Your vehicle is composed of a number of different components. All of those components are needed to make everything run properly. Without them, you would end up being stuck on the side of the road. One of the main components your vehicle needs is a working alternator. Your alternator keeps everything working properly and provides your engine with the electricity it needs to keep going. Here are some of the common signs your alternator might be on its way out.

Your headlights are flickering or extremely dim.

Your headlights should be nice and bright. If they are dim or flickering, that often means something isn't right with your electrical system or your alternator is going bad. Your alternator needs a certain amount of power to be able to keep your headlights going. When it starts struggling to do its job, that often means it is worn and needs to be replaced.

Your car won't start.

Some individuals are under the impression that your vehicle only needs gas to get where it needs to go. However, your vehicle actually needs electricity to start up and go. Your alternator is what delivers the electricity your vehicle needs to get going and stay on the road. If your alternator starts going out, your vehicle is going to struggle to start. It won't be able to produce the amount of power needed for the spark plugs to jumpstart your engine. It could also be that your vehicle will end up stalling out when running. Ignoring the problem will end up leading to system failure.

You hear strange noises coming from the engine.

While vehicles do tend to make a lot of noises, you don't want to ignore a strange noise coming from under the hood. If the alternator starts to go out, it could end up causing the bearings to go out in the engine. When that happens, you will start to hear a weird rattling sound. If you hear the rattling and are experiencing the symptoms above, it might very well be a problem with your alternator.

Don't ignore the signs that something is going on with your vehicle. If you do, it will only end up leading to even more problems and more money having to be spent in repairs. Take your vehicle in and have it inspected by a mechanic, like the ones at G P Automotive, to see what the problem is and get it fixed.