Signs It's Time to Get a New Car Battery from Your Chrysler Dealer

The alternator is a very important part of your car's electrical system. It turns mechanical energy from the crankshaft into electricity to power your car's electrical devices, like the radio, windshield wipers, and others. The excess energy your alternator produces is stored in the battery and keeps the battery at full charge. An alternator lasts for many years, but as with any component, it can suffer damage. When you need an alternator repair, your Chrysler dealer will fix it. Battery Warning Light Comes On When a warning light comes on on your dash, it is always an indication that something is wrong. Your car has numerous sensors connected to its vital components. Each sensor checks that the component it's attached to is working correctly, and if all is well the light on the dash stays dark. If a problem is detected, the sensor will immediately illuminate the relevant warning light. The battery-shaped light is responsible to rate the electrical charging system, and it will light up if the voltage in the system changes. The alternator produces electrical power for your car and its voltage output is between 13.5 and 14 volts. A change in the voltage is a sign that your alternator is struggling and needs to be checked. Our technicians will test the alternator, and a simple repair may be all that's needed to fix the problem. more Starting Problem Your battery provides the charge to start your engine, but it has a very limited electrical storage capacity. The alternator, as we have seen, provides energy to keep the battery topped up. If your alternator starts to wear out, it becomes less efficient at producing electricity. An alternator that fails won't produce any power at all, and the battery will have to draw from its stored power. A good, fully-charged battery only has sufficient energy to power your car's electrical systems for approximately 14 minutes and then it will run out of juice. When you turn your key, the battery sends a charge to the starter solenoid that will crank the engine. The solenoid requires a large amount of power to start the engine, and a battery that is weakening due to a faulty alternator will not have enough charge to start the system immediately. Sudden Stalling The alternator supplies power to all the electrical systems in your car including the spark plugs. When you step on the gas, fuel enters the combustion chamber and mixes with air drawn in through the radiator. The spark plugs provide the spark to ignite this mixture and cause the controlled explosions that allow your car to move. An alternator that fails won't produce any electricity, and if the spark plugs are deprived of power they will stop working immediately and your car will stall. If you experience any problem with your alternator, call our expert technicians at Ourisman Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Alexandria. We'll find the problem and repair or replace your alternator.

Want to keep your vehicle in good working order? You should be on the lookout for these signs that it's time to visit your Chrysler dealer for a new car battery. Signs It's Time to Get a New Car Battery from Your Chrysler Dealer 1. Electrical Issues There are several electrical components in your vehicle. For all of these components to work properly, your battery needs to be functional. If your battery is dying, then you might find issues like weak headlights, or the lights on your dash flickering on and off. If you notice any of these signs, then it's most likely that you need a new battery. Make sure to head to your dealer right away to keep all of your car's electrical components in good working order. more 2. Signs of Damage If your car's battery shows signs of damage, then it's important to head to your dealer right away. A damaged battery will make your car run less effectively. Not only that, but if your car is running on a damaged battery, that can be very dangerous. If you notice a sulphuric smell coming from your batter, that's a sign that it's leaking, which is a major issue. You should also be on the lookout for any corrosion or around the battery's connectors. If your battery is cracked or misshapen, then that's another sign that it's time to head to your dealer for a new one. 3. Your Car Struggles to Start Another major sign that it's time to replace your car's battery is that your car is slower to start than usual. One of the things that your battery is responsible for is starting your engine. As the battery gets older, it's less able to produce the charge that your car needs to run. This, of course, means that it takes longer for your engine to get started. So if you've noticed that your engine is having a hard time starting, that's a sign it might be time to head to your dealer. 4. Your Battery Is Old Even if your battery isn't showing major signs that it needs to be replaced, keeping your car in overall good shape means replacing your battery regularly. Depending on several conditions like the weather where you live and your driving habits, your battery should last somewhere between 3 to 5 years. It's best to be proactive about your car's battery to make sure that the rest of your car's components stay in good working order. You should aim to replace your battery every 3 years or so, or at least bring it to your local dealer to have the experts take a look at it. If you want to make sure that your car stays in good shape, then it's important to take good care of your car's battery. If you notice any of the above signs, then it's a good idea to visit your dealer. Come see us today at Ourisman Chrysler Jeep Dodge of Alexandria to have your battery checked.

Just like having a dentist check your teeth, your annual engine diagnostic will find any problems your car might have before they become really painful or expensive to fix. During a diagnostic, the technician at your local Chrysler dealer retrieves a great deal of data from your vehicle's onboard computer systems and uses it to delve a little further and identify possible faults. Let's take a look at four types of issues they might uncover. Engine Issues A diagnostic will lead the technician to find any issues causing your dashboard "check engine" light to blink. Your onboard computerized monitors cannot themselves identify a specific problem. Rather, they keep tabs on various levels and indicators of engine health and warn you when they sense that something is wrong. It's then the technician's job to find out specifically what's at fault in your engine. There are quite a few potential engine issues, such as a faulty fuel pump or fuel injector, or a problem with the ignition coil or spark plugs in your combustion chambers. The engine's vital airflow might be impeded by a clogged air filter, which is an easy fix. Or you might have an issue with your coolant or cooling system. A full diagnostic check and examination will get to the bottom of things. more Transmission Trouble Beyond the engine, a diagnostic can also point to problems in the second-most complex part of your car: your transmission. The transmission is responsible for transmitting the power of your engine to your wheels. Under so much continual pressure and heat, a variety of problems can occasionally develop, which your onboard computers will detect. Possible transmission problems include transmission fluid lessened by leaks or dirtied by contaminants and age. Gears inside the gearbox can wear down or round out over time, causing gear slippage. The clutch can also wear down, losing the traction necessary to properly engage and disengage. In automatic transmission systems, the needle roller bearings can also sometimes fail. Faulty Braking System Another critical part of your car is the braking mechanism. Your onboard computer will often sound the alarm if there's any sign of overheating in your rotors, calipers, or brake pads. And it will warn you if your brake fluid levels are dropping, which might point to a leak. Exhaust System Issues Diagnostics can also uncover faults in your exhaust system, which might include leaks, cracks, rust, or smoke. You might also have a broken exhaust oxygen sensor, or broken hangers, which keep the exhaust from knocking around. How Your Chrysler Dealer Runs a Diagnostic The first stage of a diagnostic checkup is data retrieval, where the technician plugs their diagnostic scanner into your car to read the codes provided by your onboard computer. They'll then run verification testing on all the systems of your vehicle, and narrow things down to identify specific problem areas. At this point, they'll know exactly what's wrong, so it's time to carry out repairs. Lastly, they'll always do repair verification, testing all the car's systems once again to make sure the problem is one hundred percent solved. To have experienced professionals run a diagnostic check on your car, visit Ourisman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Alexandria. We pride ourselves on offering an unbeatable customer service experience to everyone who steps through our doors.