Hello, my name is David. Welcome to my blog. There is nothing I like more than hitting the open road and going for a drive in my car. I have always loved everything to do with automobiles. When I was a boy, I had a collection of 208 different toy cars which I would play with all day long. As soon as I was old enough, I began taking driving lessons and the day I passed was the best day of my life. Although I am not a mechanic, my dad taught me lots of neat tricks so I can keep my car in top condition. I hope you enjoy my blog.
When your car won't start or you notice that many of its electrical components seem to be drained and run slowly, it may be time for a new car battery. However, in some cases you may not be taking care of the battery properly and are allowing it to drain more quickly than it should, or it may be something else under the hood that is causing the problem. Note a few quick troubleshooting tips for your car and its battery so you know where to begin addressing the problem.
1. Heat
Many car owners know that extreme cold can drain a battery, but so can extreme heat. Batteries have liquids and chemicals inside that can dissipate in extreme heat, so the battery itself gets worn down. If it's the middle of summer and your car is parked in direct sunlight, this could be the culprit. Shade your car as much as possible during summertime and avoid overloading it by blowing the air conditioner at full blast while running other electrical devices, including your GPS, headlights, and the like.
2. Fading lights
If you notice that the dashboard lights and cabin overhead lights come on when you first start the car, but then they fade slowly as the car runs, this is usually a problem with the alternator. The alternator charges the battery as it's in use, so the fading lights indicate that the battery is slowly being drained and not recharged. To test if it's the alternator that is acting up, turn on the car. Next, unplug the positive connection to the battery. If the car stops running, chances are it's the alternator that is defective and needs replacing, as it's not charging the battery when it needs power to keep your car's components running.
3. Corrosion
Corrosion around the connections of the battery often mean that the battery itself is leaking. When battery acid drips out, it causes corrosion, which can get in the way of the battery connectors so that your car's electrical components are not getting full power. You can clean off this corrosion and note if this helps the battery to run again at full power. However, you should also note what is causing the leak and consider having the battery repaired or even replaced, especially if you notice the corrosion just keeps returning. When thebattery is so damaged that is keeps corroding the connections, it likely needs to be replaced.
Share12 May 2016
