Who hasn’t found himself in the situation where his car doesn’t start one morning on the way to work? If that didn’t happen to you, at minimum you’ve already had that apprehension. So when you listen to an alternator noise on Audi A1, you can already see yourself breaking down, stuck awaiting the tow truck. That’s why our team has decided to produce this post to help you find the sources of alternator sounds. In this article, you will first see the role and functions of the alternator in your Audi A1 and then what the causes and solutions to alternator noise on Audi A1 may be.
Role and alternator operation Audi A1
Alternator role
Your alternator is an vital part of your Audi A1. In fact, its task is to give power to your entire electrical system: headlights, interior lighting, signalling, computer… It will have the mission of charging the battery once the car is in motion, to provide power to the car in motion and to let you to always have a sufficient energy source to be able to restart the next time.
Alternator functioning
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The alternator works on an electrical principle that has been used for decades, the concept of copper coil wound around a magnet . This coil while spinning makes electricity. It is the engine itself that will furnish the energy required by the alternator to create the energy, via the accessory belt or alternator belt. When your Audi A1 engine stops, the battery takes over to furnish the car with energy.
What are the distinctive alternator noises or sounds on my Audi A1 and what are the causes?
I hear a knocking noise coming from the alternator of my Audi A1
One of the characteristic noises of a tired alternator on Audi A1 is a knocking noise. This alternator sound on Audi A1 will most of the time happen when your engine is idling, it can be connected to voltage drops that could affect the normal operation of electrical parts such as headlights for example. In many cases, it is a of both bearings of the alternator that is faulty, to verify it, use a multimeter on the terminals of your car with the engine running and you must get a value between 12 and 14.7 volts, which means that your alternator is charging your battery well. If the value is lower, the alternator of your Audi A1 is tired and you should consider changing the bearing if it is the only cause otherwise the complete part.
I listen to a grinding noise coming from the alternator of my Audi A1
If you are in the situation where the alternator of your Audi A1 produces grinding sounds, in this circumstance you will have to look at it more seriously. This indicator can testify as for the knocking sound of a tired bearing, but in most cases, we often realise by looking more carefully that it is the accessory belt that is loosened or worn and is therefore the cause of it. In this circumstance, we recommend that you look for advice this content to find all the necessary information to solve an accessory belt noise on Audi A1.
I listen to a loud noise from the alternator of my Audi A1
Experiencing a loud noise from the alternator of your Audi A1 is quite normal, in fact, it emits an audible sound when creating the electrical pulses it generates. It is up to you to verify that the battery indicator light on your dashboard does not appear, and that you do not have a voltage drop when your engine is running (headlight or dashboard light that jumps for example. If this noise is too loud, we recommend that you read this content to find other ways to solve problem of noises from front end on Audi A1.
