Signs of Bad Car Battery That Everyone Should Know

With several driver assistance and safety features, modern-day vehicles are complicated machines. Everything from airbags and seat warmers to interior lighting and air-conditioners needs a source of power to function seamlessly. Your car's battery is their source of energy, i.e., car batteries power up almost all the electrical systems of your vehicle.

Even after being high-quality, car batteries tend to die after a continual usage of 3 to 5 years. Even though many drivers know this, they do not understand precisely the first signs of car battery death and ignore the vital signs of battery weakening. As a result, they risk getting stranded in the middle of nowhere with a car that won’t start.

Checking your car battery regularly is the key to avoiding such situations. Here are some of the vital signs of automotive battery death that no car owner should ignore -

Flickering or Dim Headlights

Car batteries power up your car’s headlights. When the battery turns weak or starts ageing, the amount of power it supplies to the headlights decreases. As a result, you may notice the constant flickering of the headlights while revving up the engine or even while the vehicle is parked. Sometimes, their brightness also decreases visibly. Flickering or dim headlights are a sure sign that your car battery is dying.

Clicking Sounds While Starting the Car

While you turn on the key for ignition, the battery sends a powerful electrical signal to the starter solenoid of your car. The solenoid later transmits this signal to your car’s engine prompting it to turn on. A weak car battery cannot supply the necessary amount of electrical power to the starter solenoid while you try to turn on the engine. Due to the lack of this required signal, the solenoid emits clicking sounds that can be heard easily. Such clicking sounds indicate that your car battery’s health is declining.

Sluggish Engine

Having a little difficulty while starting your car’s engine is not a red flag. Most cars take a while to start  after being parked for more extended periods or in cold climatic conditions. The cranking sounds engines make while starting gets prolonged as an automotive battery weakens. A slow cranking engine is often one of the first signs of a drained battery.

Backfiring

Due to a weak automotive battery, intermittent sparks are produced in the fuel cylinder which results in the accumulation of fuel. When you turn on the ignition, this accumulated fuel ignites suddenly, creating intense backfiring. However, backfiring is not always the result of a weak car battery and might happen due to a fault in the fuel system.

Natural Ageing

Automotive batteries do not last longer than three to five years. After this period, the electrolyte contained in the battery either weakens or evaporates, thereby affecting its functionality. Hence, one of the reasons for your battery declining could simply be natural ageing indicating that it's time to get a new car battery.

Frequent Jumpstarts

Almost all car owners are familiar with the concept of jumpstarting their cars. After a car has been parked for long hours, it might require a jumpstart to turn on. This also happens for vehicles that are driven continuously in cold climatic conditions. A few jumpstarts are not alarming. However, if your car requires daily or even bi-weekly jumpstarts, it is a good idea to have your car battery checked by an expert.

Corrosion

Regardless of the quality of your automotive battery, corrosion is inevitable. It is also one of the earliest indicators of battery death. To check whether your car battery is corroded or not, pop open the hood of your car and observe the terminals of your automotive battery. If you find white or bluish powdery deposits on the connecting terminals, get your car battery checked and replaced immediately. Sometimes, you might also see a hardened greenish-blue coating or a transparent film of corrosion on the battery case.

Bad Odour

Sulphur is used heavily in the construction of all automotive batteries. It is an essential component of the battery electrolyte. As a car battery weakens, it is typical of the electrolyte to leak or evaporate. When this happens, the leaked sulphur produces the smell of rotten eggs, which is prevalent whenever you open the hood of your car. Mixed with the smell of the fuel or other liquids, it might also smell fishy. This fishy odour is indicative of battery corrosion. Under such circumstances, get your car battery change service without delay.

Visible Damage

As an automotive battery weakens, it gets charged and discharged rapidly. This causes moderate fluctuations in its temperature. After a while, these temperature fluctuations lead to battery swelling. Sometimes, you can also observe scratches or cuts on your battery case if it has been tampered with. Essentially, any damage to the case of your battery is an immediate sign of battery death.

Whenever you observe any of the signs mentioned above, do not hesitate to head to an expert to get your car battery checked and replaced. At AIS Windshield Experts, we promise you an entirely seamless battery installation and replacement process. Our experts choose only the highest quality batteries from reputed cars battery manufacturers such as Amaron and Exide. While replacing your existing car battery, we take the utmost care to observe safety standards and correct procedures. Head to your nearest AIS Windshield Experts service centre or call us to avail of a hassle-free doorstep battery replacement service. Get in touch today!