How to Tell if Your Car Battery Is Dead or Dying

Going to turn on a car only to find that it won’t start is every driver’s nightmare. While there are many reasons that a vehicle won’t start, it can often be attributed to a dead or dying battery. There are multiple causes of battery failure and multiple ways to tell if a battery has kicked the bucket.

Continue reading to learn how to tell if your car battery is dead:

• Old age: Most batteries don’t last longer than four or five years, so if your battery is getting up there in age, it’s likely time to replace it. Most batteries don’t just up and stop working—you’ll likely notice some other problems as it gets older.
• Bulging battery case: Extremely hot or cold temperatures can cause the battery to swell up. As a result, the battery ends up dying. A quick glance under the hood will show you whether or not a swelled-up case is the result of your dead or dying battery.
• Corroded battery terminals: Another easy way to answer the question, “Is my car battery dying?” is by checking the battery terminals. If battery acid leaks out onto the terminals, they’ll develop a caked-on, blueish-green powder that prevents the battery from performing its best. You can clean the terminals off with a toothbrush, but we recommend having it replaced.
• Slow start: A car that’s slow to turn over is better than one that won’t start up at all; however, you don’t want to turn a blind eye to this situation. A failing car battery will only get worse as time goes on, so your best bet is to bring your vehicle to a mechanic for battery replacement.
• Ignition clicks: You may also hear the ignition clicking while waiting for your car to turn over. This is another way to tell your car battery is dying. Clicking is an indication that the engine is receiving little to no power from the battery.
• Dim headlights: Your car battery is responsible for powering all of your vehicle’s electrical components, not just the engine. If the headlights aren’t as bright as they used to be, they’re likely not receiving enough power from the battery. The headlight lights may also flicker if your battery is on its way out.
• Bad smells: It’s safe to say that any strange smell coming from your vehicle is a sign of a problem. If you pop open the hood and smell sulfur or a rotten-egg odor, there’s likely a leak in the battery casing. The only option is to replace your battery in this situation.

Bring your vehicle to us

If you’ve noticed any of these signs, pay a visit to M & M Tire & Service Center for a diagnostic test. Our experts know all of the best ways to tell if you car battery is dead. We’ll perform a full inspection to see if the battery is at fault or if there’s something else wrong with your vehicle.

Categorised in: Car Battery

This post was written by Writer