Alternator

Sometimes a dead battery can be fixed with a charge. Sometimes the battery is dead. But sometimes the battery is fine, it just isn’t being charged. This is one of the best indicators that your car has a bad alternator. That’s because your car’s battery gets its charge from the alternator. As a result, it can sometimes be difficult to diagnose a problem that may involve the battery or the alternator. Luckily, store associates at a store near you can test your battery and alternator to make sure you get the parts you need to do the job right.

AutoZone carries an array of 100% new and remanufactured alternators that are built to deliver the amp output needed to power your vehicle. They’re built to last too. Our Duralast Gold alternators meet or exceed OE performance and come with a limited lifetime warranty, so you can know that your battery can get the charge it needs.

We make finding the right parts easy. Get a Ford Focus alternator by entering your Focus’s year, make, model, and engine up above. It works the same way no matter what you drive. Just enter your vehicle’s info, and we’ll find the part that fits your make and model perfectly.

Two key alternator components are the rotor and the stator. The rotor features magnetized finger poles that rotate surrounding the wire field winding. Each finger pole is a different length to produce alternating north and south poles for the winding. The stator is just enough larger that the rotor can spin without touching the stator walls. The spinning magnetized poles generate current in the winding, and this current provides the power that charges your battery.

Since being introduced to production cars with the 1960 Plymouth Valiant, the alternator has become one of the most important auto parts in modern cars. Without an alternator, your vehicle has no way to charge the battery. The alternator, driven by the crankshaft, generates AC power through electromagnetism. Electricity is channeled into the battery where it can provide the current needed to start the vehicle, or to run electronics like headlights or the radio. The alternator outputs between 13.5 and 14.8 volts to keep the battery 100% charged.

In addition to starting trouble, a worn alternator can impair the overall driving experience. Without enough current from the alternator, the battery can die even while you are driving. Signs of a bad alternator include dim or flickering headlights or interior dash lights, the check engine light, a dead battery, or other electrical issues. The engine can even stall while driving. If you’re experiencing any of these issues, you can open the hood to visually inspect the alternator for common problems or bring it in to AutoZone for testing.

You can’t get dependable performance from a worn-out alternator. AutoZone’s high-output performance alternators give your car’s electrical systems the current they need for a reliable ride down the road ahead. Get free next day shipping or pick up your parts in your local AutoZone today.