Your Chevy has numerous components that require electricity. The alternator is responsible for supplying the electricity to keep all of these systems powered up. Over time, your alternator may suffer damage or start to wear out due to age. If either of these things happens, you’ll need an alternator repair at your Chevy dealership. These are some of the signs that your alternator is failing.
Damaged Wiring
Your Chevy has several miles of wiring and cables that run through it. These wires transmit electricity generated by the alternator to all of the devices that require power. The wires and cables are insulated with plastic and rubber coverings to protect them against the extreme environment of a car’s engine. Wires can, unfortunately, fray or break.
A broken wire will immediately cut off power to the component it’s attached to. The alternator, however, will continue to transmit power into the wire. The wire will heat up, and this causes the wire’s insulation to burn. If you smell burning plastic or rubber, you may have damaged wiring. Our technicians can quickly trace the broken wire and replace it.
Your Alternator Is Old
The average lifespan of an alternator is eight years. The alternator works hard and continuously to produce power, but it will eventually start to wear out. Unlike some components, a failing alternator is a gradual process. An old alternator will start to produce less power until, eventually, it can no longer provide enough power for all of your Chevy’s systems.
Electrical problems will start to develop as your car’s computer has to shift power between the various components. If you notice strange electrical behavior, we advise visiting our service department. Our technicians can test your alternator, and we can easily fit a new one if the original has failed.
Dim and Bright Lights
If you turn on the headlights, and they have a dim glow, you may have an alternator problem. As we saw above, a worn alternator will eventually not produce enough power for all of the components. The dim headlight can be a sign that your computer has limited power available to allocate. The headlights are then assigned just enough power to turn on.
You’ll get confirmation that there’s an alternator problem if your headlights suddenly become brighter than they should. The extra brightness is caused by your computer overcompensating and providing more power than the headlights need. The extra brightness comes at a cost, as the extra power will burn out the bulbs faster.
If you see any signs of electrical problems, call our service department right away at Airport Chevrolet GMC. Our expert technicians will fix the problem for you.
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