Your car battery is one of the most crucial components of your car. The battery is responsible for sending power from the starter to the spark plugs. This ignites the vehicle’s fuel while providing power to your vehicle’s other systems. Your car battery provides power to the lights. Powers your radio so that you can listen to that awesome playlist you have curated, as well as provide power to the AC/Heater. There are ways that you can see if your car battery is getting low on power. The car may take longer to start than previously, or, you may notice that your lights are not as bright as they used to be. This could be due to the age of the car battery or it may be because of simple human error. Such as leaving the door ajar, or leaving the lights on (older models). Besides human error, we will look at 2 key problems that may be contributing to the lack of car battery power.

1. Short Drives

One of the most common problems that contribute to low power or charge in a car battery is driving habits. Many people use their cars to commute to work. They use their car to go to the store or to run additional errands. A lot of these drives are relatively short distance trips. Your car battery may wear out before its time if you continually use the vehicle for short trips. The battery uses the most power when starting the vehicle. The battery charges the vehicle’s alternator. Shutting the vehicle off before the battery has had a chance to charge the alternator will require more energy the next time the vehicle is started. This may lead to the car battery life being shortened over time.

2. Loose Cables or Corrosion

If the connections from the cables to the battery are corroded or loose the charging system will not work correctly. This can make your vehicle difficult to start. When corrosion develops along the terminal it interferes with the connection and the vehicle will have trouble starting. Battery corrosion is caused by gases being released from the sulfuric acid inside the battery. The gases react when exposed to the atmosphere, and moisture from the vehicle or ambient temperatures speed up this process. Most often you will see corrosion of the negative battery terminal. This is often a result of an undercharging of the car battery. Undercharging of the battery is due to the alternator not having enough time to recharge the battery (refer above to our section on short drives). Some of the tell-tell signs of these problems will be slow cranking, or rapid ticking when trying to start the vehicle.

What to do if your car battery keeps dying:

One of the most frustrating things is having a battery that won’t hold a charge. Diagnosing the problem by yourself can be tricky. If the battery is draining and the above-mentioned problems do not seem to be the cause, you will need assistance. Our qualified mechanics at G & G can help you diagnose if the problem is just as simple as an old battery or that your car’s electrical system may be the cause.

How to Avoid a Dead Car Battery