Q: Battery isnt charging while driving?

asked by on February 23, 2017

All of a sudden my check gauges light came on and I realized my battery wasn't charged! I shut engine off and now it won't start?

My car has 180000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Alternator Replacement $166.62 - $1297.14 Get a Quote

It sounds like you may have a failing voltage regulator or failing alternator. As you may know, the alternator charges the battery while the engine runs by generating amperage and recharging the battery while the engine turns the alternator pulley. The voltage regulator is a unit that regulates the charging of the battery by the alternator and maintaining a certain amperage while the engine runs. When the alternator is not working properly, this may result in the battery quickly losing charge and the car losing all power. You may also notice a whining sound as a result of the bearings inside the alternator begin to fail. I would recommend having an expert from YourMechanic come to your location to diagnose and inspect your charging system.

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