When’s the last time that you thought much about your car’s battery? It’s been a while, if you’re like most car owners. Skiles Automotive wants you to know what you might experience if your battery is having trouble.
Your Car Won’t Start
One really big sign that there’s something not quite right with your battery, or at least with your car’s electrical system, is that the car won’t start. The battery is what gives your car’s engine that initial spark of power in order to start the combustion process. Ideally, the alternator then keeps the battery charging while the car is running. But if the battery is dead, your car is not going to start.
You Know or Suspect the Battery Is Old
Most car batteries have a lifespan of around three to five years. Some batteries can last longer than that, of course, but you’re on borrowed time, honestly. Car batteries are easy to forget about, because you trust that you’ll turn your key or push that button and everything that’s supposed to happen will happen. If your car’s battery is older, you may want to get it tested before there’s a problem and replace it before you end up stuck somewhere.
Something Doesn’t Look Right
You’re looking at your battery every once in a while, right? Part of being a car owner means that you’re periodically doing visual inspections of a few things on the car. Your oil levels are one of those things, as are your tires. Your battery should also be on the list. If the case is cracked or is bowing out somewhere, that’s not good news. Also, look at the terminal posts on top and see if you spot any corrosion. These are all signs that you need to have your battery checked.
The Battery Is Stinky
This one might surprise you, but are you smelling something stinky? Especially when you get closer to the battery itself? Batteries are full of sulfuric acid. That’s what helps to make the electrical charges that make the battery work. If you’re smelling sulfuric acid, which smells a bit like rotten eggs, that means that some of that sulfuric acid might be outside of the battery instead of inside where it belongs.
Having battery issues? You don’t have to go it alone. Give us a call at Skiles Automotive in Bremen, IN. We can test your battery for you, as well as the rest of your car’s electrical system. That helps us to be as thorough as possible and makes sure that we fix the problem for you the first time, the right way.
