Modern cars have high demands for electricity, and a good alternator provides more and enough power to keep your Cadillac working efficiently. Over time, unfortunately, your alternator can get damaged or worn out. As your Cadillac dealer, we’d like you to know some signs that you need to visit us for an alternator repair.
How to Tell When You Need an Alternator Repair at Your Cadillac Dealer
Dim Then Bright Lights
One of the signs of an alternator wearing out is problems with your headlights. When your engine is running, the alternator supplies power to the headlights and other accessories. If you notice that your headlights are dim, the bulbs could be failing, or your alternator could be wearing out. If you see that the dim lights suddenly glow brighter than they should, this is a confirmation of an alternator problem.
As an alternator gets older, it produces less power. The alternator in your Cadillac normally produces a surplus of power. Gradually, the power supply will drop, and electrical problems will result. When there isn’t enough electricity for all your car’s systems, your computer will allocate just enough power to light up the headlights. The additional brightness results from more power being allocated as other systems are switched off. We will examine the alternator and replace it ifs worn out.
Hot Metal Smells
A burning metal smell from the engine can be caused by several different problems. One of the most common is a worn alternator. As we’ve seen, a worn alternator produces less power as time passes. To increase the available power, your computer will instruct the alternator to work faster. The alternator generates its power by spinning, and it will start to spin faster in response.
As the alternator spins faster, it will heat up. The bearings it sits on will also move faster, and this can cause additional damage. The hot metallic smell is a sign that our technicians need to examine your engine and find the cause of the problem. If the alternator is failing, we can quickly replace it with a new one to fix this problem.
Blown Alternator Fuse
All electrical systems have fuses, and your car’s systems are no exception. Fuses protect their attached components from electrical overload and possible damage. An electrical short, for example, will strike the fuse before it reaches the alternator. This cause the fuse to blow out and shuts down the alternator to protect it.
A blown alternator fuse leads to other problems, as your car will start losing power as the battery quickly drains. Our technicians can test the alternator fuse and replace it to restart your alternator.
If your alternator is showing signs of trouble, call us right away at Earnhardt Chandler Cadillac.
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