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Checking The Alternator on a Chrysler PT Cruiser

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This is a simple 5 minute check to see if your alternator is charging your battery. Checking the voltage output of your alternator can help you diagnose charging problems if your battery is dead even after normal use.

Required Tools
Diagnose

Setup Multimeter

1

Turn on your multimeter. You want to use a DC setting that is one above your battery's output. For a 12V battery you would want to use the DC 20 or DC 50 setting (depending on your multimeter)

Image 630 from Checking the Alternator on a Chrysler PT Cruiser

Check Alternator

2

Connect the positive probe of your multimeter to the positive side of your battery.

3

Connect the negative probe of the multimeter to the negative side of your battery.

4

Your multimeter needle or display should change to show the output of the battery. The above photo shows that it is at 12v (middle line, just past the 10).

5

Turn on your vehicle.

6

Check your multimeter!

Image 633 from Checking the Alternator on a Chrysler PT Cruiser
7

If your alternator is working the needle or display should be above 12v. On the above picture the needle is hovering around 14v.

8

If your alternator is not working the needle or display would not be any higher or would be lowering as the battery is being drained.

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