Your car battery is one of the essential components of your vehicle. As the vehicle’s vital component responsible for igniting the spark plug to start the engine, it needs to be in good shape always.
A failing automotive battery can cause a lot of issues since it will lead to a car that won’t start and limit your mobility. Another bad thing about it is that there’s no way to warn you when your car battery is dying or about to die.
However, in this guide, you will have the opportunity to learn how to know if a car battery needs to be replaced. Giving you all the warning signs and red flags that will tell you your battery is about to die or dying.
These telltale signs will warn you that your car power cell is dying, letting you know that it has to be replaced. To avoid the frustrating situations of dealing with a car that won’t start due to a dead battery.
Learning about these warning signs will also allow you to know your car battery’s condition without waiting for an expert or mechanic to tell you about it.
Telltale Signs That An Automotive Battery Is Dying And Needs A Replacement
Letting you know that it’s time to look for a replacement battery. Being aware of these warning will also save you time and money when you to take the necessary actions to avoid facing dead car battery issues.
Warning Sign # 1 – Dimmer Headlights
One of the signs that your automotive battery is dying is when your headlights start to get dimmer. When a car’s headlights are dim one of the reasons behind this is that they are not getting enough power to be as bright as they should be. This happens when the vehicle’s battery has very low charge, and it can’t take charge anymore.
Warning Sign # 2 – When There’s A Clicking Sound Once the Key Is Turned
A sure indicator that you are about to lose your battery is when your car only produces a ticking noise every time you turn your key to attempt to start your engine. Trying to start your car again and again and all you hear is a ticking noise, that means your battery is about to die or dead. You can try to jumpstart your car just to get your engine running.
Warning Sign # 3 – Slower Engine Crank Or Struggling To Start the Engine
Another common sign of a dying car battery is a slower engine crank. This only means that the power cell is struggling to produce enough amount of power to ignite the spark plug and start the engine. If in case you start hearing your engine cranking on a slow phase It is recommended to get your battery checked up.
Warning Sign # 4 – If Your Car Won’t Start Without Giving It Gas
Another sign that will tell you that your car battery is fading or dying is when you can’t start your car without hitting the gas pedal. In a case like this, the battery can’t produce the power it needs to start the engine. It needed a boost by giving it gas to ignite the spark plug and start the engine which should not be the case.
Common Factors That Contributes To A Car Battery’s Death
Before we talk about the warning signs that will let you know that your automotive power cell is about to die and needs to be replaced. It’s better to learn about the common factors that contribute to the demise of a car battery.
By being aware of these factors, you will have an idea of what is good or bad for your power cell. Allowing you to extend battery life and get the most of out of your power cell.
Knowing these common factors will also help you properly maintain your car battery and keep it in top shape.
● Age of the Battery – Automotive power cells are products that won’t last forever. Proper maintenance and upkeep will only enable you to maximize the life expectancy of a car battery. Once it reaches its peak or its entire lifespan, the battery will eventually die, and the only option that you have is to replace it with a new one. A typical car battery lasts four to six years and if it starts to show the signs of failing, think about how long the battery has been. Maybe its too old and it already reached its maximum lifespan.
● Short Drives – Starting the vehicle’s engine is the heaviest task a car battery handles. Driving in short distances or quick travels forces your battery to work harder since it will attempt to start your engine several times. Having a driving routine like this will shorten the life of a car battery. Driving habits like this will make it difficult for your battery to be fully charged which will eventually lead to battery failure. Keep in mind that avoiding short drives will allow you to extend battery life.
● Irresponsible Usage – Overusing a car battery or leaving some of the car’s electronic components ON when the engine is not running will quickly drain the power cell. Using the vehicle’s air conditioning unit, radio and lights with the engine OFF will force the battery to provide the power for electronics. This will prevent the battery to recharged and drain its energy at a higher rate. A frequently discharged battery has a shorter life because it results in thinner and weaker battery panels that may trigger sulfation which will quicken the phase of deterioration.
● Poor Maintenance – A poorly-maintained automotive battery has a shorter battery life compared to a well-maintained battery. This doesn’t need a lot of explanation but taking well good care of a car battery will boost its lifespan. Enabling it to serve you for several years, helping you to reduce maintenance cost and save money.
Conclusion
In this guide, you learned a lot about car batteries. It provided a list of the common factors that contribute to the demise of a battery. And it also gave you the warning signs that will help you the ways to tell if your vehicle battery should be replaced. For more information like these, wait for our updates that will expand your awareness with regards to batteries.
