Unless they’ve experienced previous car problems or they have an old car, people always expect their cars to start. They don’t plan extra time in the morning for a jump start and they don’t worry too much about getting stranded on the side of the road due to a dead battery. Unfortunately, batteries, while mostly reliable, can fail when we least expect it. Here are the top car battery drainers that could lead to a dead battery when you can least afford it as presented by Industrial Batteries & Accessories Ltd.
Headlights
Many new vehicles have headlights that automatically turn off a few seconds after the car itself is turned off. This has caused drivers to not really pay much attention to leaving their headlights on. However, this is a top drainer of a car battery specifically because if the automatic turn-off setting gets changed, you may not realize your headlights are still on, leeching power from your battery to the point where it won’t have enough juice to start your car when you need it to.
Parasitic Draw
When your car is running, the alternator is constantly charging your battery. This is how you’re able to listen to the radio on long road trips without the battery draining. But, when your car is not running, neither is the alternator, so your battery is not getting a constant charge. If you accidentally leave your interior lights on, your glove box open so it’s light is on, or there is a bad relay that’s causing the battery to expend energy that it would normally conserve to start the car.
Ensure all your lights are off, your glove box and trunk are closed, and that your car doors have fully shut when you leave your vehicle. If the battery is still draining from a parasitic draw, it’s probably a bad electrical relay that’s not fully turning something off. This can be tested at an auto parts store, a mechanic’s garage, or a dealership.
Extreme Weather
Car batteries are a little like Goldilocks. They don’t like to be too cold and they don’t like to get too hot. They want the temperature to be just right. In either extreme, they can drain to the point where they don’t have enough power to start your car. This is particularly true for old batteries that just don’t want to deal with extreme weather because they’re already weak from age. You are more likely to experience a dead battery in the dead of winter or the height of summer, so if your battery is already on the older side, a test and possibly a replacement are in order.
Loose or Corroded Connections
Over time, the connections from your battery to your engine can become jostled loose or corroded, causing a leech of power. These connections must be tight for the battery to work properly and get the correct charge from the alternator to the rest of the vehicle. Corrosion simply blocks the energy transfer, making it harder for your car to start. Tighten these connections and carefully clean the corrosion from the terminals to restore power.
Conclusion
No one wants to get in their car to go somewhere only to discover they can’t because something drained their battery. Check these top car battery drainers to ensure your car performs as it should every time you turn the key.