Reading Auto Repair

Your car's alternator may not be the first thing you think about when your car won't start. For example, a vehicle won't start with a dead battery. However, a dead battery could mean your car's alternator will finally quit working. The good news is that when you know what your car's alternator does for your car, you'll better understand what to look for when your car starts acting strange or won't start. Alternator Basics A typical gas-powered vehicle uses an electrical system to run things like headlights and power windows, to name just a few. The car battery will power everything, like when you first turn the key, and the radio comes on. If you stop turning the key and leave the radio on, the battery will die, even quicker if you turn the headlights on. When you start the car the alternator takes the electricity from the battery and starts generating an electrical current that keeps the car's lights, radios, and other things running. At the same tim ... read more