A client phones with a story so common we recognize it immediately. It was a cold morning, late for work, and their car’s engine turned over slowly, reluctantly, eventually giving way and firing up. A few minutes into the drive, with the defrosters blazing and the morning news blaring, the car’s interior lights started to dim. Soon after the radio was cutting out and the defroster eventually quit entirely. As they drove on, the headlights began to dim and the early morning drive started to become dangerous with the sun still rising. Just a few minutes from work the engine started to misfire leaving no option but to pull over. The cell phone that was charging in the cigarette lighter is dead, and what seemed at first like a flat battery appears to be something more.
The alternator plays a vital role in your vehicle’s charging system. A belt powered by the engines crankshaft generates power that is sent to the battery to keep it charged. It is similar to using your cell phone while it is plugged in. The battery is being charged by the wall socket while the battery is being drained by you watching cat videos. When the alternator stops functioning all of the vehicles electrical systems are being run off the battery alone and the battery ends up completely drained and systems start to shut down one by one.
Is your battery light on in your dashboard? Having any of the symptoms above? Just send us a note or give us a call and we can schedule you in as fast as we can. You can find all of our contact information and location right here and at the top of each page on this site. You will be greeted by one of the handsome fellas below, who are happy to take your questions any time of day to make you feel confident that you are making sound decisions regarding your vehicle’s health.