Before your car battery decides to go all the way for broke, it will give telltale signs that its time is coming to a close. Learn five critical signs to know when you should replace your car battery before you’re stuck on the side of the road.
Car Is Slow To Start
If you notice our car is slow to start or has to turn it over a few times before going, you might have a battery problem. A weak alternator and spent spark plugs are common culprits of a bad turnover. If the battery reads okay, you likely have another issue hindering your vehicle’s performance. Taking your car to a nearby trusted auto part store or auto body shop to learn where is the battery in a 2005 chevy equinox and more will help you clarify your concerns.
Headlights Are Dimming
Sometimes a low battery is difficult to notice. After all, if your car is running with you inside it, you might not see sure signs like dimming headlights. Dimming headlights are a key indicator that your battery is losing its juice, but there are few opportunities to see unless you’re traveling in a caravan or get pulled over (yikes!).
Luckily, or unluckily, when your headlights dim, your dashboard and interior lights often dim. If you suspect that your interior lights are darker than usual, put on your high beams and step outside your car in a safe place like your driveway or a parking lot to see if your lights look bright or not quite right.
Sulfur or Bad Egg Odors Are Emanating
It’s never a good sign when your car smells foul or smokes. In this case, it could be a little of both. When your battery is over or underused and doesn’t ever get a complete charge cycle, the fluids inside the battery can separate. When the liquids separate, and depending on how you drive your car, there may be some corrosion on the exterior of your battery or battery casing. Parts of these fluids are sulfuric acid. The sulfuric part of the compound smells like sulfur or eggs that have gone bad.
Evidence of Corrosion Is Showing
Corrosion often looks like white, crusty build-up on the battery terminal and plates. If you have a battery cover, it may look like a dirty, grimy build-up or have a green tinge to the particles.
Corrosive materials are incredibly harmful with protective gear and especially so without it. If any of the corrosive material leaks onto other parts of your car, it could also cause it to smoke or damage other components. When you take a peek under the hood and notice a corroded battery, it is unquestionably time to let a professional change and figure out how to dispose of car batteries.
Age Is Over Five Years
The original battery in your car should have been sold within six months of manufacturing. In some cases, batteries last much longer than the average five years before needing replacement.
If you start to notice one or more of these signs and your battery is more than five years of age, take your car to a trusted auto parts store to check the charge on your battery for best results.
