Does Your BMW Need an Alternator Repair?

The alternator is the powerhouse of your car. It recharges your battery as you drive as well as supplies the car’s electrical components, like the radio and headlights, with power as you drive. Alternator trouble is the last thing you want driving your beamer around, because without it you won’t be driving around for long. Here are some warning signs that signal you may need to take your car to your local BMW dealership for an alternator repair.

Do You Need to Visit Your BMW Dealership for an Alternator Repair?

Is Your Warning Light On?

If you notice that little red light shaped like a battery come on under your speedometer, you may need to have your alternator checked. Contrary to popular belief, this light responds to the voltage output of the car’s alternator, and not the charge of the actual battery itself. If the output is within a “good” range, the light will remain off; however, the light will come on if the alternator’s output is above or below this range.

One early warning sign of alternator trouble is when the warning light comes on for a second or two and then goes off again. You’ll usually notice this when you switch electrical components on and off. For example, if your warning light is off but it comes on when you turn on the radio, this is a sign that your alternator may not be putting out enough energy to power the car’s accessories and charge its battery.

Are Your Lights Dim or Flickering?

Another sign of potential alternator failure occurs when your headlights and interior lights are unusually bright or dim or they’re flickering. This could be a sign of some other type of electrical system failure, but if you notice that these issues happen only when you use other electrical components in the vehicle, like putting your windows up or down, then chances are that it is your alternator not maintaining proper voltage.

Does Your Car Stall or Refuse to Start?

If your car turns over slowly before starting or you have to turn the key multiple times to get it to start, the alternator may not be doing its job keeping the battery charged. Bear in mind that it could also be the issue of a bad battery that needs to be changed, but it can be hard to know which is the culprit.

Likewise, if your car likes to stall while you’re on the road, your alternator may not be generating enough energy to keep the car moving. Your sparkplugs could be faulty, but it’s just as likely that your alternator isn’t giving them enough juice to keep firing.

The alternator is an extremely important component of your BMW. Think of it like a hamster running on a wheel that generates energy for all of the parts that require it. Without it, your car won’t start, and it won’t keep running even if it did. If you think your alternator is starting to give up the ghost, contact Tom Bush BMW Jacksonville and let us nurse it back to health to get you back on the road.

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