Symptoms of Bad Car Battery Vs Bad Alternator

As you put in your car key and in case your car won’t start, it’s due to a malfunction of either your car battery or the alternator. Sometimes the effect of a bad battery and a bad alternator could be similar, both the alternator and your vehicle’s battery affect the electrical feature’s functionality in your vehicle and each of them has its critical role.

Many of us often think that a car battery is responsible for giving a good start to your vehicle and making sure the proper functioning of all the electrical components. Well, all this is a misconception a vehicle battery provides the starting electrical shock to give a quick start to the motor.

At the same time, an alternator will help to convert the mechanical energy which is produced by the engine to electrical energy that is consumed by all the different electrical component including the battery as well.

If you are trying to start your vehicle but couldn’t, it could be your vehicle’s battery or an alternator and this question remains is it a battery or the alternator? So, in this blog, we will discuss the signs of a bad car battery vs alternator to help you to understand the issue and make you able to resolve it.

Symptoms of Bad Battery:

• Check the Dashboard of Your Vehicle:

The dashboard will show a lot of warning lights, check out the dashboard battery gauge. The warning light illuminates when there is some internal problem with your vehicle. The car battery should be giving a charge even when your car is off. If the dashboard is illuminating dim light then there has to be some kind of problem with your battery.

In this case, you can turn on the windshield wipers, automatic windows or lights. Also, make sure all these will be turn off once again you try to start your vehicle.

• Corroded Battery:

As the car battery servers all the important-purpose of feeding the starter by powers the engine, if your car battery gets corroded it will affect the ignition as well as put the unnecessary hassles. There are some reasons which cause battery corrosion such as electrolyte leakage, sometimes the electrolyte leaks out and accumulates around the battery terminal which causes corrosion.

• Old Battery:

If your car battery is old, it will become less able to retain the charge. The car battery doesn’t last more than four or five years or in extreme weather condition, it lasts even less time. An old battery can’t hold enough power to start the car no matter how much power the alternator gives to it. So, if your car battery is older than 4 to 5 years and you are facing trouble with, it is advisable to go for a new car battery installation service.

• Need to Provide a Gas to your car:

If your car won’t start unless you give it some gas so that your vehicle gets the start, it means your car battery is going to die soon and you will need to change car battery service. It is important for you as a car owner to understand these bad battery symptoms and get the best of car battery installation service to make a proper functioning of your vehicle.

Symptoms of Bad Alternator:

• Flickering Indicator Light:

If your vehicle is equipped with a warning indicator in the dashboard then this is the first indicator that there has been a problem with an alternator. You then don’t need to ignore that sign, take your vehicle to the reliable car maintenance service provider for a diagnostic.

• Dim or Overly Bright Lights:

Have you experienced your vehicle’s headlights erratically go from bright to dim as you accelerate and you stop? Then this is often caused due to bad alternator. As the alternator begins to fail, it provides inconsistent voltage to the vehicle’s electronic accessories and also the bad alternator will not keep the battery charged.

• Vehicle’s Other Electrical Failures:

In case you have noticed, your car’s windows taking longer than usual to roll up or down or your speedometer and other instruments start going haywire or if your sear warmer feel off then these can be because of a bad alternator or an alternator failure.

• Strange Noises:

No doubt, lots of things cause unusual noises in the vehicle. However, an alternator failure can cause unusual rattles or if you are hearing growling or whining noises that coming under the hood then this is a sign that you are having alternator problems.

If you are hearing such unusual noises then take your car to a good car service provider and get your car checked out a professional.

• The Smell of Burning Rubber or Wire:

The alternator’s drive belt will go under constant tension or friction and as it is close to the hot engine it may wear our over the time and emit an unpleasant burning rubber smell. The damaged wire of the overworked alternator creates resistance to the flow of electricity as the wire heat up and emit a burning smell.

Final Words:

Fixing your car battery and alternator can be expensive if you are not aware when you will need to get them to change or replace. Above are some signs of the bad car battery and bad alternator that will help you identify the issue associated with them so that you can identify the resolution immediately.