Six Signs it’s Time to Replace Your Car Battery
Unless you leave the headlights on or don’t shut your door all the way and the cabin light stays on, your car battery should give you a little bit of warning before it dies completely. This doesn’t always happen, but usually, any number of the following six things will occur to tell you there’s a problem. Bring your car, truck, or utility vehicle into Total Auto Care for a battery test at the first sign of trouble.
Slow-starting Engine
Many times, your engine will still try to start even though the battery is dying because the starter and alternator are just fine. You might hear your vehicle’s engine turn over a few times before it finally catches and runs. The more often this happens the quicker you’re on your way to a dead battery.
Dim Vehicle Lights
As with your household lamps, your vehicle lamps cannot run without electricity. As the battery slowly loses its ability to keep a charge, you will notice your vehicle lights going dim. The most noticeable are the headlights and dashboard light at night when you realize you cannot see as well as you normally do.
Visible Battery Problems
It’s a good idea to pop your hood regularly and inspect your battery. If the terminals are corroded or the case is cracked, bulging, or bubbling, you’ve got a dying battery. Any of these visual cues indicate the battery has problems on the inside, which happens naturally over time, especially after a cold winter.
Rotten Egg Smell
Another indicator of a dying battery is a rotten egg smell. This odor can also come from a dying catalytic converter. The rotten egg smell is actually sulfuric acid that could be leaking out of your battery. When you couple the smell with the case damage described above, you can bet it’s time for a new battery.
Old Battery
Pop your hood and look for a sticker on your battery that has two numbers on it, e.g. 10/17. This is the month and year your battery was manufactured. If the sticker indicates your battery was manufactured three years ago or more, your battery is likely dying. Three-to-four years is the average lifespan.
Battery Light
Finally, if your battery light comes on while you’re driving along, you’ve got something wrong with the battery, alternator, or somewhere in your vehicle’s electrical system. Reroute your drive to our shop. Electrical system trouble can cause fire, so it’s best to have it inspected as soon as you can.We are Total Auto Care, and we’re a full-service automotive shop in North Branch, MN. Contact us if you think your car battery is dying and for all of your automotive service needs.