You should get about three-to-four years out of your car, truck, or SUV’s battery. They can last longer, but sometimes they’ll give you a sign that they need to be replaced even though you can still start your vehicle. Inspect your battery regularly for signs your battery is dying. Also, pay attention to the symptoms below. If you notice something wrong, replacing the battery right away will avoid you getting stuck somewhere.
Warning Lights
You may have a battery light illuminate on your vehicle’s dashboard or the check engine light might come on. This can mean there’s a problem with the battery or the vehicle’s electrical system. You may also notice that your dashboard lights seem dim, as well as your headlights and dome light. If this is the case, then, yes, you have a dying battery or alternator, but most likely it’s the battery.
Battery’s Age
If you pop the hood and look at the battery, you’ll see a sticker on it with two numbers. The first number is the month and the second number is the year. This is when your battery was manufactured, so let’s say you see a sticker that says “05/20.” This means your battery was manufactured in May of 2020 and has plenty of life left in it. If it was manufactured a few years ago, it’s past its prime.
Slow or No Start
You know if you can’t start your vehicle it’s usually the battery. You might get it to crank and even see the dashboard lights turn on, but you can’t get it to catch and fire up. This is because the battery powers the vehicle’s starter and if it doesn’t have enough power itself, it can’t power the starter. If you hear clicking, it could be the starter and not the battery, so have both tested before you replace the battery.
Bulging or Corroded Battery
This sign is not good. You should never see your battery case bulging nor do you want corrosion from leaking or evaporating battery acid. If you live in an area where you see super cold winters and searing summers, your battery case is more likely to bulge. Corrosion can happen in any type of weather and is an indicator that the battery is old, leaking, and needs to be replaced.
Don’t take chances. You don’t want to get stuck somewhere unable to start your car, truck, or SUV, nor do you want to have your battery leaking acid. We can test your battery and replace it. If you are having battery issues, call CAR FIX in Oak Ridge, TN, today to schedule an appointment.
