A battery is an essential component of every vehicle as it fires up all the electrics – your engine, the lights, the dashboard and your mobile phone, to name a few. In a nutshell, if you have a flat battery, you can’t drive.
There are so many situations when you will need your car to start right away. You are running late for an important meeting. You’re dropping the kids off at school. You’ve got to drive your spouse to a hospital for emergency treatment. The last thing you need at these times is a flat battery!
How often does a car need a new battery?
People frequently ask us how often a car battery should be changed. There is no one right answer as the time to replace your battery can vary. It depends on how and where your vehicle has been driven. Extremes of heat, cold and humidity can affect the life of a battery, as does the age of your car.
Most car batteries last three to four years if you live and drive in normal conditions. We recommend having the battery inspected twice a year when you get your car serviced. After three years, ask your mechanic for advice. If it is still good, there is no need to buy and install a new one.
How long does a new car battery last?
If you take your car out for long drives occasionally and can manage to keep the terminals clean, you may be able to prolong the life of your battery.
Some drivers have been able to extend the life of their batteries after six years, but every three to four is the usual timeframe.
9 signs on how to know if the car battery needs to be replaced
Your car won’t start.
Obviously, when your car won’t start and the lights and accessories won’t turn on, the battery is dead – time for a new one now!
Your engine starts slowly.
The components inside the battery will wear out over time, so they’re not as effective at charging. They take longer to fire up and the engine takes a few seconds longer to start. You may even hear a strange noise as you turn the key. These are sure signs that you will need to replace your old battery.
You have to jump start your car often.
The battery can go flat if you forget to turn off the car’s lights, when you don’t drive your vehicle for a lengthy period or if your starter motor has a problem. The quick solution is to jump start the car. However, with modern vehicles, even jump starting once can damage the onboard electrics.
Jump starting a car is hard on a battery. Frequently jump starting it can damage it and shorten its life. A damaged battery will need even more jump starting to work, which causes further damage, requiring more jump starting! And your alternator and starter may also be at risk if you keep having to do this.
If you need to jump start the battery more than three times a week, it will need replacing.
Your lights are dim.
Power is drawn from the battery to service all the electrics in your car. Your car’s inner and outer lights, the radio, the dashboard computer and mobile phone charging rely on the battery to operate. As the battery ages, there is less power available. Check how bright your lights are at night. If they’re dull, it is probably time to invest in a new battery.
Your dashboard light is on.
The dashboard is your vehicle control centre, and your car manual is your best friend. The manual shows you which light will warn you of a battery problem. Take note when the check engine light appears. The light warns you that your car needs to go to your mechanic as soon as possible.
You smell something unpleasant when you open the bonnet.
Batteries can leak gas if they are damaged or suffer an internal short. If you open the bonnet and are overwhelmed by the odour of rotten eggs (sulphur), the smell is a dead give-away that your car is leaking.
You must take it immediately to a licenced car repair and service centre. You will need a new battery at once.
Your battery is corroded.
If you see something ashy and white on the positive and negative terminals of the battery, you are looking at corrosion. The corroded metal of the terminals will lead to voltage problems, and you will find it hard to start your car.
To prevent further possible damage, take your car to a licenced car service and repair centre to get your terminals cleaned.
The battery case is out of shape.
Though battery cases are generally pretty solid in construction, extremes of heat and cold can cause the case to swell and crack. (Metal contracts in cold and ice and expands in heat.)
If your battery is not rectangular with straight sides, it probably isn’t functioning correctly and needs to be replaced.
You haven’t driven your car for a long time.
Are you going overseas? Are you away on an extended holiday? There are many reasons why we don’t drive our cars for a while. However, it’s not much fun coming home to a dead battery.
Even though batteries eventually need replacing, they recharge as you drive. So if the car is sitting in your garage idle, it will run down and become flat. If you know you will be away for a considerable time (several weeks at least), why not take your car to a family member, neighbour or friend and ask them to start the car and give it a run once a fortnight.
Otherwise, a dead battery means paying for a new one.
Conclusion:
It’s important to know when you need a Car battery replacement near Melbourne. Any car battery should last for three to four years if kept properly charged and driven with care. When you think that the battery may be on its way out, make an appointment with your local mechanic. Use these above tips to identify when your battery needs replacing. A trained professional can quickly test your specific battery, and they’ll also have plenty of options available if you need to replace it.
At BCS Workshop, we will be happy to take care of your battery needs for many cars like Kia, BMW, Audi, and Volkswagen. Call us today on (03) 9501 0011.
Digiwhiz