5 Signs Your Car Might Need a New Battery

Do you suspect that your car may need a new battery? It’s important to know the symptoms of a bad battery so you can replace it before it causes other problems with your car. Here are five signs that may indicate you need to replace your car battery, plus a description of the importance of having a good battery.

A Strange Odor

A strange or foul-smelling odor coming from your car may be a sign that you need to get a new battery. The smell that a bad battery produces is often similar to the smell of rotten eggs. If you catch a whiff of this scent, your car battery might be leaking gas. Car batteries hold sulfuric acid, so this substance can leak out in a process called outgassing if the battery has sustained damage.

Sulfuric acid is a corrosive chemical that can potentially cause further damage. For example, sulfuric acid that’s leaking out of a damaged battery can corrode adjacent components. This kind of damage can result in the need for other repairs, which may be more costly than it would’ve been to simply replace the battery.

Not only can the sulfuric acid leaking from your car battery damage other components in your vehicle, but it can also cause problems with your health. Breathing in the fumes that sulfuric acid emits in a confined environment, like a home garage, can result in chest tightness and difficulty breathing. Exposure to it can also cause skin and eye damage.

Here at Eskridge Chevrolet, we want to protect our customers’ health and vehicles. If you detect a strange odor coming from your vehicle, take it to our service center. We’ll diagnose the problem and provide you with a new battery if that’s the problem that’s present. If something else is going on, we’ll determine the source of the issue and address it so that you can drive off our lot with confidence.

Poor Vehicle Performance in Cold Weather

It’s common for car batteries to perform better in warm weather than they do in cold weather. If it gets cold enough, your car battery may freeze, resulting in a decline in the rate of its chemical reactions. Your car battery also needs maximum current since the engine oil moves much slower in colder conditions. Your battery will demand more power to start your vehicle, resulting in diminished battery life.

While some vehicles can make it through cold winters without any issues, it’s important to keep an eye out for poor vehicle performance once the temperatures outside start to drop. If you notice that your vehicle is taking longer than normal to start, consider checking the battery and replacing it if it’s starting to go bad.

Newer batteries can withstand cold temperatures and icy conditions more efficiently than older ones, so you can drive your vehicle for the rest of the winter season with confidence. You may even consider replacing an older battery before the cold temperatures set in so that you can get ahead of any potential problems that may occur.

Difficulty With Turning the Engine On

It’s possible for you to experience difficulty with turning the engine on, even in warmer conditions. Over time, the mechanisms within a car battery tend to wear out. Cold weather isn’t always the culprit, as natural wear and tear are often to blame. According to the American Automobile Association, most car batteries last anywhere between three and five years. The life span of your battery often depends on several factors, including the type of battery you have and your driving habits and frequency.

Even if you give your vehicle the most diligent care and maintenance, your car battery is destined to wear down. If you’re noticing that your car is starting weakly or slowly, it’s best to not ignore this sign of a dying battery. You can also look out for a clicking sound as you try to start your car engine, as this sound is likely an indicator that your battery has already died. Before your battery gets to this point, bring your vehicle to our service center so that you don’t end up stranded with a nonfunctioning vehicle.

Illuminated Dashboard Lights

Watch for any illuminated lights on your dashboard, specifically the “check engine” light. This light may indicate that the battery has weakened, but it can also signal another problem that doesn’t relate to the battery. You can take your vehicle to the service center at Eskridge Chevrolet, and one of our technicians will test the battery to see if it’s working optimally. If the battery is the problem, we can replace it. If the battery is working fine, we can perform further inspection to narrow down the source of the problem.

Electrical Malfunctions

Electrical malfunctions within your vehicle can be telltale signs of a weak car battery. For example, you may notice that your door locks or power windows aren’t as responsive as they usually are. It may take several clicks of a button to get the doors to lock or the windows to move up or down.

If you ever charge your phone or another device while you’re in your vehicle, a weak car battery could cause your devices to charge less efficiently. A bad battery might also be evident in exterior headlights that don’t shine as brightly as they normally do or interior lights that flicker when the car is just starting or in an idling position. Issues with your exterior lights can be especially problematic, as they can affect your visibility on the road.

The Importance of Having a Functioning Battery

The car battery is the element that allows your vehicle to start, and the alternator is the component within your vehicle that maintains the battery. The battery supplies an electric current to the vehicle’s electric-powered starting motor. This motor initiates an internal combustion engine that operates on chemical power. Having a functioning battery is essential to ensuring that your vehicle can start reliably. It also supplies power to operate components like the lights and windshield wipers, and it serves as a surge protector for the vehicle’s computers.

Now that you know what signs of a weak battery to watch for, you can be a more confident vehicle owner. If you’re ever unsure about any other aspects of maintaining your Chevrolet vehicle, be sure to contact our team at Eskridge Chevrolet. We have a comprehensive maintenance center staffed with certified technicians. We’ll inspect your vehicle, diagnose any issues, and provide effective solutions to meet your needs.

Walmart EverStart Car Batteries, Battery by Mike Mozart is licensed with CC BY 2.0

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