The purpose of your vehicles battery is to supply the necessary current to the starter motor and the ignition system while cranking to start the engine. It also supplies additional current when the demand is higher than the alternator can supply and acts as an electrical reservoir.
A number of systems in your car depend on your battery - radio, built-in GPS, USB port, phone chargers etc.
Warning signs that your battery may need replacing:-
- Slow engine crank: When you attempt to start the vehicle, the cranking of the engine is sluggish and takes longer than normal to start. You’d best describe it as the “rur rur rur” starting noise sound.
- The check engine light sometimes appears when your battery power is weak.
- If your battery casing looks like it ate a very large meal, this could indicate a battery gone bad. You can blame excessive heat for causing your battery case to swell, decreasing your battery life.
- You may notice a pungent, rotten egg smell (sulfur odor:) around the battery. The cause: Battery leaks. Leaking also causes the corrosion around the posts (where the (+) and (–) cable connections are located.) The gunk may need to be removed; otherwise, your car may not start.
- Your battery can last well beyond three years but, at the very least, have its current condition inspected on a yearly basis when it reaches the three year mark. Battery life cycles range from three-to-five years depending on the battery. However, driving habits, weather and frequent short trips (under 20 minutes) can drastically shorten the actual life of your car battery.
If you would like Haywards to check your battery for you please call a member of our Service team.