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Your Toyota alternator produces the power to keep your battery charged, and it supplies all of your car's electrical needs. An alternator lasts for many years, but the time will come when it starts to fail. As your Toyota dealer, we can test your alternator and provide an alternator repair when you need one. These are some of the ways you can tell that your alternator is failing. Signs That You Need an Alternator Repair at Your Toyota Dealer Your Alternator Is Old The average lifespan of an alternator is approximately eight years. This lifespan can be reduced due to failure by other components. A bad battery, for example, can critically weaken your alternator if the problem isn't identified in time. A new alternator produces 14.5V of electricity, which is more than enough to supply all of your Toyota's electrical needs. more As the alternator ages, it starts to produce less power. This power reduction is partly caused by failures of individual components in the alternator. An alternator failure is a gradual process, but once it starts, it can't be fixed. You do, however, receive plenty of notice that this process has begun. Our technicians can test your alternator, and if it's damaged, we recommend its replacement. Electrical Failures All the power for your electrical system is supplied by the alternator when your engine is running. An alternator will quietly toil away producing power until it starts to fail. Your alternator will reach the stage where it can't supply all of your car's electrical needs. When this happens, your Toyota's computer will have to apportion the available power to supply the demands of your electrical systems. This shifting of power will cause glitches as electricity is drawn away from one component to supply another. Your windows, for example, may suddenly jam open, or the radio could shut off. When the power is shifted again, both components will work normally. Glitches become more frequent and numerous as the alternator problem gets worse. A Dead Battery The alternator supplies power to recharge the battery, and it begins its recharging cycle as soon as your engine starts. Starting your engine requires a large amount of your battery's power. A healthy alternator can easily and unnoticeably recharge the battery without any trouble. A problem occurs when your alternator can't produce enough power. A lack of power affects the electrical systems as we saw, but it will also affect the battery. The reduced power supply means that your battery won't be fully recharged. The amount of power your battery uses is fixed, and a reduced recharge rate will result in your battery steadily growing weaker. The result of a weakening alternator is a dead battery. Although alternator failure is a serious problem, it's important to remember that this failure happens slowly. You'll start to see the signs that your alternator is growing weaker. This knowledge gives you time to have it checked. If you see signs your alternator is failing, call our service department at Cloninger Toyota.

When you first buy your Toyota from a Salisbury, NC dealership, you aren't thinking about replacing the battery. In fact, you might not even worry about it until all of a sudden, the battery is dead. However, to prevent getting stranded on the side of the road with a car that won't start, you should learn how often you should get a new car battery. more Recommendations Most car batteries need to be replaced every three to five years, but some fail sooner than that, while others last much longer. The trick is to know when your battery is failing so you can get it changed before it completely dies. Your battery will provide you with numerous signs that it's wearing out, so don't ignore them if you want your car to start every time you turn the key or press the start button. Signs of a Failing Battery In general, there's no need to replace your car's battery unless it is showing signs of wear. These signs usually start appearing within the recommended three-to-five-year replacement window, but they could show up earlier or later as well. If you recognize any of these signs, it's time to get your car into a service center right away to have your battery tested, and, if necessary, replaced before it fully fails and leaves you stranded without a working car. Your Battery Light Comes On This is the most obvious sign that your battery needs to be replaced. Your car is a sensitive piece of equipment, especially if it's a newer model. It can detect when something's wrong before you notice any outward symptoms. So, if your battery light on your dashboard illuminates, take it seriously. Bring your vehicle into a service center and get the battery tested. Your technician will let you know if it needs to be replaced. Your Car Struggles to Start If you turn your ignition key or press the start button and your engine doesn't fire right up, you may have a battery problem. Typically, your battery carries enough charge while not running to start your car the next time you want it to start. However, if it's not able to remain charged while sitting without the engine running, it means your battery is starting to wear down. This is specifically true if your car stays running while you drive.   Note that if your car stalls while you're driving, the problem may not be your battery, but your alternator instead. The alternator charges your battery while the car is running, so if it's not working properly, the battery won't get the charge it needs to keep your car running, even when the battery itself is fine. A factory-trained technician can determine whether the problem is your battery or your alternator by running an engine diagnostic test. Your Headlights and Other Electronics Flicker or Fade When your battery isn't getting enough juice, your headlights and other electronics may not operate properly. This is because all the battery's charge is going to keeping your car running and not to any non-essential components like lights, the radio, and your device chargers. If your headlights are flickering, or your electronics aren't working correctly, bring your car in for a battery test. Without a good battery, the chances of your car breaking down increase significantly. Call Cloninger Toyota today to make an appointment for a battery test. If it needs to be replaced, we'll do that, too.