Many factors can cause your battery to die, including age, environmental conditions, electrical shorts, and other issues. Fortunately, your battery will usually show signs that something is wrong, and this can give you time to visit your Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealer for a new car battery. These are a few signs that your battery could be failing.
Headlights Left On
At one time or another, almost every driver forgets to turn off their headlights when they get home at night. It’s a very easy thing to do, especially if you’ve had a long day. When your engine is switched off, the battery takes over from the alternator and supplies power to all your car’s systems and accessories.
It may seem minor, but the headlights draw significant power from the battery. Depending on the age and condition of your battery, the headlights can drain the battery within four hours. If this has happened, we’ll need to test your battery to determine if the battery drain has damaged the battery. If the battery is ok, we’ll recharge it. If the battery has been damaged, we can install a new one for you.
Extreme Heat
As we all know, summer temperatures in New Mexico can soar and maintain this level of heat for days on end. While this weather can have you cranking up the AC and wishing you were in a pool, the battery gets no such relief. When your engine is running on a hot day, the temperature under the hood can easily rise to 300 F.
High temperatures over a sustained period can damage your battery. The heat affects the chemical reactions inside the battery, causing the electrolyte solution to expand. As the electrolyte expands, it forces the battery casing to bulge outwards. This distortion damages the battery’s internal structure, which can’t be repaired. If your battery is bulging, we must replace it before it fails.
Damaged Alternator
One of the alternator’s functions is to maintain the battery at full charge. As soon as your engine is running, the alternator begins the recharging process. It charges the battery at full power for ten minutes and then switches to a more sedate recharging rate of 10%. The reduced recharging rate is because the battery’s chemical makeup can’t sustain a continual high recharging rate.
If your alternator has been damaged, it might not switch to the reduced recharging rate. The alternator will continue to charge the battery at full power, the battery’s internal temperature will rapidly rise, and the electrolyte solution will boil. This can inflict serious damage and even cause the battery to fail. We’ll repair or replace your alternator and check the battery to determine if it also needs replacement.
If you suspect something is wrong with your battery, visit our service department right away at Sisbarro Deming CDJR in Deming, NM.
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