Signs You Need an Alternator Repair at Your Acura Dealer

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The alternator is a vital part of your Acura’s engine, as it generates electricity. The power it produces is supplied to all your car’s systems. In time, the alternator will wear out or become damaged. When this time comes, you’ll need to visit your Acura dealer for an alternator repair. These are a few signs that your alternator could be in trouble.

Illuminated Battery Light

The battery-shaped warning light on your dash illuminates if any problem is detected in your electrical system. All the electrical system components have sensors connected to them. These sensors monitor their attached components and will immediately identify any problem with the component. The relevant sensor will send a message to your car’s computer, and the computer will then illuminate the battery light.

A healthy alternator produces approximately 14.5 volts, and even under a full load it will still supply 13 volts. As an alternator gets older, its electrical output will drop. When the output drops below 12.5 volts, the sensors will send a warning to the computer. We advise contacting us if your battery light comes on, so our technicians can investigate and fix the problem.

Dim Then Bright Lights

Headlights are one of your vehicle’s most sensitive components in terms of electrical supply. The headlights require a constant and consistent supply of power to work effectively. An older alternator will produce less power than it previously did, and this power supply will continue to drop until the alternator fails. Your car’s systems have a relatively fixed demand for electricity, and this will become a problem when the alternator can’t supply the necessary power.

Your Acura’s computer will shift the available power from system to system, depending on demand. This process can mean that some of the power supplied to the lights can suddenly be shifted away. When this happens, the lights will dim. As the demand for power drops, more power will be shifted to the lights, and they’ll blaze brightly. We’ll examine your alternator and replace it if it’s the cause of the problem.

Strange Noises

The alternator produces power by spinning at high speed. A healthy alternator makes no sound as it works. If you start to hear grinding or whining noises from the engine compartment, you could have a failing alternator. As we’ve seen, a failing alternator produces less power than it should. When this happens, the computer will order it to spin faster to supply more power.

A worn alternator that spins faster will generate whining noises as the worn parts try to supply more power. Damaged alternator bearings will also produce grinding noises as the alternator spins faster. We’ll examine the condition of your alternator and install a new one if required.

If your alternator is ​damaged, call us right away at Doral Acura.

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