Auto Electrical Repair
Davis Auto repair provides auto electrical repair in maintenance services to give you the peace of mind that comes with having a reliable vehicle.
Car won’t start? Dead battery? Misfiring starter or alternator? Perhaps your dashboard lights don’t light up like they used to, or your vehicle’s headlights become dim at low speeds. If this describes your vehicle or you hear grinding, clicking, or no sound, give us a call!
Our electrical repair and maintenance services include: alternators, battery installation, battery recycling, battery replacement, battery testing, starters, battery charging.
Batteries
Batteries provide energy to power the ignition system, starter, and lights. Whether a battery should be repaired or replaced depends on the level of degradation. If your battery isn’t receiving a charge, the alternator could be the culprit and need to be replaced. We can test your battery and replace it, if needed, to get you up and running – and back to your life – as soon as possible.
Starters
A starter is a motor that rotates the combustion engine to initiate the engine. A bad starter causes electrical problems because alternators fail more often under high electrical demands on charging systems. A failing starter might crank the engine too slowly, or not at all.
If your car doesn’t start on the first try, the problem might be the starter relay. Too much heat and dirt damages the starter relay so that it can’t send power to the starter.
Some indicators and culprits:
Computer technology + your auto electrical system
Wires, sensors, and computers work in tandem to make your car work. New complex computer systems in vehicles interact with sensors, brakes, steering, etc. A software bug could be the culprit, causing miscommunication between parts of your vehicle.
While more complicated, fortunately these systems are more reliable and easier to diagnose.
A clicking noise
A clicking noise when you turn on your engine indicates your car’s electrical parts might be going bad. It could be a discharged or failing battery.
Grinding
Grinding could indicate a failing starter or bad flywheel ring gear.
A failing ignition switch
The ignition switch starts up the vehicle’s electrical system. If it fails, your vehicle won’t start and your battery will drain.
A blown fuse
Fuses protect electrical circuits. A blown fuse means one an electrical device in your car or the wiring is carrying too much current. An underlying problem needs attention.
Extend the life of your electrical system
Your battery life is affected by extreme temperatures and trip length. Short trips don’t allow your car’s battery to fully recharge, shortening its life. Extreme temperatures affect the alternator and electrical equipment.
Our tips:
- Avoid extreme weather conditions (We realize that can be quite a task in Michigan!)
- Plan longer trips every once in a while (Road trip, anyone?)
- Once a month clean off your battery and its connections. Make sure vents are not clogged.
- Shut off anything in your car you don’t need that drains the battery.
- When jumping your car, use a car that is shut off and of the same or lower voltage than yours.
Preventing battery failure
The average car battery lasts three to six years. Replace your battery after four years to avoid a car that won’t start at an inconvenient time.