Are you having a problem with your car battery? Sometimes jumpstarting a car battery is not enough. Most of the time, when your car won’t start you assume that it’s a problem with the battery and pull out the jump leads. But what if the problem occurs every time you get into the car? This means that the battery isn’t holding a charge. Why is this?
Causes of a battery not charging?
- When you drive the car, the battery isn’t getting recharged which means a mechanical charging problem
- Have you left your lights on? Or the radio?
- When was the last time you replaced the battery?
- Or it could be due to a parasitic electrical drain on the battery, caused by a bad alternator.
Diagnosing a dead car battery
While there are multiple causes of a dead car battery, you want to determine which one is to blame.
Here are a few things you can do to find out which problem is causing your battery not to hold a charge:
- Try turning on your headlights, if they come on but they’re not as bright as you would expect then your problem is a bad starter or poor wiring. Not the battery. If your lights don’t come on at all, then the problem is more likely to be caused by the battery.
- Ask a mechanic to test the voltage of your battery. They will be able to tell you if it’s a normal reading, showing a fully charged battery or if it’s poorly charged.
- Ask a mechanic to check the condition of the battery itself. If they deem it to be corroded or worn out, then it’s time for the battery to be replaced. Batteries tend to need replaced every four years or so.
- Consider your alternator, are there signs of cracking or fraying in your alternator cables? That’s an obvious sign something is wrong. If you have tried jumpstarting the car, for it to quickly lose its charge and the engine is stalling, that’s a sign of an alternator issue.
Even if you think you’ve diagnosed the problem, it’s better to get an expert opinion! Here at MyCarNeedsA.com, you can get a quote from one of our many trusted mechanics in your area!
