Did you ever had this trouble trying to start your car in the morning and it doesn’t work ? If that didn’t happen to you, at least you’ve already had that apprehension. So when you hear an alternator noise on Lexus IS, you can already see yourself breaking down, stuck awaiting the tow truck. That’s why our team has decided to write this article to help you locate the sources of alternator sounds. In this article, you will first learn the role and operation of the alternator in your Lexus IS and then what the causes and solutions to alternator noise on Lexus IS may be.
Role and alternator operation Lexus IS
Alternator role
Your alternator is an vital component of your Lexus IS. Indeed, its task is to generate power to your entire electrical system: headlights, interior lighting, signalling, computer… It will have the task of charging 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 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 produces electricity. It is the engine itself that will provide the energy required by the alternator to create the energy, via the accessory belt or alternator belt. When your Lexus IS engine stops, the battery takes over to provide the vehicle with energy.
What are the several alternator noises or sounds on my Lexus IS and what are the causes?
I listen to a knocking noise caused by the alternator of my Lexus IS
One of the typical noises of a tired alternator on Lexus IS is a knocking noise. This alternator sound on Lexus IS will most of the time occur 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. In many cases, 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 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 Lexus IS is tired and you should think about changing the bearing if it is the only reason otherwise the complete part.
I hear a grinding noise coming from the alternator of my Lexus IS
If you are in the situation where the alternator of your Lexus IS generates grinding sounds, in this circumstance you will have to check it more seriously. This indicator can testify as for the knocking sound of a tired bearing, however , usually, we generally 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 circumstance, we encourage that you read this article to find all the necessary information to solve an accessory belt noise on Lexus IS.
I hear a loud noise from the alternator of my Lexus IS
Hearing a loud noise from the alternator of your Lexus IS is quite typical, 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 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 encourage that you have a look this article to find other ways to solve problem of noises from front end on Lexus IS.
