Back to all

Tuffy TIre & Auto Service Center Orland Park Automotive Tips: Alternator

March 14, 2017

Your alternator makes electricity to start and run your engine and all of the vital electrical systems in your vehicle. That’s everything from the on-board computers to the turn signals. And of course there is the entertainment system, seat heaters, power windows and everything you plug into the power outlets. After your alternator makes enough electricity to do all that, it recharges your battery with what’s left over.

When Orland Park drivers constantly have a low or dead battery, the alternator is usually a prime suspect. However, the alternator is just one vital component of the starting/charging system, and a problem with any of the other components could be the actual cause.

In addition to the alternator, the charging/starting system includes the battery, starter, serpentine belt system and all of the electrical cables that connect them. Your Tuffy TIre & Auto Service Center Orland Park service advisor has a systematic process of testing components and connections to get to the source of your trouble. The initial symptoms determine where to begin the diagnostic process, and he follows the procedure until he tracks down the culprit.

For example, diagnostic tests at Tuffy TIre & Auto Service Center Orland Park could reveal that the alternator is not generating enough electricity to keep the battery charged. Is the alternator bad? Not necessarily. A worn serpentine belt tensioner could be allowing the belt that spins the alternator to slip. So the perfectly good alternator is not spinning at the proper speed. The solution for Orland Park drivers is to replace the serpentine belt system – not the alternator.

The good news for Orland Park drivers is that our highly-trained technicians at Tuffy TIre & Auto Service Center Orland Park can properly diagnose all your vehicle troubles and make the necessary repairs to get you back on the road in Orland Park.

Give us a call.

Tuffy TIre & Auto Service Center Orland Park
7900 W. 159th St.
Orland Park, Illinois 60462
708-444-2966



Need Service?

Request a Quote

More articles from Tuffy Orland Park

Making Sense of the O2 Sensor (Oxygen Sensor Replacement)

January 19, 2025

As you know, todays vehicles rely on a lot of computers in them to keep them running clean and efficiently. Those computers depend on information delivered by several sensors throughout the engine and exhaust system. And one of the most important is the oxygen sensor. Known as the O2 sensor f... More

Your Vehicle's Other Power Plant (Alternator Replacement)

January 12, 2025

Your vehicle's engine is probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a power plant. But it has another power source that is vital as well: the alternator. The alternator is what puts out the electricity that powers such things as your lights, power windows, sound system, and na... More

Timing is Everything (Timing Cover Replacement)

January 5, 2025

Theres an important part in your vehicle that shields your timing belt, timing chain or cam belt from the debris and gunk that can be kicked up from the road. Its called the timing cover. Its important because the timing belt or chain is what coordinates parts of your engine called the camshaft... More