Does Your Lincoln Need an Alternator Repair?

The alternator is the most important part of your car’s electrical charging system. It generates the power to recharge your battery and supply all your car’s devices and components. Age or damage can cause problems for the alternator, and you’ll need to visit us for an alternator repair. As your Lincoln dealer, we’d like to tell you about some signs that your alternator needs to be fixed.

Blown Alternator Fuse

All of the electrical systems in your car have fuses. Electrical spikes and other electrical disturbances can damage a component, and the fuses are designed to blow out if a problem occurs. Once the fuse blows, it will cut off the electrical connection to the component to protect it. If the alternator fuse blows, the alternator will be protected, but your car will immediately lose all its power generation.

A lack of power from the alternator will force the battery to take over and supply your car’s power. A car’s battery has a limited electrical storage capacity, and it’s not designed to supply all of your car’s power. The battery will quickly drain, and your car will stop. Our technicians will replace the alternator fuse, and your alternator will work normally again.

Damaged Wiring

Electrical wiring runs through your car and transports the power generated by your alternator. The wiring is delicate, and it has thick plastic and rubber coverings to protect it. This protection is necessary, as a car’s engine is a harsh environment for wiring. We routinely inspect the condition of all your car’s wiring during your routine services.

If a wire breaks, it will cut off the power to the component it’s connected to. Your car’s computer will note the component has failed due to a lack of electricity, and the alternator will send more power to that component. As more electricity flows down a broken wire, it will heat up and start to burn. The burning wire can set the plastic and rubber insulation alight and potentially cause an engine fire.

Check Battery Light

This light will come on if a problem is detected in your electrical charging system. Sensors in your car’s electrical system constantly update your car’s computer on the status of their attached components. If there’s a problem with a component, its sensor will send the information to the computer, and the light will come on.

The problem also generates an error code that your computer will log it. Our technicians will connect your computer to our diagnostic system to find the cause of the problem. Once we know the cause of the problem, we’ll repair it.

An alternator will always give signs that something is wrong. Call us at Bob Maxey Lincoln.

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