Car Care - About Starting & Charging

Battery

The battery in your vehicle performs many functions. The most obvious is to provide electrical energy to crank the starter motor and get the engine running. It must also provide energy to the lights, heater, radio, air conditioning, and other electronics. Your battery has the ability to last several years because your vehicle’s alternator works to replenish it with electric current. However, over time the battery will lose its ability to store and hold an electrical charge and make it difficult to start your vehicle. Our Technician can check your battery and help identify a change in the condition and state of the charge, so that you never have to worry about being stranded with a dead battery. Plus, we offer battery replacement when the time comes.

In addition to the battery, there are two other major components to your vehicle's starting and charging system. These two components must be in good working order for your vehicle to start and run properly.

Starting

When you turn the ignition key, you are actually turning on the starter, which then cranks the engine. When a starter isn't working correctly, the engine may start with great difficulty, or not at all. Starter problems may also cause premature battery and alternator failure. Starter problems may be due to electrical/mechanical failure or outright breakage. Our technician can check your starter for wear on our diagnostic equipment to determine its current condition.

Alternator

The alternator carries out two important tasks. First, it recharges your battery while the vehicle is running to keep it at peak starting power. Second, the alternator works with your battery to operate electrical components such as headlights, windshield wipers, and more. A malfunctioning alternator can cause electrical components to operate erratically, or even cause your engine to suddenly stop running. Out technician can check your alternator charging output on our diagnostic equipment to determine its current condition.