Can You Drive With a Bad Alternator?

The short answer is yes, you can drive with a bad alternator. A bad alternator will not prevent you from starting your vehicle or driving it, but it will cause your engine to run poorly and possibly overheat.

If you have a bad alternator, the first thing you’ll notice is that it takes longer than usual for your car to start.

If you’re planning on going somewhere in the next few days, this might not be an issue! However, if you’re planning on driving long distances or waiting until later in the day to begin your trip, this could present problems.

When a car has a bad alternator, it has trouble creating electricity. This means that if you leave your headlights on while starting up your car, they may not turn off right away (or at all).

In addition to causing potential damage to your vehicle’s electrical system, leaving lights on also puts unnecessary strain on its battery—which can cause it to die prematurely as well.

You may also notice that the engine runs more slowly than normal when driving with a bad alternator; this is because there isn’t enough power being generated by the alternator itself and therefore not enough power going into the rest of your vehicle’s electrical systems.

How Long Can You Drive With A Bad Alternator?

The average distance you can drive with a bad alternator is about 30 miles, but that’s assuming your car is running at an idle. The higher the speed of your vehicle, the less distance it’s going to be able to travel with a bad alternator.

The average alternator lasts about 100,000 miles, but when it goes out, it can mean big trouble for your vehicle.

A bad alternator prevents you from starting the car, which means that if you’re stuck on the side of the road, you’ll have to get a tow truck to come help you out.

But what if your car won’t start and there’s no one around to help? In cases like these, it’s possible to drive with a bad alternator for a short period of time by using other power sources to get going again.

One way to do this is by using jumper cables from another car. The other car will need to be running in order for this method to work properly because it relies on their battery power as well as their charging system.

How to Drive With a Bad Alternator?

First, understand that driving with a bad alternator isn’t safe. It can cause problems with other parts of your vehicle, and it makes it difficult for you to know whether any problems are related to the alternator or something else.

If you have any doubts about whether or not it’s safe for you to drive with a bad alternator, don’t do it!

If you decide that you need to drive anyway, here are some things to keep in mind:

  1. Do not accelerate quickly when turning corners; this puts extra stress on the battery and can lead it to drain faster than normal.
  2. Avoid driving at high speeds; this also puts more strain on your battery and could make it drain faster than normal.
  3. Avoid driving in cold weather (below 20 degrees Fahrenheit); the colder temperatures will cause more strain on the battery because of its inability to store as much power as it would in warmer temperatures.
  4. Turn of all auxiliary systems (heater, air conditioner, radio) while driving and attempt to drive at a slow speed whenever possible.
Steven Hatman
Steven Hatman

We break down every information into easy-to-understand articles that cover all the categories anyone who owns a car needs to know about, such as oil , brakes , tires and etc. Our car guide is free and updated regularly for you to use as a resource, not only when you have an issue with your car but even before buying a new or used car! We also give tips on what to look for in each category or part of your vehicle.