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, perhaps you’ve already had that fear. So when you discover an alternator noise on Volkswagen Golf 3, you can already imagine yourself breaking down, stuck awaiting the tow truck. That’s why our team has decided to write this content to support you locate the sources of alternator sounds. In this article, you will first learn the role and functions of the alternator in your Volkswagen Golf 3 and then what the causes and solutions to alternator noise on Volkswagen Golf 3 may be.
Role and alternator operation Volkswagen Golf 3
Alternator role
Your alternator is an fundamental component of your Volkswagen Golf 3. In fact, its goal 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 car is in motion, to provide power to the car 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 functions on an electrical principle that has been used for decades, the principle of copper coil wound around a magnet . This coil while spinning creates electricity. It is the engine motor itself that will provide the energy required by the alternator to generate the energy, via the accessory belt or alternator belt. When your Volkswagen Golf 3 engine stops, the battery takes over to provide the car with energy.
What are the distinctive alternator noises or sounds on my Volkswagen Golf 3 and what are the causes?
I listen to a knocking noise coming from the alternator of my Volkswagen Golf 3
One of the characteristic noises of a tired alternator on Volkswagen Golf 3 is a knocking noise. This alternator sound on Volkswagen Golf 3 will most of the time happen when your engine is idling, it can be associated with voltage drops that could disrupt the normal operation of electrical parts such as headlights for example. In general, it is a of both bearings of the alternator that is defective, to check it, use a multimeter on the terminals of your car 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 Volkswagen Golf 3 is tired and you should consider swapping the bearing if it is the only cause otherwise the complete part.
I discover a grinding noise coming from the alternator of my Volkswagen Golf 3
If you are in the situation where the alternator of your Volkswagen Golf 3 produces grinding sounds, in this case you will have to check it more seriously. This sign can testify as for the knocking sound of a tired bearing, but usually, we often 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 read this article to find all the necessary details to solve an accessory belt noise on Volkswagen Golf 3.
I discover a loud noise from the alternator of my Volkswagen Golf 3
Experiencing a loud noise from the alternator of your Volkswagen Golf 3 is quite regular, in fact, it emits 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 article to find other ways to solve problem of noises from front end on Volkswagen Golf 3.
