BY BLAIR LAMPE / ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED OCTOBER 20, 2017 / NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION / You depend on your car to get you where you need to&hellip;{"id":10133,"date":"2017-10-23T10:22:45","date_gmt":"2017-10-23T17:22:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/?p=10133"},"modified":"2017-10-23T10:22:45","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T17:22:45","slug":"car-wont-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/2017\/10\/23\/car-wont-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Car Won&#8217;t Start! Alternator or Battery?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h5><span style=\"color: #000000;\">BY BLAIR LAMPE \/ ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED OCTOBER 20, 2017\u00a0\/\u00a0NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE PARTS ASSOCIATION \/<\/span><\/h5>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">You depend on your car to get you where you need to go, so when it doesn\u2019t start, it can be a pretty big problem. There are a number of reasons why this might happen, but one of the most common is that it isn\u2019t getting enough electricity to start the combustion process. You may be tempted to blame the battery \u2014 and you might be right \u2014 but alternator problems could also be at fault.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">How do you know if it\u2019s the alternator or battery? Knowing the difference will let you make a quick diagnosis and the proper repairs.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Charge Ahead<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Always check the<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/p\/NBP7558?cid=social_blog_072017_battery\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">battery<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">first, because it has a lower life expectancy (three to five years) and fails more often than the alternator. First off, switch the key to the on position without cranking the engine. Check the dash to see if your battery gauge is reading below 12V. Next, notice whether dome or headlights seem dim, as this indicates a low battery. Check the condition of the battery itself, noting any loose cables or crud accumulated on top. (Don\u2019t touch the crud with your bare hands.)<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Next, you\u2019ll need to jump-start your car with the help of a jumper pack or a friend with a running car. Once you\u2019ve done this, let it run for about five to 10 minutes, then disconnect the jumper cables and try to start it up on its own. If it starts just fine and continues running for another five to 10, your problem is likely a dying battery.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">If it doesn\u2019t start at all, this means your battery is dead. But that doesn\u2019t rule out the alternator. Take it to a professional for a final diagnosis. Or, if you are mechanically adept, try the following yourself: While the engine is running, use a multimeter to check the charge at the alternator output. If it\u2019s in the 13- to 15-volt range, your alternator is fine, and you need a new battery.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><strong>Alternator Facts<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As mentioned above, if you find that your battery is low, it\u2019s a good policy to<\/span> <a href=\"http:\/\/knowhow.napaonline.com\/spot-broken-alternator\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>check the alternator anyway<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">. The alternator can drain a battery over time and shorten its lifespan, and you don\u2019t want to unnecessarily run through batteries on account of a bad alternator. Basically, your battery gets the engine going, but once it\u2019s on, the alternator takes over and can, in theory, continue running the car without the battery\u2019s help. Therefore, a piece of advice that often comes up is to remove the battery negative cable while the car is running and see if it shuts off. While this will tell you if your alternator\u2019s good, it\u2019s also really bad advice, as it can seriously mess up your car\u2019s electrical and computer systems. If the alternator is working correctly, removing the battery from the system may cause a spike in voltage output, and possibly frying other components. Instead, observe your headlights when you try to crank the vehicle. Do they flicker? That\u2019s a sign of a bad alternator.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">As an alternator has rapidly moving parts, you might also hear noises if something is wrong. Growling suggests mechanical failure, like shot bearings. Whining could just mean the belt is loose. If you smell burning or see smoke in the area, that\u2019s an electrical problem you need to address ASAP.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Stay vigilant and know the signs of a failing battery or alternator, so you don\u2019t end up stranded. It\u2019s also critical to always make sure you address the root of the problem \u2014 not just the symptoms.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Check out all the<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/c\/electrical-systems\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>electrical\u00a0system<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">products\u00a0<wbr \/>available on<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1501704208277000&amp;usg=AFQjCNE1CzqXTSulfGf_5BVq4OUF1E9uiQ\"><strong>NAPA Online<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">or trust one of their 17,000<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.napaautocare.com\/store-finder.aspx\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=http:\/\/www.napaautocare.com\/store-finder.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1501704208277000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGjqtnNyXw3AxZg12m3NaDxmWiRgg\"><strong>NAPA AutoCare locations<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">\u00a0for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on problems with an alternator or battery, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/store-locator\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?hl=en&amp;q=https:\/\/www.napaonline.com\/en\/store-locator&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1501704208277000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHiQQJEua8zBcHaIYcBY83NlNWnVg\"><strong>local NAPA AUTO PARTS store<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><em><span style=\"color: #000000;\">Photo Credit:<\/span>\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/yarhargoat\/4245174899\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Engine Bay<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">by<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/yarhargoat\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">bradleyolin<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.\u00a0(<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/2.0\/legalcode\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>CC BY 2.0<\/strong><\/a><span style=\"color: #000000;\">).<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"color: #000000;\"><i>This article has been reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder, National Automotive Parts Association. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Click here for more\u00a0<\/i><\/span><strong><i><a href=\"http:\/\/knowhow.napaonline.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">automotive tips and stories<\/a><\/i><\/strong><i>\u00a0<span style=\"color: #000000;\">from NAPA, or here for more information on<\/span>\u00a0<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/event-info\/car-show-hours-dates\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the next Pomona Swap Meet &amp; Classic Car Show<\/a><\/strong><span style=\"color: #000000;\">.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":null,"protected":false},"author":98,"featured_media":10136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"cos_headline_score":0,"cos_seo_score":0,"cos_headline_text":"","cos_headline_has_been_analyzed":false,"cos_last_analyzed_headline":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[805],"tags":[3056,4427,5128,5940,5946,4152,5948,1787,5942,5944,5943,5945,5941,5947,917,3491,3037,3026],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Engine-Bay.jpg?fit=2816%2C2112&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p9nnZN-2Dr","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10133"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/98"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10133"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10133\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10135,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10133\/revisions\/10135"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10136"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10133"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10133"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pomonaswapmeet.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10133"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}