Is Your Alternator Playing Up?

The blog this week is about the alternator in your Volvo or Toyota. Is it taking longer to start your car, even on warmer mornings? Or are the interior lights flickering or dimmer? Everyone is trying to save money at the moment, interest rates are rising, fuel bills are rising, food costs are soaring etc so when it comes to owning a car, we need all the help we can get to keep costs down. Read on to find out more:

What is the role of the alternator in your Volvo or Toyota? The alternator keeps your battery fully charged, providing the power it needs to start the car. Car batteries degenerate over time having used all of their ‘juice’ to power things like your car stereo, wiper blades, heated seats and your lights for example, and having a faulty alternator would mean that the battery will just continue to run down until there is
nothing left. We always advise people to switch off heaters/ac/radio etc before they turn the engine off, so when you start it in the morning less ‘juice’ is required to power everything up all at once. A healthy alternator would start to do its job the moment your start your Volvo or Toyota engine, by charging up your battery whilst you are driving – like if you plug in your mobile phone to charge whilst at the same time as using it.

If you suspect you have a failing alternator or there is an issue with your car battery or electrics, take your Volvo or Toyota to your local independent garage for investigation. These problems will not go away on their own – let the experts take a look and diagnose the fault. Because it will get to the point where your Volvo or Toyota just won’t start and if you do not have breakdown cover you will then need to be recovered to the garage at your expense if you cannot get your car jump started. It is worth noting that electric vehicles don't need alternators since they are driven by an electric motor and battery combination that provides plenty of energy for the vehicle's normal operations. Electric Vehicles and hybrids, which do have alternators, often use regenerative braking systems to give the battery an extra boost. Happy Safe Motoring Folks!

Here at ACC UK Ltd, Winners of The Motor Trader Independent Garage of The Year 2015, 2019 & 2020, The IGA Big Awards 2022, The Inspire Customer Service Excellence 2016 Award, The Eagle Radio Customer Focus 2017 Business Award, The Workshop Magazine Workshop Manager of the Year 2017 Award, The LiveWire Excellence In Vehicle Servicing 2019 Award and The Aftermarket Excellence Award for Best Website 2019, The Eagle Radio Biz Award – Entrepreneur of the Year 2020 & the SME News Magazine Most Trusted Car Servicing Provider 2020, we pride ourselves on offering an outstanding customer experience for a fraction of the cost of a dealership. Give us a call and let us quote you for your next service or repair on your Volvo or Toyota. We service all areas around Farnborough, Fleet, Aldershot, Farnham, Guildford, Frimley, Camberley, Hook, Sandhurst, Crowthorne, Yateley, Hampshire and Surrey. We offer free collection and drop off services. We also have a fleet of courtesy cars to allow you to get on with your schedule whilst your Volvo or Toyota is with us. Happy Motoring from all at ACC UK Ltd – Independent Volvo & Toyota servicing, repair and MOT specialists based in the heart of Farnborough, Hampshire