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, certainly you’ve already had that fear. So when you listen to an alternator noise on Chevrolet Traverse, you can already imagine yourself breaking down, stuck waiting for the tow truck. That’s why our team has decided to write this content to help you find the sources of alternator sounds. In this article, you will first learn the role and functions of the alternator in your Chevrolet Traverse and then what the causes and solutions to alternator noise on Chevrolet Traverse may be.
Role and alternator operation Chevrolet Traverse
Alternator role
Your alternator is an fundamental part of your Chevrolet Traverse. In fact, its goal is to provide power to your entire electrical system: headlights, interior lighting, signalling, computer… It will have the goal 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 reserve to be able to restart the next time.
Alternator functioning
>
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 produces electricity. It is the engine motor itself that will provide the energy requested by the alternator to create the energy, via the accessory belt or alternator belt. When your Chevrolet Traverse engine stops, the battery takes over to provide the car with energy.
What are the different alternator noises or sounds on my Chevrolet Traverse and what are the causes?
I hear a knocking noise from the alternator of my Chevrolet Traverse
One of the typical noises of a tired alternator on Chevrolet Traverse is a knocking noise. This alternator sound on Chevrolet Traverse will most of the time occur when your engine is idling, it can be linked to voltage drops that could disrupt the normal operation of electrical parts such as headlights for example. In most cases, it is a of both bearings of the alternator that is malfunctioning, to check 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 Chevrolet Traverse is tired and you should consider changing the bearing if it is the only reason otherwise the entire part.
I listen to a grinding noise coming from the alternator of my Chevrolet Traverse
If you are in the situation where the alternator of your Chevrolet Traverse causes grinding sounds, in this case you will have to look at it more seriously. This warning sign can testify as for the knocking sound of a tired bearing, however , usually, we generally see by looking more closely that it is the accessory belt that is loosened or worn and is therefore the reason of it. In this case, we encourage that you read this content to find all the necessary details to solve an accessory belt noise on Chevrolet Traverse.
I listen to a loud noise from the alternator of my Chevrolet Traverse
Finding out a loud noise from the alternator of your Chevrolet Traverse is quite regular, in fact, it produces an audible sound when creating the electrical pulses it generates. It is up to you to check 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 encourage that you have a look this content to find other ways to solve problem of noises from front end on Chevrolet Traverse.