We’ve all been there: You hop in the car and go to crank it up, and … nothing. The battery is dead. It’s a frustrating moment, for sure. Now you have to decide whether your battery can be jumped, or if you need to bite the bullet and replace it. At the end of the day, whichever option you choose, your vehicle needs to run the way it’s supposed to. Let’s look at a few reasons why your car battery may have died.
Down the Drain
Maybe you left the headlights on. Maybe the door didn’t get closed all the way and your dome light stayed on all night long. Car batteries have a limited capacity to run your headlights, dome lights, radio, or other accessories when the engine is shut off. That means that these functions drain power from your battery while the engine isn’t in use. If your battery is already weak, a drain like this can kill it in the span of time it takes to run even a short errand. But if you haven’t left any of those major systems on and you’re still experiencing battery issues, consider checking for a parasitic drain. These drains, like lights in the glove box or trunk that remain lit when they shouldn’t, can sap your battery.
Keep It Clean
Battery corrosion can also be a factor when it comes to performance. Corroded battery connections can prevent your vehicle’s charging system from topping off the levels in your battery when you’re driving. While corrosion can be cleaned off of the battery posts, it can cause big problems if left unchecked. One of those problems could be as simple as a loose connection because of the corrosion. If you think corrosion might be a problem for your vehicle, come see us at O’Daniel Honda. Our trained technicians will diagnose your vehicle’s battery problem and fix the issue.
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Finding the Issue
Whether it’s a parasitic drain, corrosion, or even a charging system problem, come by and see us at O’Daniel Honda, and let’s see how we can help.
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