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 find out an alternator noise on Ford S-max, you can already see yourself breaking down, stuck waiting for the tow truck. That’s why our team has decided to write this article to help you locate the origins of alternator sounds. In this article, you will first learn the role and functions of the alternator in your Ford S-max and then what the causes and solutions to alternator noise on Ford S-max may be.
Role and alternator operation Ford S-max
Alternator role
Your alternator is an essential component of your Ford S-max. Indeed, its task is to generate power to your entire electrical system: headlights, interior lighting, signalling, computer… It will have the task of recharging the battery once the vehicle is in motion, to provide power to the vehicle in motion and to let you to always have a enough energy reserve to be able to restart the next time.
Alternator functioning
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The alternator functions on an electrical principle that has been used for decades, the concept of copper coil wound around a magnet . This coil while rotating makes electricity. It is the engine motor itself that will give the energy requested by the alternator to generate the energy, via the accessory belt or alternator belt. When your Ford S-max engine stops, the battery takes over to give the vehicle with energy.
What are the distinctive alternator noises or sounds on my Ford S-max and what are the causes?
I notice a knocking noise originating from the alternator of my Ford S-max
One of the characteristic noises of a tired alternator on Ford S-max is a knocking noise. This alternator sound on Ford S-max will generally show up when your engine is idling, it can be connected to voltage drops that could disturb the normal operation of electrical parts such as headlights for example. Often, it is a of both bearings of the alternator that is malfunctioning, to verify it, use a multimeter on the terminals of your vehicle with the engine running and you must get a value between 12 and 14.7 volts, which means that your alternator is recharging your battery well. If the value is lower, the alternator of your Ford S-max is tired and you should consider replacing the bearing if it is the only reason otherwise the whole part.
I find out a grinding noise coming from the alternator of my Ford S-max
If you are in the case where the alternator of your Ford S-max generates grinding sounds, in this circumstance you will have to check it more seriously. This symptom can testify as for the knocking sound of a tired bearing, but in most cases, we often see by looking more strongly that it is the accessory belt that is loosened or worn and is therefore the reason of it. In this circumstance, we recommend that you consult this article to find all the necessary information to solve an accessory belt noise on Ford S-max.
I find out a loud noise from the alternator of my Ford S-max
Listening a loud noise from the alternator of your Ford S-max is quite typical, in fact, it produces an audible sound when producing the electrical pulses it generates. It is up to you to verify that the battery indicator light on your dashboard does not show up, 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 article to find other ways to solve problem of noises from front end on Ford S-max.
