It’s frustrating when you turn the key, but your vehicle just won’t start. The situation might even cause some anxiety if you’re stranded in an unfamiliar place. Before losing your composure, check whether you have enough fuel in your tank. If you do and the engine still won’t turn over, the issue might be with your battery or alternator. Here’s how to pinpoint the trouble.

How to Determine If You Have a Problematic Alternator or Battery

Why Your Car Won’t Start

Alternators and batteries are connected, as both make up your vehicle’s electrical starting system. The battery supplies power to the starter to make your vehicle move. As you drive, the alternator feeds current back to the battery to keep it charged while supplying energy to power up electronics in your vehicle. When one of them fails, your car won’t start or run properly.  

How to Diagnose the Issue

Often, the warning signs of failing batteries and faulty alternators are similar, as each present as insufficient power to start your vehicle. If you notice hard starts on cold mornings, low whining sounds, or slow engine crank, the trouble can be traced to a failing battery.

Jumpstarting your low battery can get it moving, but if you have a faulty alternator, the charge won’t last long and can leave you with a stalled vehicle. Bad alternators can damage your batteries from overcharging, which shortens their expected lifespan. Pay particular attention to other red flags of a bad alternator such as dimming headlights, intermittent stereo sound, or burning smells and high-pitched sounds from your engine. If you’re unsure of what’s causing your car to stall, have a professional check under the hood for a proper diagnosis — there might be other underlying problems as well.     

Don’t let bad alternators and dead car batteries stop you from reaching your destination. At the first sign of trouble, bring your vehicle to Car Care Clinic at Gateway Transmissions. Serving motorists in Mount Vernon, WA, since 1999, they’re the area’s leading auto repair service, backed with an unbeatable two-year warranty. Call (360) 679-0700 or visit the website to schedule an appointment.