Diagnostic Aids
WARNING: This page is about a different car, the 2009 Saturn Vue. However, it is still accessible from the selected car via links, so may be relevant.
Noise from a generator may be due to electrical or mechanical noise. Electrical noise or magnetic whine usually varies with the electrical load placed on the generator and is a normal operating characteristic of all generators. When diagnosing a noisy generator, it is important to remember that loose or misaligned components around the generator may transmit the noise into the passenger compartment and that replacing the generator may not solve the problem.