A dead battery rarely acts alone. When a vehicle refuses to start, most people blame freezing temperatures or an old battery and move on. But a failing alternator often sits behind the scenes, quietly ...

An alternator is a generator that produces the electricity stored in a vehicle’s 12-volt battery and powers the starter motor for the engine and the various computers, lights, power windows and locks, ...

Car batteries fail without warning from the visible signs most drivers recognize. The internal chemical degradation that causes failure is invisible from the outside until the battery can no longer ...

It doesn’t matter whether it’s in the deep chill of winter or the heat of summer, on a work truck, emergency vehicle, or personal rig—the last thing a driver wants to see or hear are dim headlights ...

Q: I have a Nissan pick-up truck and the alternator is not working. I checked for a few obvious things and replaced the alternator with a rebuilt unit from the local parts store. The truck is better ...

From the earliest days of motoring, cars have evolved dramatically. The very first car envisioned by Carl Benz bears little resemblance to the vehicles we drive today; since then, engineers have found ...

Many vehicles keep accessories powered for a short time after shutdown, then cut power. That detail decides whether USB gadgets might drain your battery.

Carrier Transicold’s Neos 100S electric refrigeration unit uses a vehicle’s alternator to electrically power the system allowing for constant cooling or heating capacity regardless of engine speed.

This is not an article about installing an alternator. Read a Chiltons manual if you need instructions. Its also not an article about how to rewire an alternator. Ask for a wiring diagram when you ...

For anyone involved in the construction of small electric vehicles it has become a matter of great interest that a cheap high-power electric motor can be made from a humble car alternator. It’s a ...

It doesn’t matter whether it’s in the deep chill of winter or the heat of summer, on a work truck, emergency vehicle, or personal rig—the last thing a driver wants to see or hear are dim headlights ...