The alternator keeps the charge going into the battery so that the power can continue to cycle throughout the vehicle.

The alternator spins inside the car with the help of an alternator belt, which wraps around a pulley that is connected to the alternator.

The crankshaft and alternator are able to rotate together by the alternator pulley and if you didn’t have this pulley, then the alternator would not be able to do its job

Gradually, the alternator belt becomes susceptible to wear and tear damage or it may even come loose from the pulley.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of a loose alternator belt, which needs to be replaced.

Battery warning light

One of the first symptoms that you should notice is the battery warning light coming on as this light does not always mean there is a problem with the battery itself.

It could just mean there is an electrical problem in the vehicle which is impacting the battery and that may be the loose alternator belt.

Notice flickering lights

When you are driving your car and suddenly notice the lights flickering or dimming inside the cabin, this could mean you either have battery issues or alternator issues.

If it’s a problem with the alternator belt, the flickering or dimming lights may stay consistent for quite some time before the electrical power goes out entirely.

The car starts to stall

If your alternator belt gets loose as you’re driving, it will cause your engine to stall and you’ll lose acceleration power and will be forced to pull over onto the side of the road.

If this symptom is consistent with the flickering lights issue, then a loose alternator belt is more likely the cause.

Get your battery dead

When the alternator can no longer fully charge the battery because of a loose alternator belt, the battery will then try to provide all the power to the vehicle on its own.

Unfortunately, the battery will die within minutes because it doesn’t have enough power to sustain all the vehicle’s energy needs by itself

Unable to start the car

The alternator gives the battery the charge it needs to power the spark plugs so that they can ignite the air and fuel mixture in the combustion chamber of the engine.

If you have a loose alternator belt, then the alternator won’t be able to start this ignition process for the car and your engine won’t start.