If you hear a whine or the sound goes fuzzy when you hit the gas, your alternator is probably failing. A squealing sound coming from the engine that gets louder when drains like the heater or sound system are on may be your alternator bearings.Īnother telltale is turning the AM radio to a low number on the dial without music, then revving the engine. If your car starts but stalls when you’re underway, your battery is probably not being recharged due to a faulty alternator. Some of the things to look for are no-starting and trouble starting, dimming lights and problems with stereo system output. It can also result from additional draw from auxiliary lights, fuses, sound systems, alarms and such. A dead or low battery can be caused by a failing alternator. But you also need to figure out whether it’s simply at the end of its life or there are underlying issues. If jumpstarting works, then you know you’ve got a battery problem. A low battery that has visible corrosion on the terminals is probably damaged. If the cranking of the engine is sluggish, like your vehicle is harder to start on cold mornings, it starts inconsistently, or there’s no sound and interior lights when you try to start, suspect a failing battery, a loose or corroded connection or electrical draw. Here’s how to know which one is the culprit. It can be hard to determine if you’re dealing with a battery or an alternator problem. If your vehicle won’t start, it’s usually caused by a dying or dead battery, loose or corroded connection cables, a bad alternator or an issue with the starter. Starting Problems? How to Tell If It’s the Battery or Alternator

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