not only for the alternator, but also for the work of replacing it. The alternator is located deep enough under the hood, which means that it will be extremely difficult to get there on your own. In addition, there will need to disassemble and remove many other parts. It is not recommended to carry out such work yourself unless you are an automotive mechanic and do not have the appropriate knowledge and experience.
You also need to remember that it is not always necessary to replace the entire alternator at once. In some cases, only a part of its components fail, such as a drive belt. The energy of the alternator is transmitted using a system of belts, which quickly fail. Most often, the repair of the alternator involves the replacement of these belts. They can either tear or slip due to the fact that they have lost internal notches. Checking the alternator belt is required at each maintenance session.
If you are unlucky and the alternator itself is broken, then it will need to be replaced, which will cost the most. Here, special attention should be paid to the correct connection of the device to the entire electrical system of the car.
Signs of a Broken Alternator
Each driver must pay special attention to the health of his car. Very often, a problem can be detected at an early stage, so that further breakdowns can be minimized. Moreover, if the problem is detected at the earliest stages, the repair will be much cheaper. In this paragraph, we will try to consider the main signs that will make it possible to understand that the alternator is gradually failing.
To begin with, we note that all alternators are designed for uninterrupted operation for ten years. They have a fairly long shelf life, which allows them to serve throughout this period. However, there are factors that can accelerate the breakdown. We also note that it is not recommended to use the car if something is broken in it, including the alternator. You must understand that if the alternator breaks down, your battery will not be charged, which means you will have to do it manually. This is fraught with a quick breakdown of the battery itself. Here are the main signs that your alternator is having problems:
- Flickering light
See how your car shines with headlights and all illuminated devices. The problem manifests itself best when the headlights are on, since they are the most energy-demanding. If you begin to notice that the headlights are dim enough, then this indicates an electrical failure. The same is true for flickering light. It is likely that your alternator is gradually failing. In general, most often a alternator breakdown is manifested in the fact that all electrical systems begin to work extremely chaotically.
- Dead battery
The battery is powered by the alternator, which means that the breakdown of the latter automatically leads to the discharge of the battery. Once the battery is completely dead, you will not be able to start the car. At first, you might think that the battery is the problem, but this is not always the case.
Thus, the main advice for drivers is to regularly check the correct operation of the car’s systems, for which regular technical inspections are recommended.
