Did you ever had this trouble trying to start your car in the morning and it doesn’t work ? If it never happened to you , perhaps you’ve already had that apprehension. So when you listen to an alternator noise on Volvo V60, you can already imagine yourself breaking down, stuck awaiting the tow truck. That’s why our team has decided to write this article to support you locate the origins of alternator sounds. In this article, you will first see the role and operation of the alternator in your Volvo V60 and then what the causes and solutions to alternator noise on Volvo V60 may be.
Role and alternator operation Volvo V60
Alternator role
Your alternator is an essential part of your Volvo V60. In fact, its task 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 vehicle is in motion, to provide power to the vehicle in motion and to allow 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 principle of copper coil wound around a magnet . This coil while rotating generates electricity. It is the engine itself that will give the energy needed by the alternator to generate the energy, via the accessory belt or alternator belt. When your Volvo V60 engine stops, the battery takes over to give the vehicle with energy.
What are the different alternator noises or sounds on my Volvo V60 and what are the causes?
I hear a knocking noise caused by the alternator of my Volvo V60
One of the characteristic noises of a tired alternator on Volvo V60 is a knocking noise. This alternator sound on Volvo V60 will most of the time appear when your engine is idling, it can be associated with voltage drops that could disturb the normal operation of electrical elements such as headlights for example. In general, it is a of both bearings of the alternator that is defective, to examine it, use a multimeter on the terminals of your vehicle with the engine running and you must look for 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 Volvo V60 is tired and you should consider swapping the bearing if it is the only reason otherwise the complete part.
I listen to a grinding noise coming from the alternator of my Volvo V60
If you are in the case where the alternator of your Volvo V60 generates grinding sounds, in this case you will have to look at it more seriously. This symptom can testify as for the knocking sound of a tired bearing, however , in general, we often notice by looking more strongly that it is the accessory belt that is loosened or worn and is therefore the reason of it. In this case, we advise that you read this document to find all the necessary details to solve an accessory belt noise on Volvo V60.
I listen to a loud noise from the alternator of my Volvo V60
Experiencing a loud noise from the alternator of your Volvo V60 is quite common, in fact, it emits an audible sound when producing the electrical pulses it generates. It is up to you to examine 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 advise that you have a look this document to find other ways to solve problem of noises from front end on Volvo V60.
