Your car’s battery is an extremely important component. If it unexpectedly dies while out on a trip, it could force you to pay for a tow or wait it out in the wilderness. Check out the following signs to see if your battery is on its last legs, or so you know what to look out for in the future. We’ll also cover the ways to keep your battery in good shape, ensuring that it lasts its full life span of five to six years. If you’ve noticed any of these warning signs or any of these battery-weakening things apply to you, you might need to get yours replaced soon.
Obvious Issues
If you have trouble cranking the engine or have a check engine light, that could point to issues with the battery. To be absolutely certain, however, pop the hood and check it out. Most batteries have translucent sections where you can see the fluid levels, along with the minimum amount needed for it to run properly. Other clear issues are any cracks, swelling, or bloating on the case. Be sure to wipe off any corrosion on the terminals as well, since this is caused be leaking and also interferes with the ignition.
Irregular Driving
It takes several hours of continuous driving for your car’s alternator to fully charge the average battery. This means that making frequent short trips puts more stress on the charge. What also doesn’t help is keeping your car sitting around and not turning it on for weeks. All the parts in your car need to get up and go for several hours every so often, so consider finding a way to drive longer once a week. For instance, you could pack all of your weekly shopping and errands into a single day.
Don’t Overload
Since your battery supplies electricity to every electrical part of your vehicle, it’s no surprise that asking too much of it will lower its lifespan. Try not to have too many plugged-in devices charging with the battery’s power at once. Never leave things plugged in your car’s ports, even if they’re not connected to anything. Doing this once or twice could just drain the current charge, but keeping things plugged in that you aren’t using only wastes energy and hampers the battery’s long-term efficiency.
Find Shelter
The colder parts of the year are particularly threatening to a battery’s health, but a malfunctioning battery could die out in any season. The spring and summer pose their own threats, because the temperature under the hood will be higher than the temperature outside. Extreme heat can cause the fluids inside the battery to evaporate, reducing its effectiveness. If at all possible, park your vehicle in a garage or other shaded area, away from the worst of the heat or cold.
Keep these warning signs and harmful factors in mind, and you’ll have more peace of mind every time you’re about to turn the ignition. Also, if your battery or other components are behaving strangely or need professional work, feel free to contact our parts and service department. We’re happy to answer questions and schedule an appointment that works for you.
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