Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson Automotive Tips: Alternator
August 25, 2019
Your alternator makes electricity to start and run your engine and all of the vital electrical systems in your vehicle. That’s everything from the on-board computers to the turn signals. And of course there is the entertainment system, seat heaters, power windows and everything you plug into the power outlets. After your alternator makes enough electricity to do all that, it recharges your battery with what’s left over.
When Clawson drivers constantly have a low or dead battery, the alternator is usually a prime suspect. However, the alternator is just one vital component of the starting/charging system, and a problem with any of the other components could be the actual cause.
In addition to the alternator, the charging/starting system includes the battery, starter, serpentine belt system and all of the electrical cables that connect them. Your Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson service advisor has a systematic process of testing components and connections to get to the source of your trouble. The initial symptoms determine where to begin the diagnostic process, and he follows the procedure until he tracks down the culprit.
For example, diagnostic tests at Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson could reveal that the alternator is not generating enough electricity to keep the battery charged. Is the alternator bad? Not necessarily. A worn serpentine belt tensioner could be allowing the belt that spins the alternator to slip. So the perfectly good alternator is not spinning at the proper speed. The solution for Clawson drivers is to replace the serpentine belt system – not the alternator.
The good news for Clawson drivers is that our highly-trained technicians at Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson can properly diagnose all your vehicle troubles and make the necessary repairs to get you back on the road in Clawson.
Give us a call.
Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson
664 S Rochester Rd
Clawson, Michigan 48017
248-589-0980
http://www.toptechautorepairclawson.com
Need Service?
More articles from Top Tech Auto Repair Clawson
Rumble from Down Under (Muffler Replacement)
November 23, 2025
Weve all noticed them at one time or another on the street: a car or truck that drives by and the deep roar from their exhaust system sounds like a drag racer on the line. But what happens when that rumble is coming from under YOUR vehicle? Well, it could be a sign your muffler needs attention. ... More
Strutting Your Stuff (Shocks and Struts)
November 16, 2025
Ever wonder how your vehicle is able to move over bumps, potholes and other irregularities in the road and you hardly feel a vibration in the cabin? Its your shocks and struts doing the hard work along with the rest of your suspension and tires. They keep the ride smooth and are important for yo... More
No Charge (Why Won?t My Battery Hold a Charge?)
November 9, 2025
When your vehicles battery is dead, it leaves you with that horrible, helpless feeling. A dead battery means it wont hold a charge, and there are several reasons it wont. One is age. Batteries have chemical and electrical systems in them that create power, and as time goes by, they wont work we... More