Bring your car, truck, or utility vehicle to Accurate Auto if you suspect that the battery is dying. If the battery is three years old or older, it is likely going bad. The average lifespan of an automobile battery is three to four years. Aside from the battery’s age, you may also experience one or more of the problems listed below. These are signs that your car battery is going bad.
Battery Warning Light
One of the first things that might happen is your battery light will stay on after you start the engine. This is your vehicle’s main computer chip’s, the engine control module, way of saying that the battery is in trouble. As an aside, the battery light will also turn on if the alternator is going bad.
Bubbling Battery Case
If your battery does have a few years under its belt, pop the hood and inspected when your engine is cold. Make sure the battery case isn’t bubbling, cracked, or misshapen in some other way. If the case looks strange, there’s a problem with the chemical reaction inside of the battery.
Corrosion on the Terminals
The battery can start to have problems with its chemical reaction when it gets too old. It can also start to leak battery acid and corrode the terminals and connectors. If you see a lot of corrosion on your battery, this, too, is a sign that you need to replace the battery with a new one.
Dim and Flickering Lights
Another thing to watch for is how your headlights operate when you are driving at night. If they are flickering or are too dim, the battery may not be retaining enough of a charge to provide them with the power that they need. This, too, can also be a sign of a problem with the alternator.
Slow and Hard Starts
Hopefully, your battery won’t just die without any warning. Rather, you will start to have difficulties getting your car started. The vehicle will crank several times before the engine fires up. Once you get the automobile started, head straight to our auto service shop.
Sulfuric Acid Odors
Finally, when you are inspecting the battery pay attention to any strange smells. If you smell rotten eggs around the battery, the battery is leaking sulfuric acid.
Accurate Auto is the best auto service shop in Oregon. Call the shop closest to you. We’ve got shops in Beaverton, Lake Oswego, Hillsboro, and Tigard.