There are lots of reasons why your car might not be starting properly. In this article we’ll explain some telltale signs that you might need a new car battery.
Age
Age is the biggest killer of car batteries. If your battery is more than 3 or 4 years old you should at least consider changing it, even if you haven’t experienced any problems with it yet.
Some batteries such as Bosch & Duracell come with 4 and 5 year guarantees, making them a great investment for your car.
Hot & Cold Weather
A lot of people don’t realise that hot weather is just as bad for a car battery as cold weather. Weather extremes drain the batteries power, meaning the next time you try to turn over the engine it might not start.
Extreme cold is more likely to kill a car battery. This is due to the engine oil having a thicker viscosity at lower temperatures, making it harder for the engine to turn over.
Corroded Terminals
Corroded terminals on your battery are a possible indicator that you should buy a new battery. There are however other possible reasons as to why your terminals might be corroded such as acid leaking or interaction with different temperatures, so an inspection and clean may help you decide.
Using The Key To Unlock Your Door
The majority of cars now have remote central locking, however, with a flat or dead battery this won’t work and you will be forced to use the key to open the car doors. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need a new car battery, it could be that you accidentally left a light on and the battery is just flat.
Engine Won’t Start
Turning the key and hearing the engine try to start but fail is probably the most obvious sign that you need a new car battery. You could get by for the day with a set of jump leads but you don’t really want to be relying on those for too long.
Check Engine Light Is On
Modern cars will always try to warn you if something is wrong on the vehicle. If after putting the key into the ignition the engine the battery warning lights stay on, it’s probably time to get a new car battery.
With free standard delivery and next day delivery available on many of our products, you can get your car parts in no time at CarParts4Less.