Alternator Repair Sheffield

Is your car not starting properly, or not starting at all? It might be you need an alternator repair. At Auto Electrician Sheffield, we can help. The alternator is designed to keep the vehicle battery charge. Not only that, it also enables the car to run all other things related to electricity. One thing to keep an eye on is the starter motor. If it’s cranking or not turning properly when you get the vehicle started, it might be due to the voltage in the battery being too low. This would mean getting your alternator either fixed or replaced. If you believe your car is experiencing issues due to this, please do contact us as we are specialists in the field of alternator repair in Sheffield.

Typically an alternator should last as long as your car itself. But, as we all know that is just not always the case. Especially because so many different things can influence its performance. Some cars could see an issue over just 40k miles, while others could reach 100k with no problem at all. If anything, in modern cars there is more scope for alternator failure as they simply have a much bigger workload, due to all the electrical accessories. This is compared to older cars that likely just had lights and radio, plus a few other electric functions.

For those unaware, alternators are a sort of electric generator that are part of any modern vehicle. Up until the 60s, cars used something called a dynamo generator to power the car, but slowly but surely the alternator replaced it. This replacement was quickened by the increased need for electrical powers in cars at that time, with more power needed for things like windscreen wipers, headlights and other mod cons.

Alternators do have many advantages over the old dynamos that were used. For instance, they are more durable, while also lighter and more cost effective. The better build quality of an alternator also means it can turn faster, which means it has an improved output, even when an engine is idle. 

While we’ve detailed the most obvious sign of a bad alternator above, we thought it’d be useful to go into some more detail below. 

Signs you need an alternator repair

Firstly, keep an eye out for lights that are too bright, or maybe too dim. Because the alternator controls the power of all your cards electrics, one of the tell tale signs of a dying alternator is electrical failure. For instance, perhaps the lights are flickering, or your inside light has suddenly become far too bright. Alternatively, maybe your dashboard lights, or display has stopped working for no reasons. All these things mean it’s worth us taking a look.

You should also pay attention to any strange noises in your car. Cars make lots of noises of course, but if you hear a screeching or growling noise, it might be the alternator. When an alternator pulley isn’t correctly with a drive belt, the bearings of an alternator will degrade, creating the strange noises we mentioned. Be careful not to leave this for too long as it could cause problems with your engine itself.

We’ve covered both eyes and ears, but now we’re also telling you that alternators could create an unusual smell… If you can smell something strange, you might need an alternator repair due to it overheating. Due to the alternator belt being under consistent pressure, and due to its engine proximity, it may wear out and start to produce a smell of burnt rubber.

Noticed any of the above? Or just not sure? Please get in touch today and we’ll be happy to help you with an alternator repair in Sheffield.