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 fear. So when you listen to an alternator noise on Mercedes Viano, you can already imagine yourself breaking down, stuck awaiting the tow truck. That’s why our team has decided to produce this post to help you find the origins of alternator sounds. In this article, you will first learn the role and functions of the alternator in your Mercedes Viano and then what the causes and solutions to alternator noise on Mercedes Viano may be.
Role and alternator operation Mercedes Viano
Alternator role
Your alternator is an fundamental part of your Mercedes Viano. Indeed, its task is to give 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 allow you to always have a sufficient energy reserve to be able to restart the next time.
Alternator functioning
>
The alternator operates 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 furnish the energy requested by the alternator to generate the energy, via the accessory belt or alternator belt. When your Mercedes Viano engine stops, the battery takes over to furnish the car with energy.
What are the distinctive alternator noises or sounds on my Mercedes Viano and what are the causes?
I hear a knocking noise coming from the alternator of my Mercedes Viano
One of the typical noises of a tired alternator on Mercedes Viano is a knocking noise. This alternator sound on Mercedes Viano will generally occur when your engine is idling, it can be linked to voltage drops that could disrupt the normal operation of electrical elements such as headlights for example. In many 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 Mercedes Viano is tired and you should consider replacing the bearing if it is the only cause otherwise the complete part.
I listen to a grinding noise coming from the alternator of my Mercedes Viano
If you are in the case where the alternator of your Mercedes Viano generates grinding sounds, in this case you will have to look into it more seriously. This warning sign can testify as for the knocking sound of a tired bearing, but in most cases, we generally realise by looking more meticulously that it is the accessory belt that is loosened or worn and is therefore the cause of it. In this case, we encourage that you consult this document to find all the necessary details to solve an accessory belt noise on Mercedes Viano.
I listen to a loud noise from the alternator of my Mercedes Viano
Finding out a loud noise from the alternator of your Mercedes Viano is quite common, in fact, it emits an audible sound when producing the electrical pulses it generates. It is up to you to check 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 check out this document to find other ways to solve problem of noises from front end on Mercedes Viano.
