Signs That Your Car Needs a New Battery | Tips from Your Trusted Southlake, TX Auto Repair Service Provider

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There’s no part of auto repair that car owners in Southlake, TX enjoy, but there might not be any part of fixing a car that’s more worrisome than the need for a new battery.

That’s because not only can a battery go at any time, but there really aren’t any obvious signs that your battery is about to die. If your car is running out of oil, for example, it will alert you long before the need for repair with a warning light, and if that’s ignored, you’ll start hearing your engine knocking as a last chance to fix things before your engine dies. Not so with a car battery, which often won’t give you an obvious sign of an issue until you try to start your vehicle and find that you can’t. If that happens before you’ve got an important meeting or a flight you have to catch, the consequences are a truly terrifying thought.

Luckily, if you’re attuned to the needs of your vehicle, there are a few subtle signs that your car is in need of a new battery. Before you find yourself in need of a costly auto repairs that comes with a dead battery, here are a few signs you need to look for — all of which signal that you need to get your vehicle over to your friendly automobile technicians in Southlake, TX!

DIMMING LIGHTS

When your lights start to dim, that’s a real cause for concern, and it’s a sign that you’ve got to get a new battery in your vehicle as soon as possible. The reason that dimming lights are an obvious sign of an issue with your battery is that your car’s battery is in charge of everything electrical in your car. Whether it’s the antilock brake computer system in your vehicle that keeps your car safe or the stereo system that allows you to listen to your favorite music on the road, everything is controlled by your battery. Even your cell phone charger is tied to your battery if you plug it into your car, and it plays a role in draining your battery.

When the lights start to dim or the cabin lights don’t illuminate the vehicle as brightly, you need to find out the source of the problem in a hurry. It could be that your lights are just going dim and need a new bulb, but that’s a fix that takes minutes and doesn’t cost a lot. If you’ve got to get your car towed to an auto repair garage in Southlake, TX because you don’t have the ability to start your car, that’s going to cost you quite a bit of time and money to get the problem fixed.

SIGNS OF CORROSION

When you look at your car’s battery, do you see any signs of acid on it, or evidence of residue? If so, that’s a sign that your battery might be starting to head in the wrong direction. If your battery is showing signs of corrosion, that means that hydrogen is leaking out of it and causing potential problems for your battery.

Depending on where the corrosion appears, your battery might either overcharge or undercharge, which can lead to your car either failing to get all of the power it needs to operate properly or can cause your battery to drain a lot faster than it otherwise would. That can lead you to make a visit to your preferred local auto shop a lot earlier than you would like to anyway, so it’s a much better idea to simply get the battery fixed properly from the beginning and ensure that your vehicle is running the way it should. Besides, over time, that corrosion can spread to wires in your vehicle, and that can cause real damage outside the battery.

FOUL SMELLS

Any time something doesn’t smell right with your car, it’s time for you to bring it in for a serious repair job. Your car might not be having any problem with the battery in the case of a foul smell, but it’s certainly having a problem somewhere else in that situation. Whether or not the battery is having an issue, when something doesn’t smell right, it’s time for a visit to an auto repair garage.

FLUID LEAKS

Again, a fluid leak should be a rather obvious sign of a problem. A fluid leak could be a number of things that require an auto shop visit, and it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry. If you see a puddle of any kind under your car and it hasn’t been raining, it’s time to get proper auto repair done.

OLD AGE

Yes, your battery can absolutely die of old age, and it’s a wise idea to ask an auto repair technician that you trust to check your battery because of this fact. Because everything in your car that’s electric is controlled by your battery, your battery is literally always in use when you have the vehicle operating.

Unless you barely ever drive yourself, you’re going to wear your battery out in about three years of normal car use. If you’ve gone a couple years since your last battery change, it’s a good idea to have your local auto repair team test your battery when you go in for your next oil change. They can tell you whether you’ve got any signs of a failing battery so that you can prepare yourself.

Deciding when to replace a battery in your car is a matter of paying attention and understanding what you need to look for in between visits to your local auto repair garage in Southlake, TX. If you make sure to take a few minutes to double-check under the hood and under the car every few weeks, you can stay on top of the signs and keep your car operating the way it should — minimizing the risk of a nasty surprise from your battery ruining your morning! For all of your auto repair needs contact Import Car Center!