A healthy alternator is essential for your Honda, as this device produces all the electrical power for your car. If the alternator becomes worn or damaged, you’ll need to visit your Honda dealer for an alternator repair. We’d like to show you some of the signs that your alternator could be failing.
Advice From Your Honda Dealer: Signs You Need an Alternator Repair
Battery Warning Light
The battery warning light on your dash looks like a small battery. When your engine starts, this light will come on together with all the other warning lights and will then switch off. If the battery warning light illuminates at any other time, it signals a problem with your car’s electrical system. We advise contacting us immediately if this light illuminates, so we can investigate and fix the problem.
If your alternator is failing, sensors attached to the alternator will detect a low voltage from the alternator. If the alternator produces less than 13 volts, your car’s electrical systems will develop problems due to the reduced electrical supply. We can test your alternator and quickly install a new one if the original is failing.
Burning Rubber or Wiring
A burning smell from your engine is always a sign of trouble, particularly if you smell burning rubber or plastic. Rubber and plastic are used to insulate the wiring in your engine and protect it against heat, dirt, and loss of current. The insulation is specifically designed to withstand the high temperatures inside your engine, but it can be affected by damage to the wiring it protects.
Wiring will eventually become worn out due to the constant transmission of electricity and its accompanying heat. Wires can become brittle with age, and this can cause them to break. The alternator will continue to send power through a damaged wire, which causes the wire to heat up. This heat can cause the wire’s insulation to burn. We can fix this problem by testing the wiring and replacing any damaged sections we find.
Damaged Battery
A worn-out battery can damage a healthy alternator. The alternator’s main function is to supply electricity to your car’s systems. Its secondary function is to maintain the battery at full charge. As soon as your engine is running, the alternator will begin recharging your battery. The recharging rate is fixed at full power for five minutes and then the alternator switches to charging at 10% of battery capacity.
The reduced charging rate protects the alternator and battery from damage. A damaged battery may not send the signal that the initial five-minute charge has been received. If this happens, the alternator will continue to charge at full power. This can easily overstrain your alternator and damage it.
If you suspect you have an alternator problem, call us right away at Honda of New Rochelle.
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