Signs and Symptoms of a Faulty Alternator vs. a Faulty Battery

It's always aggravating to get into your car and turn the key only to have the vehicle refuse to start. That is almost always due to a failing alternator or a dead battery. This is why it is recommended to have regular check ups of these components during a car service in Reading.

How do you tell if your car won't start because of a bad alternator or a bad battery?

To diagnose your problem, you should be familiar with the functions and operations of both car parts. Turning the ignition causes the battery to deliver an electric jolt to the starter, allowing the engine to start and run. The starter starts the engine, which drives the alternator, which completes the cycle by charging the battery.

As a result, carefully following this cycle can assist you in determining whether you have a battery problem or a bad alternator problem.

How to Determine Whether You Have an Alternator or a Battery Problem

The process of elimination is the quickest and easiest way to determine which of the battery and alternator is at fault. You can try to find the problem by ignoring the battery's role in starting your car, as mentioned above. Obtain jumper cables and jumpstart the vehicle with a battery from another vehicle.

If your car engine shuts down immediately after starting or after a short drive, it is likely that your alternator has failed and is not charging the battery as it should. Search online for full car service near me and get a car mechanic to fix this issue to avoid a breakdown.

If jumpstarting your car works and the car continues to run normally, but the vehicle does not restart using its own power, you have a dead battery. When the vehicle started, the alternator continued to support the vehicle's power requirements while also attempting to charge the battery, but the battery did not receive any energy.

Symptoms of a Dead Battery

Many symptoms indicate that your battery is on its last legs or is about to fail. Some physical signs are visible with the naked eye, while others are operational issues caused by the battery's inability to perform its functions properly. The following are the signs of a failing battery:

1. Battery Appearing Worn Out

If you look at your battery and it appears to be old, it is highly likely that it will start malfunctioning soon if it hasn't already. Because the metal inside corrodes in the same way that the outside terminals corrode, as batteries age, their ability to retain electric charge decreases. The battery's ability to retain charge gradually declines to the point where, regardless of how much power the alternator provides, the battery cannot retain enough power to start the car.

2. Sluggish Engine Cranking 

When your car cranks slowly, you either have a problem with your battery charging system and the battery is corroded, or you have an electrical draw from accessories when your car is parked. Because your battery has deteriorated, you will have more cranking problems in the mornings when it is cold.

3. Inconsistent Starts

Inconsistent starts are another sign of a bad battery. It is difficult to predict whether the vehicle will start normally or will stagger before starting. Check the terminals and scrub away corrosion before deciding to replace the battery if your car starts intermittently.

4. Dashboard Battery Gauge

Even when the car is turned off, your dashboard battery gauge should always show a small charge. If the indicator does not show any flowing energy within your vehicle, you have either a wiring transmission problem or your car battery is completely dead. The interior lights and electrically powered accessories are not working. When your car's windshield wipers, lights, or automatic windows fail to turn on, it means your battery has been completely depleted. If you are able to jumpstart your car but still have trouble operating the lights after repeatedly turning it off, your battery needs to be replaced when looking for car service near me.

Symptoms of a Dead Alternator

Here are some of the most common symptoms of a bad alternator:

1. Flickering Lights

When your alternator is in good working order, it maintains bright lights at all times, regardless of your driving speed. When you notice your headlights flickering or dimming as you change speeds on the road, it means your alternator is no longer producing enough power.

2. Weak or dead battery

The alternator must replenish the energy in the car battery. When you have a weak battery all the time, it could mean that your alternator isn't charging the battery as well as it should when the car is running. However, before blaming the alternator, make sure you don't have a weak or dead battery. Even if your vehicle is not turned on, you can see if the battery gauge on the dashboard indicates a strong charge. If it does, your battery is in good condition. The issue is with your alternator. In this case, your battery is always weak because your vehicle's accessories now draw energy from the battery rather than the alternator, draining and leaving it empty.

3. Unusual Sounds

An alternator has many spinning parts that produce strange sounds when one of them fails. These sounds are similar to whining or grinding. Bad alternator sounds can be caused by a worn-out bearing or the voltage regulator, which requires the alternator to increase its charging frequency. The grinding or whining and grinding sounds, combined with a constantly weakened battery, indicate that you should check your battery.

4. Indicator Light

Most vehicles have a warning indicator light labelled "ALT" or "GEN" on their dashboards. When your alternator fails, one of the first warning signs is the illumination of this light. Although this light can illuminate for a variety of reasons. When combined with the other symptoms of a bad alternator listed here, it is likely that your alternator is not producing enough power to support your vehicle's electrical accessories and charge your battery.

5. Electric Failures

The alternator is the primary source of electrical power in your car. As a result, whenever the alternator fails, all of the accessories appear to fail. Your music player may be swallowing discs, your power windows may become stuck, your dashboard lights, air conditioning, and other electrically powered features may be malfunctioning.