No one like a dead car battery. You get stuck wherever you are. Then you have to wait for someone to give you a jump. It can be worse if you don’t have a set of jumper cables. Figuring out why your car battery dies isn’t the most difficult thing, but it’s especially easy if you know what you’re looking for.
1. Lights left on
It happens to all of us sometimes. If you don’t have automatic headlights then it can be easy to forget about them. If you leave them on while the car is off over time they can drain the battery and make it almost impossible to start the car. Other lights like interior dome lights can have the same effect.
So if you find out that the car died because of a light left on you can get the car jumped and let it run for a while. After the battery has time to charge back up via the alternator then you should be good. An easy way to prevent this from happening again is just to make sure you turn off all of the lights before you shut off the vehicle.
2. Battery in bad condition
Most batteries typically have a lifespan of 5 years. Depending on the quality and the type of usage the time can be lengthened or shortened. That being said you can take your vehicle to a shop or an autoparts store and get the battery checked. They should be able to check the voltage of the battery and test the condition of the its internal components.
If they test the battery and they state that it’s bad it could be due to a bad cell or maybe there is a disconnect which is preventing the battery from performing properly. If this is the case then it’s probably time to start looking for a new battery. Depending on where you purchase the battery there are different warranties, different prices and different strengths.
3. Corroded or loose battery connections
Another reason for why you can’t get started is that there is a loose connection. This can be due to corroded terminals or wires. The terminals are the two metal pieces that the wires connect to. If they are corroded the electricity might not be able to flow. This lack of electricity can prevent you from being able to start your car.
If the wires that connect to the terminals are loose this can create a bad connection. Therefore if you get no juice your car isn’t going to start. You can get some battery cleaner and a wire brush and clean the terminals yourself. Make sure you use protective equipment like glasses. You don’t want to get battery acid in your eyes! An old trick is to pour none other that Coca Cola on the terminals. It does a fine job of helping clean off the corrosion.
4. Electrical draining.
If you have some extra electrical accessories like an FM transmitter, an amplifier or two 12″s (subwoofers) in the back these can cause excessive drain on the battery. Most batteries are meant to supply an ample amount of electricity to the vehicle. When you start tacking on other accessories it can drain the battery.
If you want to keep your accessories then you may want to consider purchasing a stronger or secondary battery. This will provide an extra amount of power to supply all of your add-ons. You can unplug some of the accessories and this should decrease the amount of strain on the electrical system. Hopefully removing some of these parasitic devices will help you find out why your car battery dies.
5. Extreme temperatures
Depending on the temperature in the place that you live the battery can be negatively affected. If the temperature is too cold it makes it difficult for the battery to start the engine. Batteries are supplied with a Cold Cranking Amp rating (CCA). This rating lets the consumer know how powerful the battery when used in a colder climate
The same goes for hotter temperatures. If it’s too hot the battery can have issues providing power to your vehicle. Not to mention that the engine bay heats up above the ambient temperature. That can adversely affect your battery’s performance.
6. Charging system issue
Our last on the list is a charging system issue. This refers to your alternator and additional components. In most cases the battery is used to supply electricity at start up. While the vehicle is running the majority of the electricity is generated by an alternator. The alternator, which is in fact a tiny generator, produces electricity and in turn recharges your battery when the vehicle is running.
If you alternator is not working correctly it may not recharged your battery. After a few drives the battery can lose all power and not have enough juice to start up. Also if you alternator is not working your battery can be used as the main electricity supply source. That being said if the battery is the only source it will drain and eventually will not be able to supply enough power to keep the car running.
These are some of the reasons why your car battery dies and why it’s difficult to get your car started. If you found this helpful please share with your friends.
