TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires Automotive Tips: Alternator
February 20, 2018
Your alternator makes electricity to start and run your engine and all of the vital electrical systems in your vehicle. That’s everything from the on-board computers to the turn signals. And of course there is the entertainment system, seat heaters, power windows and everything you plug into the power outlets. After your alternator makes enough electricity to do all that, it recharges your battery with what’s left over.
When Royal Oak drivers constantly have a low or dead battery, the alternator is usually a prime suspect. However, the alternator is just one vital component of the starting/charging system, and a problem with any of the other components could be the actual cause.
In addition to the alternator, the charging/starting system includes the battery, starter, serpentine belt system and all of the electrical cables that connect them. Your TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires service advisor has a systematic process of testing components and connections to get to the source of your trouble. The initial symptoms determine where to begin the diagnostic process, and he follows the procedure until he tracks down the culprit.
For example, diagnostic tests at TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires could reveal that the alternator is not generating enough electricity to keep the battery charged. Is the alternator bad? Not necessarily. A worn serpentine belt tensioner could be allowing the belt that spins the alternator to slip. So the perfectly good alternator is not spinning at the proper speed. The solution for Royal Oak drivers is to replace the serpentine belt system – not the alternator.
The good news for Royal Oak drivers is that our highly-trained technicians at TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires can properly diagnose all your vehicle troubles and make the necessary repairs to get you back on the road in Royal Oak.
Give us a call.
TLC Custom Exhaust Brakes & Tires
1735 N Main St
Royal Oak, Michigan 48067
248-541-8300
http://www.tlcautocareroyaloak.com
Need Service?
More articles from TLC Auto Care
Making Sense of the O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor Replacement)
March 9, 2025
As you know, todays vehicles rely on a lot of computers in them to keep them running clean and efficiently. Those computers depend on information delivered by several sensors throughout the engine and exhaust system. And one of the most important is the oxygen sensor. Known as the O2 sensor f... More
Slippery When Wet (Driving on Wet Leaves)
March 2, 2025
When the leaves fall, you might take a sightseeing trip to see them at peak color. Or you may simply live in a spot where there are a lot of trees. When those leaves get wet, you'd be surprised to learn just how slippery they can be. We all know ice is slippery to drive on. What causes tires ... More
Lubricate Driveshaft
February 23, 2025
See if any of these are happening to your vehicle. You feel it vibrating excessively underneath when its running, or you hear strange clunking, grating, or grinding sounds coming from beneath. Maybe its hard to turn your vehicle, or you can hear squeaking when youre going slow. Perhaps you fee... More