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More often than not, the signs of a failing car battery can already be observed way before it goes dead or before it stops to work properly the first time. Even though it doesn’t happen all the time and although the culprit could be your alternator or other essential car components, keeping track of its battery and ensuring your check for any signs of issues on a regular basis is an important precaution for vehicle maintenance.
Watching out for the following signs may even help you prolong the life of your vehicle’s battery and avoid being stranded in a deserted road in the middle of nowhere.
Old Age and Slower Engine Crank
Ask any expert and they will surely tell you that the most common symptoms of a failing car battery include slow engine crank, old age, and little reserve cranking power. There are instances when the two even go together although this is not the rule all the time.
Before anything else, you need to check the label. The upper part of the casing of the battery comes with a label with punch-outs for the year and month of the purchase of the battery. If the battery was made over 4 years ago, it is high time for you to consider getting a replacement even though it seems to run just fine at the moment.
Meanwhile, if the battery causes your vehicle to start much longer than before and if you notice a long whirring sound prior to starting up the engine, it basically signals a slow engine crank, which is a sure sign that the battery is in bad shape despite being relatively new.
Do You Have a Dead Battery?
Are there other symptoms of a failing car battery that appear way before the battery stops completely? Unfortunately, this might not be the case. There are instances when a battery can die just like that for no apparent reason at all and not even a charger or jumper will help.
If one battery cell dies, often because of a factory, this means the end of the battery. If you notice that there is no voltage, not one of the usual jump starting techniques work, and the charging system of the car is still in good shape, there is a chance that the service life of your battery has come to an end.
Other Symptoms of Bad Car Battery
A corrosion on the old battery as well as its terminals is usually an indication that the battery is no longer in great condition. The battery may also fail starting the engine if the temperature drops or it may not start completely no matter what the conditions might be. When this happens, a jump start is often a useful temporary fix yet you still need to consider a replacement sooner than later.
If any of the said signs of a bad car battery occurs or if you got an old battery that makes the engine crank rather slowly, make sure you take several precautions.