The alternator is what your car battery depends on to stay charged. With all the electrical components which exist in vehicles these days, you would never be able to supply energy to all of them with just the battery power alone.<\/p>\n
The alternator is what keeps the battery charged so that it can deliver the necessary energy to these components. So, what happens when you have a bad alternator<\/a>? Can you still jumpstart your vehicle?<\/p>\n When you have a faulty alternator, there is no doubt that you will need to have it replaced as soon as possible. In the meantime, a non-working alternator has probably left you stranded somewhere because your car no longer starts.<\/p>\n Related: 5 Causes of an Alternator Not Charging<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n However, for some vehicles, it’s possible to jumpstart it with a bad alternator so that you can get it back on the road and drive it to a nearby auto repair shop. However, if you have a blown alternator fuse or fusible link<\/a>, jumpstarting won’t be successful.<\/p>\n The vehicle only needs enough electricity to power critical components like its onboard computer (engine control unit<\/a>), fuel pump, and fuel injectors among other things. If you can generate this much electricity, then it will be enough power to drive the vehicle to a mechanic to get the alternator replaced.<\/p>\n See Also: Causes of a Car That Shuts Off While Driving<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n