Will AutoZone put in an alternator? (2023)

How much does it cost to put an alternator into a car?

It usually takes two to three hours to replace an alternator. Depending on the mechanic's hourly fee, that's about $200 in labor costs. If you use OEM parts, you can expect to pay between $200 and $350 for a new alternator. If you don't mind using aftermarket parts, you could pay between $100 to $200 for a new part.

Every AutoZone in the USA will check your alternator, starter, or battery at no charge.

Replacing an alternator can cost you several hundred bucks at the local repair shop, but it's one of the simplest repairs you can do at home. With a few tools and about an hour you can swap it out yourself -- and keep your dough in your pocket where it belongs.

Replacing an alternator will take a professional about two hours. However, that doesn't mean your car will only be at the shop for two hours—there may be a wait before a mechanic can address your ride. Plus, if the shop needs to get parts delivered, it will take even longer.

Driving around with a bad alternator isn't a smart idea; as damaged or broken alternators can cause a wide range of problems. They can interfere with your car's electrical features, make it harder to start the engine, and even cause the battery to drain entirely, leaving you with an utterly unresponsive vehicle.

It's usually a better idea to replace the alternator entirely if it is malfunctioning. While new ones can be spendy, they are usually a better choice than remanufactured or rebuilt options. Those probably won't last as long as a new one since the mechanical parts have miles on them already.

In general, it will take about two hours for you to replace an alternator on your own, though this could vary somewhat depending on your knowledge of car mechanics. If you take your car into a shop in order to have the alternator replaced, timing may vary somewhat, and you may have to leave the car for the day.

Some of the things to look for are no-starting and trouble starting, dimming lights and problems with stereo system output. If your car starts but stalls when you're underway, your battery is probably not being recharged due to a faulty alternator.

Your Alternator's Job

Additionally, your alternator also pumps in a little extra electrical power, so that each electrical system runs optimally. Without your alternator, your battery would drain in a few minutes and your car would stop. That means no starting, no running, no driving.

Is replacing an alternator a big job?

Replacing the alternator is usually a straightforward job, requiring very little mechanical experience and only common tools. On the difficulty scale, it's usually down there with changing your own oil or a serpentine belt; it's a great beginner maintenance task.

When replacing and alternator, other upgrades are worth doing too. Go ahead and change the serpentine belt, tensioner and idler roller when replacing an alternator on your car or truck.

Alternators can go bad suddenly, or slowly over time. If your alternator is slowly going bad over time there are some warning signs you can look out for.

Jumping another car with your engine running. The sudden surge of current when the jumped car is cranked can destroy the internal rectifiers inside your car's alternator.

If you're hearing a grinding sound in your car, this could indicate that the alternator is going bad. The grinding sound may be caused by a worn-out bearing. Your car can also make a whining sound when the voltage regulator is sending signals to the alternator to charge more than is necessary.

While you have to disconnect the battery from the engine, you do not have to replace the battery when replacing the alternator. Alternators typically have a lifespan between seven and ten years, while batteries last between three and four.

There are a few issues that could make the alternator go bad, such as jump-starting the car the wrong way or installing an accessory that overloads it. Leaking fluid in the alternator or a tight belt can also cause damage to the alternator bearings, causing premature wearing.

If you decide to go with dealership parts and labor, expect the bill to climb over $500 in many cases. Because the total cost depends on the vehicle, you can expect to pay anywhere between $350 - $900 for an alternator replacement.

Jumpstart your car. If you can turn the engine on, but it dies shortly thereafter, your car alternator likely isn't able to charge the battery. On the other hand, if you jumpstart the car and later on it fails to start on its own, it's likely a dead battery.

If the alternator begins to fail, the battery will no longer recharge while the engine is running. Here's how to tell if your alternator is bad. One of the most obvious signs is if the car dies after a jump start.

How long will a car run after the alternator goes out?

It entirely depends on the capacity of the car battery. If the battery does not have a full charge, the vehicle may run from 5 to 30 minutes. The runtime will increase in case of a fully charged battery.

Since the alternator is a vital part of the battery's power system, you're going to need a repair as soon as possible. You can usually drive 25 to 30 minutes as long as your vehicle's battery is fully charged.

The make and model of your vehicle will determine the exact time it takes to replace the alternator, but usually, one to two hours is sufficient.

If the alternator dies, the battery doesn't get a charged and rebuild its power storage from any drain it had to cover. When the car is running, the charging system (alternator, voltage regulator) should recharge the battery and provide sufficient electrical power to the vehicle. The battery serves as a backup.

There are only a few ways an alternator can go bad, but they tend to happen suddenly without a lot of warning. Here are the common symptoms: Undercharging – This is the most common problem, and can often be caught in the early stages.

Alternators have an impressive lifespan of seven years–or between 80,000 to 150,000 miles. But be careful that you are not wearing it out prematurely! Here are some common causes of early alternator failure: Alternator quality.

Most service stations can test an alternator, but they will charge you for the labor. Many auto parts stores will test alternators, starters and batteries for free, though you will have to remove the alternator to have it tested at an auto parts store.

Before heading to the repair shop, I stopped by AutoZone on my way home. In 5 minutes, they hooked up their equipment and tested the battery load. They advised the alternator was toast - confirmed that with the repair shop the next day. Short answer - Yes, they're accurate.

We will test your battery, starter, and alternator to make sure your vehicle is starting and charging for even the longest road trip. We can test your battery, starter, or alternator on or off the vehicle. This is a free service for all customers.

Alternators can go bad suddenly, or slowly over time. If your alternator is slowly going bad over time there are some warning signs you can look out for.

How can you tell if its the battery or alternator?

Jumpstart your car. If you can turn the engine on, but it dies shortly thereafter, your car alternator likely isn't able to charge the battery. On the other hand, if you jumpstart the car and later on it fails to start on its own, it's likely a dead battery.

A bad alternator will result in a discharged (dead) battery and cause a vehicle to not start or run. Alternators are designed to maintain a battery's charge, not to recharge a dead battery. Your alternator's job is to maintain a consistent charge on your battery. Draining your car's battery is not advised.

Rebuilt Will Cost Less

You could save up to about half on a rebuilt alternator. In this process the broken parts are replaced, hence the term rebuilt. You may get up to a 90-day warranty. Remanufactured alternators still offer some savings, around 25% generally, and are different than rebuilt ones.

Your local O'Reilly will test your alternator for free on or off your vehicle so you can know for sure whether or not that's the problem with your vehicle.

Most garages will do this absolutely for free and it just takes about five minutes.

One of the most common failures is bearing failure. The needle bearings that allow the rotor to spin freely inside the stator can break down from dirt and heat. When the bearings fail, the rotor will not spin efficiently and can eventually seize. Usually an alternator with bearings failure makes a loud grinding noise.

Low voltage may cause other sensors to throw codes as a result of a bad alternator.