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Alternator Information

Automotive Alternators and Failures
Sometimes an alternator will fail in stages. On your dash, you may notice your alternator warning light dimly lit, which indicates that your alternator is not producing the full amount of current that it should. In this case it will take some time before the battery runs out of power and the car goes dead or begins running poorly.

You may notice that the alternator light is brightly lit, which means the battery will likely only carry you a few more miles down the road. You may wake up one morning with a dead battery and not be able to start your car. This could be a symptom of alternator failure, but there could be other explanations for a dead battery as well.

One last sign of alternator failure is noise. If your alternator is making unusual noises, especially grinding noises, it is telling you that it is not long for this world.If your alternator appears to be failing, be sure to check the connections. Poor connections can create symptoms of alternator failure. The same is true if your alternator belt is slipping, which happens when it is loose.

The voltage regulator located either inside or outside the alternator senses the electrical demand and adjusts the output of the alternator accordingly. Failure of the voltage regulator and failure of the alternator will exhibit many of the same symptoms.

There is a significant difference between the off brand remanufactured alternator you would get at the corner auto parts store, as the cheap reman alternators ar not completely rebuilt. They just replace the item in the alternator that is worn out, clean it up, and then rebox and resell.

When purchasing a top brand OEM reman alternator form Bosch for example, they completely replace everything except the armature and the case. Yes they even replace all the bearings. It is our recomendation that you replace the alternator with a brand that yes is a bit more expensive, but in the long run it will save you thousands of dollars. To make sure you are getting a top brand, use an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) like Bosch, Nippondenso (Denso) Delphi, Hitachi, Valeo, or Visteon.