Signs Your Ford Needs an Alternator Repair

Burning Smells

Foul, burning smells from under the hood could mean the alternator is in trouble. The three most common causes of these smells are an overheating alternator, a jammed pulley, and worn wiring. Wiring becomes fragile as it ages, and it can break. The alternator will continue to supply power to the broken wire, which heats up. The hot wire can cause the protective wire insulation to burn, and you’ll smell burning plastic.

A burning rubber smell could be due to a jamming alternator belt. The alternator belt moves at speed across several pulleys, which causes the pulleys to spin. A jammed pulley will cause friction as the belt moves over it, and you’ll smell burning rubber. Finally, a hot metal smell could be due to a worn alternator struggling to produce power and overheating. We’ll examine your engine and fix the cause of the burning smell.

Bad Battery

One of the alternator’s functions is to recharge the battery. It charges the battery at full power for ten minutes, then switches to charging at 10% of capacity until the battery is replenished. The reduced charging rate prevents damage to the alternator and the battery: the charging rate drops when the battery signals that the initial charge was received.

If your battery is failing, the signal won’t be sent. The alternator will continue to charge the battery at full. The alternator will spin faster to try and supply more power, increasing the chance of damaging its components or causing it to overheat. We’ll replace your battery and test your alternator to ensure it’s in good condition.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Flickering Lights

Flickering lights are usually a sign that the bulbs are going to blow. They can also be a sign that your alternator is wearing out. An older alternator slows down due to aged components, and this slowdown reduces its electricity production. The reduction is incremental, but also irreversible. When the alternator can’t supply enough power for all your car’s systems, your Ford’s computer has to allocate the available power.

Headlight bulbs are sensitive to power fluctuations, and the shifting level of electricity will cause the bulbs to flicker. Our technicians will check your bulbs and test the alternator to determine if it’s causing the issue. Once we’ve identified the source of the problem, we’ll repair it.

If you suspect your alternator is failing, contact our service department ASAP at Coughlin Ford of Circleville in Circleville, OH.

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