Alternator Replacement in Gilbert, AZ

Your car relies on your battery to get moving each and every day, and in turn, your battery relies on your alternator to be able to get the job done. Your car’s alternator is the part that’s responsible for recharging your battery while you’re on the move, thus ensuring systems such as your lights, windshield wipers, and other crucial components of your car have the power they need to operate without completely draining the battery. Without a properly functioning alternator, your car likely won’t start at all due to an inadequate battery charge.

Signs of a Bad Alternator

Fortunately, a failing alternator typically offers plenty of warning signs before calling it quits, allowing car owners to get a replacement underway before the malfunctioning part becomes a real problem. Some of the most common, most easily-noticeable issues include:

• Pulsing of headlights at night (from bright to dim)
• Failure to charge electronics plugged into car outlets
• Electrical burning smell
• Appearance of the battery or alternator warning lights on the dash
• Cutting out of radio and other electrical components
• A dead battery that does not stay charged after jumping off

If you’ve noticed any of these signs in your car, it’s likely your alternator is bad and needs replacing, but there could be other issues with your charging system as well. See a mechanic for a proper diagnosis on what’s causing your vehicle’s electrical problems and get the entire system checked out to ensure that this is, in fact, the issue before investing in new parts.

The Repair Process

An alternator replacement is an easy task, but it’s crucial to ensure the job’s done right to ensure the results are adequate and that the new part does its job of keeping your battery charged. That’s why we start the repair process by performing a thorough diagnosis of your charging system, which includes your battery system, the alternator itself, your cables, and serpentine drive belts. This helps us confirm that the alternator is, in fact, to blame and that your electrical problems can’t be solved in a cheaper, faster way. Once this step is complete, though, switching out a faulty alternator is a quick job:

• Remove the old alternator
• Fasten the new alternator firmly in place and connect your cables
• Test and re-test the new alternator’s output

Getting this replacement done properly often helps restore a car’s electrical function and keeps batteries running strong, so you don’t need to worry about running out of power between destinations.