Expect to pay between $500 and $1,000 to replace your alternator with a new one (this includes installation). A remanufactured one will cost less but won’t last as long. When considering your budget, think about how long you plan to keep your car. If you’re going to sell it within the next year, you might not want to invest in a top-of-the-line replacement.
When your car isn’t moving, your alternator can’t create any energy, so anything electrical you have going is drawing directly off the battery—keep this in mind if you’re idling in a parking lot charging your phone.
Sometimes your battery light will flicker on and off while you’re driving. That’s also a sign that you have an alternator issue. Generally, it indicates that your car’s electrical system is getting its power straight from the battery, not from the alternator.
Pay attention to the clicks your car makes when you try to start it. If it’s a fast, repetitive click, that means it’s the battery or alternator. Just a single click? That means you probably need to replace your starter. [5] X Research source
Often, this is particularly noticeable if you’re running a lot of electronics—and it also gives you a temporary fix. For example, if your headlights dim while you’re charging your phone, unplug your phone and see if they brighten back up. A lot of people first notice this for the first time when it’s raining because a lot of electrical components are working at once—the headlights, the windshield wipers, and typically the car stereo, as well as the GPS or any other devices.
This sound could also mean that the alternator belt is loose. As long as that’s the only issue, it’s cheaper and easier to replace the belt than to replace the alternator itself. If you’re replacing the alternator belt, make sure to take photos of the belt set up prior to making any changes so that you know exactly how the belt should be routed around the various pulleys. Make sure the replacement belt is the correct length by comparing the old belt to the new belt.
Keep in mind this could also be a faulty cable or connection. But if those seem fine, your alternator might not be providing enough power.
If the burning smell is coming from your alternator, it’s a sign that it was overloaded and burnt out. This might happen if you’re running a lot of different electronic devices at the same time, especially when your car isn’t moving.
To test this, go ahead and jump start your car and let it run for 5-10 minutes. Then turn it off and try to start it up again. If it won’t start, that’s a sign your alternator is the real problem. If you’re more mechanically inclined, you could also check your alternator’s output yourself using a voltmeter.
Check all the wiring and connections before you assume it’s the alternator (or get a mechanic to do it for you). You wouldn’t want to spend hundreds on an alternator when the problem is really a loose cable. [12] X Trustworthy Source Federal Trade Commission Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson Go to source
Check your wiring and connections, especially if you’ve recently installed after-market accessories. You could have a loose cable causing the issue. [14] X Trustworthy Source Federal Trade Commission Website with up-to-date information for consumers from the Federal Trade Commisson Go to source
Same goes for any other warning signs of an electrical problem. If your lights are dimming, your radio cuts in and out, or your battery light comes on, get it checked out right away.
If you think fluids leaked into your alternator, be sure to let your mechanic know. Say something like, “I think that leak also dripped down into the alternator. Can you check that for me as well?”
When you’re waiting somewhere, turn your car off if you can (and roll the windows down). If the weather won’t allow that, at least turn off as many electronics as possible, such as the lights and the stereo.
Using a lot of different electronics in your car at the same time has the same effect. If you want to get the maximum life out of your alternator, stick to the devices your car came with rather than overloading it with after-market options.
