From a dead battery to malfunctioning lights or faulty wiring, electrical problems affect both your car's performance and your safety.
Electrical issues are among the most common problems car owners face, and they can lead to frustrating situations, especially when you're driving in Brooklyn traffic.
Whether it's a dead battery, malfunctioning lights or faulty wiring, electrical problems can affect your car's performance and safety. Here are the most common ones, how to recognise them, and what fixes them.
Common electrical problems
1. A dead or weak battery
The battery starts the car and steadies its electrical system. Signs of a weak one:
- The engine cranks slowly, or only clicks
- Dim headlights, especially at idle
- The battery warning light on the dashboard
2. A failing alternator
The alternator recharges the battery while the engine runs. When it fails, the car runs on the battery until the battery is empty. Signs:
- Lights that flicker or dim as you drive
- A whining or grinding noise from the front of the engine
- The battery warning light coming on while driving
3. Blown fuses
A fuse protects a circuit from too much current. When one blows, whatever it feeds stops working: a light, the radio, the power windows or a charging socket.
4. Worn spark plugs
Spark plugs ignite the fuel in the engine. Worn plugs cause rough idling, hard starting, misfires and higher fuel use.
5. Faulty wiring
Damaged, corroded or loose wiring causes problems that come and go: dashboard lights that flicker, accessories that cut out, or a warning light that appears and disappears.
How each is fixed
- Battery: a jump start gets you going, but a battery that keeps going flat should be tested. If it is old or failing, it is replaced with one of the right size and type for the car.
- Alternator: its output is measured with a voltmeter while the engine runs. If it isn't charging properly, it is repaired or replaced.
- Fuses: a blown fuse is replaced with one of exactly the same rating. If the new one blows too, the circuit has a fault that needs finding.
- Spark plugs: they are checked for wear and carbon, and replaced with the type the manufacturer specifies.
- Wiring: the damaged or corroded section is found, then repaired or replaced and protected.
When to bring it to a shop
Changing a fuse or jump-starting a car is a driveway job. Problems that keep coming back, a car that won't charge, or electrical faults that come and go need testing equipment: the cause is often not where the symptom shows. Never fit a stronger fuse to stop one blowing: the fuse is protecting the wiring.
Preventing electrical trouble
- Keep the battery terminals clean and tight.
- Have the battery and charging system tested before winter, when weak batteries give out.
- Replace spark plugs on the schedule in your owner's manual.
- Don't ignore a warning light: an early test is cheaper than a tow.
Electrical repairs at S.R. Auto
We find and fix electrical problems at our shop at 300 McGuinness Boulevard in Greenpoint. If the car won't start, our tow truck can bring it in. Call (718) 349-9742, Monday to Saturday from 8 AM to 6 PM.
