Your Kia’s alternator is a generator that turns mechanical energy into electrical energy to power your car’s systems and gadgets. The alternator is designed to last for approximately 8 years, but if your car is regularly serviced, the alternator can last much longer. Any part can suffer wear, and when you need an alternator repair, your Kia dealer is here to help. These are some of the signs that we need to check your alternator for problems.
Battery Dies Quickly
Your car’s battery lasts, on average, 3-5 years and then it
needs to be replaced. As a battery operates, the chemical reactions necessary
to store and recharge electricity cause the battery to slowly wear out. If you
turn the key, and you hear only a sad click-click noise you may need a new
battery, or your alternator could be showing signs of failing.
The alternator recharges your battery as your car moves since part of the
electricity generated is stored in the battery. When an alternator starts to
fail, it produces less power, and the weaker the alternator becomes the less
able it is to recharge the battery. A weak alternator may be supplying less
power to the battery than the battery uses to start your ignition, and this
will cause your battery to prematurely die.
Battery Light Comes On
Sensors are attached to all the important components in your
car, and they monitor these components for any sign of a problem. If a sensor
detects a problem, a signal is sent to your car’s computer and the relevant
light on your dash will come on. The battery light illuminates if a problem is
detected within the electrical system itself.
A loose wire, an alternator that’s producing less voltage than it should, or
even a battery that isn’t charging correctly are just a few of the possible
reasons for the light to come on. Our expert technicians will test your electrical
system, and we’ll find the cause of the problem and repair it.
Broken or Loose Connections
Your alternator may be working perfectly and producing more than enough electricity, yet your battery isn’t charging properly and the electrical components aren’t working. Two of the main reasons for this are damaged wires from the alternator or a worn-out diode rectifier. The electricity produced by the alternator travels through a wiring system to the electrical components, but if any of these wires are worn or damaged they won’t receive power and the component won’t work.
The diode rectifier has the important job of converting three-phase alternating current (AC) produced by the alternator into direct current (DC) for your car’s accessories. If the diode rectifier fails, the AC won’t be converted to DC, and your accessories just won’t work.
If you experience any of these signals that your alternator has a problem, call our service center right away at Crain Kia of Bentonville. Our technicians will speedily diagnose and repair the problem.
Image via Kia.
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Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.