Your car's engine could be the foundation of all its functions, but the battery serves as the spine of it. Without a properly functioning battery, we can't even start a car. In the modern age, when the automotive industry is experiencing a drastic evolvement in terms of increasing production of electric vehicles, the importance of the batteries has increased further. But when it comes to conventional manual or automatic vehicles, the importance of the batteries is not any less.
Background
Like any other component of your car, your battery should also be inspected in a timely manner. A single battery won't last throughout the lifespan of a vehicle. With increasing usage, the efficiency of the battery will slowly decrease. However, with proper maintenance, it can serve you as long as it can. But, if your car's battery is not inspected from time to time, you may experience harsh battery problems to a point that you may have to get it replaced.
Nevertheless, many find it tricky to understand when they should get their cars' batteries repaired or replaced. To know that, one needs to be aware of the way car batteries work and how a battery's life gets reduced over time. Every device that is powered by a battery should be used as much as possible to attain its optimal efficacy. But as you use your car more, your battery usage increases, and that slowly reduces the overall lifespan, which is normal. So, how would you know exactly when to replace your car’s battery?
Well, your car can give you visual signs, along with many other intangible signs that come with driving experience. So, if you're someone who wants to understand these signs that can help you better identify battery issues and even when it should be replaced, this blog article will help you with that.
Knowing a Car Battery’s Lifespan
The first factor that you, as a driver and car owner, must know before knowing when your car's battery needs to be changed is understanding the general lifecycle of a battery. Well, you must know that a car's battery life is not the same as the car's overall lifespan. In general, what every battery manufacturer tells and what is majorly experienced by car owners is a 3-5 year battery life. However, this lifespan is dependent on distinct aspects. The driving nature, the atmosphere of the surroundings, and the frequency of the car's usage are all crucial functions that decide the actual lifetime of a vehicle's battery. In sub-tropical areas, due to warm weather conditions, a car’s battery life could be less than what can be seen in a car that runs in a place where cold weather is persistent.
However, there have to be some exceptions for every manufactured product. So, unless you’re someone unlucky, keep looking for signs that we will explore here to know when exactly you should get your car’s battery replaced.
Sluggish Crank of the Engine
When you put the car key in the ignition and turn it or push the start switch, the engine rapidly cranks up, and you have the car in a starting condition. Well, this is the case when your battery is in fine condition. But, when it is not in its ideal condition, it will take time to crank, and the engine will experience a lazy start. Besides, when the cranking is sluggish, you’re likely to experience some sort of vibration when starting the car. This lazy cranking of the engine at the time of starting your car acts as a classic sign that the life of your vehicle’s battery is approaching its end.
On the other hand, the same could happen if a car is not used for a long time. Specifically for diesel cars, this issue is observed more in comparison with any other type of car. Diesel cars need to be run regularly to maintain good condition of their battery. The opposite would significantly reduce the car's battery life.
Recurrent Jumpstarts
Have you seen people pushing a car in the middle of the road by force with the driver in their dedicated position, and suddenly that car gets a jump start? This is done with a combination of swiftly adjusting the control between the accelerator and the clutch. If your car needs a jumpstart every now and then, you should know that it’s time to get your car’s battery checked and replaced. When your car’s battery starts experiencing battery issues, a jumpstart can bring some life to your battery momentarily. This is considered another crucial sign of knowing that your car's battery requires a change.
Electrical Problems & Dimming Headlights
Sometimes, people notice that their cars’ info systems are not working properly or there could be some other electrical issues. This must have happened due to the approaching end of the batteries. Similarly, often drivers find that their cars' headlights are not as bright enough as before, which lead to issues in watching the road ahead at night.
On the other hand, the battery also aids the functioning of the power windows, and when the battery is nearing its end, due to reduced power, the window glasses may start working weirdly or could stop for good. Such problems are quite prevalent across many cars, and the drivers often ignore them until some major issues come up. These kinds of issues are a big sign of dying batteries. This is exactly when car owners should opt to change their cars' batteries.
Warning Light on Dashboard Screen
Another sign that tells car owners that their battery is no longer in good condition is when the dashboard screen starts showing a battery sign. This usually happens when a driver puts the key in the ignition to start the battery, and the sign eventually comes up. This is a classic indication that the battery needs to be changed immediately. Some drivers start panicking when they first see this light, but all they need to do is just replace the old battery with a new one.
Conclusion
Here, we've highlighted some key signs that indicate that a vehicle's battery is about to die or nearing its ending days. Whenever you notice any of these signs or experience any such instances, as a responsible driver and lover of your car, you should get the battery replaced as early as possible.