Does My Car Battery Need to be Replaced?
Of all the motoring mysteries, questions surrounding our car batteries can often be the most perplexing. This is in part due to the fact that many of us pay little attention to them. However, as the complexity of our on-board systems increases with each passing year, so does the stress on our batteries.
With all this added stress, then, one particular question is becoming more prevalent: does my car battery need to be replaced? To help you navigate this question, the team at Wyatt Auto Services are on hand to offer some pearls of wisdom.
How old is your battery?
Although this is a fairly obvious question to ask yourself, how the answer should affect your decision is not so clear. Firstly, despite the fact that car batteries can last for five years when properly maintained, the likelihood is that most batteries will last for around three years of everyday use in normal conditions. With this in mind, perhaps it’s better not to be too optimistic!
How new is your car?
As mentioned previously, the newer your car, the more strain your battery will be under given all the new technology that it’s got to accommodate. Consequently, if you’ve got more gadgets in your car than an Apple shop, your battery may well be in need of replacing.
Is your engine crank slow?
One telltale sign that your battery is on its way out is the speed of your engine crank. That is, if when you attempt to start your vehicle and the cranking of engine is sluggish, there’s a chance it might be time for a new battery.
Check your engine light
A simple tip but nonetheless useful: check your engine light. If your car battery is weak, sometimes your vehicle will respond with a warning light on the dashboard. If so, especially if this is combined with a slow engine crank, your battery could well be on the fritz.
A swollen battery case
If your battery case has expanded considerably, this is a bad sign. Normally a response to intense heat, a swollen case could well decrease the life of your battery dramatically, leading to the need for a replacement.
Not if you look after it!
There’s nothing worse than waking up to a dead battery and, ideally, you want to spot these telltale signs before this actually occurs. However, there are little things you can do to prevent this happening for a little while longer. Namely, turning off all interior and exterior lights before leaving your vehicle, unplugging all of your power adaptors and buying a thermal battery cover to protect it against the elements.
Are you experiencing problems with your car battery? Our skilful mechanics are fully equipped with the latest technology and equipment in order to carry out a thorough and detailed car servicing. What’s more, our team strive to provide excellent customer service, tailoring everything we do to your specific requirements at an affordable price. For more information on all our maintenance and repair services, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our friendly team today.