The relevance of the problem of automotive alternator diagnosis is associated with the imperfection of existing methods due to their significant complexity and lack of information. In order the accelerate the process of electrical failures diagnosis, the article considers their physical modelling method, the advantages of which are significant acceleration of the experiment, the possibility of modelling several failures, as well as the establishment of a clear boundary between the serviceable and non-serviceable states of the alternator. Adequately simulating the processes occurring in the alternator, physical modelling is implemented by means of serial or parallel connection to the alternator elements of adjustable active resistance. Experimental data show that the most informative and sensitive to the process of failures development is the temperature increase which can serve as the basis for on-board monitoring system aimed at determining the technical condition of an automotive alternator.