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Kinnane's Car Clinic

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Keep your Auto Electrical System running smoothly!

Booking your car in for an auto electrical service is important because a number of your vehicle's vital components are electrical.

Batteries, lights, alternators, and motors all rely on the proper flow of electricity, which can be impeded by wear and tear over time. Therefore, electrical maintenance is a great way to keep your car functioning and free of unsafe consequences.

Your car's electrical system could become affected by issues ranging from broken wiring, which can be difficult to diagnose, to a simple broken fuse, which can be fixed quickly. Proper electrical maintenance can help to prevent such occurrences.

There are some warning signs that you should be aware of. Things to look out for include dimming or pulsating light coming from your headlights (which could signify a problem with the voltage regulator), growling/whining noises (which could be due to an issue with the alternator belt), clicking noises when turning the ignition (which could be caused by a problem with the starter motor), or the smell of burning rubber.

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Dead Batteries, alternator problems, solenoid issues, spark plugs, low voltage - there are plenty of things that can cause problems in your vehicle that relate to the auto electrical system. The major components of a modern car auto electrical system are inherently interconnected and when one fails it will usually affect at least some, if not all of the other components in the system, often making it difficult to determine exactly what the problem is. If you have a problem with your vehicles auto electrics please contact us today - Kinnane's Car Clinic can conduct certain tests to allow us to quickly determine where the problem is and fix it with minimal hassle and inconvenience to you. That's real Peace of Mind. Here are some answers to the most frequently asked auto electrical questions.

What parts of the auto electrical system require maintenance?

  • Battery - The battery provides the power required to start the engine
  • Alternator - Maintains the charge level in the battery while the car is moving
  • Starter motor - uses power from the battery to start the engine
  • Solenoid -administers power from the battery to the starter motor
  • Voltage Regulator - Ensure the correct voltage level in the system
  • Fuse Panel - Provides protection for electrical components in the car
  • Connectors and Wires - connect the electrical system and close circuits

What are the most common problems auto electrical systems can have?

  • Alternator belt - the alternator recharges your battery by harnessing the power generated by the engine by means of a belt and transferring it to the battery. If the belt breaks, loses tension or comes loose the alternator will no longer be able to maintain the charge in the battery
  • Broken or loose wiring - Electrical current requires a closed circuit to be conducted and the wiring system of your car connects the various electrical systems and provides the circuit. If an important wire comes loose, breaks, wears out or melts you could have a problem using your electrical components or even starting your car. This can be a difficult problem to diagnose
  • A flat battery - Flat batteries are a common problem and may not be cause for alarm. Accidentally leaving lights or other electrical items on without the engine running is often the cause. Once you have the car going the alternator should once again maintain a good charge. However, if, after driving around or running the engine for a while, the battery goes flat again it means you have a problem elsewhere. The battery itself may need replacing, the alternator could be faulty, the voltage regulator has a problem or even a combination of these
  • Normal wear and tear - all of your cars parts are susceptible to wear and tear in some form or another. The cars battery, solenoid and voltage regulator are a couple of auto electrical parts known to cause problems due to normal wear and tear
  • Blown fuses - Fuses in your car are a safety feature designed to protect your electrical components from serious damage from surges and overloads. Provided you are fortunate, a blown fuse will be your only problem when an electrical component of your car is not working. While this can happen occasionally, if it happens too often you should get your cars auto electrical system checked by a qualified professional as there is likely something causing a problem
  • Car will not start despite having a good battery - The solenoid may not be working correctly and is not allowing a sufficient charge to start the car. The solenoid is a coil of wire around two magnets that administers higher voltage than normal from the battery to the starter motor

What are the signs an auto electrical system may need a service?

  • An odd growling or whining noise may indicate a problem with your alternator belt
  • Dimming or flickering headlights could mean your voltage regulator is having problems
  • Electrical items such as car stereo, lights, air conditioner and so on are just not working could be as simple as a blown fuse, though they may represent a deeper problem
  • Hearing a loud clicking noise when turning the ignition key may be linked to a problem with your starter motor
  • If there is no sound at all when you turn the key (the car doesn't start) - your solenoid could be at fault, particularly if the battery is known to be working correctly
  • Smelling burning rubber or hot wires could well be a problem with your alternator. Catching this problem early may prevent costly diagnosis of problems later and may even help prevent a fire in the electrical system.

If you witness any of these symptoms get in touch with Kinnane's Car Clinic as quickly as possible to book an auto electrical service.

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