A dead car battery can be a considerable inconvenience, but there are ways to dodge the problem. To avoid dealing with a drained car battery, you need to understand what causes it to begin with. Before you grab those jumper cables, check out these five common causes of a dead battery.
Scenario #1: You Leave Your Lights On
Similar to how you should always make sure the lights are off when you leave your home, you need to do the same for your car. Thankfully, most modern vehicles have headlights that turn off your headlights when you turn the vehicle off. However, if you have an older vehicle, your headlights may remain on until someone manually switches them off. Otherwise, it will stay on until it drains the battery.
Scenario #2 Your Connections Are Corroded
The terminals, the points where you apply the jumper cables, can sometimes get corrupted over time. If your terminals are weakened in any way, you will not be able to transmit the power necessary to start your car and run its electrical components. By regularly cleaning and testing your battery, you can avoid this problem altogether.
Scenario #3: Your Car Sits in Extremely Hot or Cold Temperatures
Both freezing and scorching temps may wreak havoc on your battery. The higher quality your battery is, the more likely it can resist these conditions. But if your battery is old, excess cold or hot could impair the battery's performance.
Scenario #4: Your Alternator Is Impaired
Even though your vehicle relies on your battery to start the engine, it needs the alternator to recharge itself when your car is running. Therefore, you need the alternator to do its job to start your vehicle!
Scenario #5: You Take Too Short of Drives
If you only ever take short-distance commutes, the alternator may not have enough time to recharge your battery between your trips. Too frequent shorter duration trips can lead to early aging of your car battery.
Ultimately, your battery can also die from old age. Just like any other car part, the battery needs a replacement at one point or another. If you are tired of relying on those jumper cables, please feel free to come by Accomplished Auto. Our accredited mechanics can test and replace your battery if needed. We can also check out your alternator. For any queries, give us a call at (603) 931-4142 or visit today!
