Your car battery is essentially the heart of your vehicle. Recognizing a failing battery in time can keep your engine running smoothly.
Otherwise, the car wouldn’t start the next morning, getting you late from your appointment. So, there are certain checks you have to perform regularly to know if something is wrong with the battery.
Now the question is, how to identify a failing battery? What factors lead to a dying battery? Here’s a complete guide to know if your car needs a new battery.
When you turn the key or press the button to ignite the engine, the battery jolts the sleeping engine back to life.
Mostly, car batteries are based on lead-acid reactions that help with the SLI (starting, lighting, and ignition). With the ignition, a signal is sent to the battery for a chemical reaction within the black box. This changes into electrical energy that gets the engine cranking.
When there is something wrong with your battery, lights can flicker or the engine wouldn’t get the necessary electrical energy to start.
The engine cranks, but the car doesn’t start. When the battery is near dying, the engine wouldn’t crank and the lights wouldn’t turn on.
If the engine doesn’t crank about 3 to 4 times a week, you really need to get it checked.
Remember if you leave the lights on or power adapter plugged in overnight, the battery might have already been drained.
If you are required to put extra energy to start your car, it’s a sign that its life is about to end. Mostly, people don’t notice it because it can happen only as frequently as thrice a week.
However, in cold mornings, it’s normal for the vehicle to hold back and start with a little difficulty. But otherwise, it shouldn’t be ignored.
Another reason for cold cranks difficulty is having the wrong battery installed into your car. So, after getting a new battery, this trouble shouldn’t be happening.
Even the efficiency of a new battery can suffer if it is jumped over 3 to 4 times a week. Jump box or cables are brutal for your battery is being brought to life by ‘shocking’ it.
Many times, unprofessional mechanics and drivers consider the battery to be new and shock it back to life. This practice only makes the matter worse by harming the battery capacity.
So, if jumping the battery often is an issue, get your car a new battery for once.
Automotive repair shops test the battery capacity in CCA or Cold Cranking Amps using a specialised tester. It shows the battery CCA rating and the measured CCA. This can indicate in time whether your battery needs to be replaced or recharged.
If you’re a Honda vehicle owner residing in Penang, get your battery capacity checked by the professional mechanics at the Honda Service Center in Juru.
If the battery casing swells due to excessive heat, the battery life is affected. At times, battery leakage can corrode the electrodes and it needs to be cleaned to start the engine.
The average car battery life is about 3 years, so beyond that, it can die anytime.
*read more about How Often Should You Change Your Engine Oil
In spite of the fact that lead-acid batteries are reliable, shorter trips and extreme temperatures can shorten the life expectancy of a battery. Keep monitoring the battery fluid levels and engine light regularly.
Sometimes, when the battery power is down, the engine light turns on. The car battery should have a fluid level above the lead plates. If it drops below it, get the battery or its charging system checked.
In addition, sending your Honda vehicle for regular Honda Service Maintenance is a good investment to keep your vehicle running smoothly for longer with a complete, professional inspection. For more information, contact us and book an appointment.
