Is it Time to Have Your Battery Replaced

It may be surprising to you that it’s the heat of summer that’s harder on your battery than the cold of winter. Yep that’s right, everyone thinks the winter cold kills your battery which it does (your battery works harder in winter to start your car) but only after the heat of summer has weakened it. High heat causes battery fluid to evaporate, thus damaging the internal structure of the battery so when it gets cold the battery often will not have enough juice to start your vehicle. 

There can be several other reasons for a dead battery or a shortened battery life. The reason may be your battery is overcharging due to a dead cell in the battery, alternator issues or the voltage regulator. Also a battery that is being overcharged can cause damage to your alternator. All these possible issues need to be checked out when you bring your vehicle in for a weak battery or charging problems.    

Batteries today are usually maintenance free (other than keeping the connections clean) however most batteries have caps that can be removed with a screwdriver. If low on water they can be refilled with distilled water if necessary. We recommend that if you believe your battery needs help, please have one of our technicians check it out.

It is a good rule of thumb that if your vehicle's battery is 3 years or older you should consider purchasing a new battery soon.