When your car battery dies, you might not ask a lot of questions. You may write it off as bad luck, and that’s it. But your battery doesn’t randomly die, and there are several things that drain your car battery that you should know about.
When your car’s battery dies regularly, it’s an accurate indicator that there’s an underlying issue that has to be addressed before you wind up stuck somewhere.
The list of issues that can trigger a car battery to die seems endless, yet practically every battery killer can be categorized into three fundamental categories: battery problems, electrical problems, and straightforward human errors.
Read on and find out all you need to know about the things that drain your car battery.
1. You left the headlights on
This is one of the main things that drain your car battery, and almost anybody who has a car knows about this one. It is already a classic. We are sure that you were at least once told to check if you left the headlines on.
Car batteries are meant to power dome lights, headlights, and several other pieces of equipment while the engine is turned off, but they’ve got very little capacity to do so. That implies that if something is left on once the engine is turned off, the battery will very surely die.
This might surprise you, but if you leave your headlight on while you make groceries, your car’s battery will probably be dried once you come back. This example shows you that the amount of time it takes for a car battery to die is really short. This is especially true if you have a weak battery.
Some modern cars are built to allow you to leave the headlights or even the radio on after you turn off the engine and take the keys. If everything is functioning properly, you can go away from a car like this, and everything will turn off automatically.
2. Things that drain your car battery? Parasitic drains
If your vehicle’s battery keeps dying, one of the most simple reasons is that there is a particular kind of drain on the electrical system that continues even after you take the keys and shut the doors.
A parasitic drain is easily one of the things that drain your car battery, and what you can do is try to identify it as quickly as possible.
The simplest technique for verifying a drain is to unplug the power cable and measure the current flow. It is necessary to utilize the highest amperage setting on the multimeter when you do this; otherwise, it will not work. In addition, not following this rule risks blowing a pricey fuse within your meter. Some meters additionally incorporate an inductive clamp for testing the flow of electricity without unplugging anything.
A test light can also be used to look for a drain, although it is less exact. Similarly, detach the negative battery connection and complete the circuit across the terminal of the negative battery and ground. If the test’s light glows, it means that there is a drain in the system.
Some of the most typical sources of a parasitic drain or things that drain your car battery are the glove compartment, the trunk, and other lights that are turned on due to an error. These, along with other interior lighting, are meant to switch off automatically, but if they don’t, they can completely drain the battery overnight.
3. Extreme weather
Maybe you would not expect this to be on a list of things that drain your car battery, but here it is. Cold winter temperatures and scorching summer days can also cause difficulties with your vehicle’s battery. Newer batteries are more resistant to severe seasonal temperatures, but if you have an older one, bad luck.
If you checked for other causes and everything seems to be fine, then this might be the reason. One solution to this problem is to change your battery. Generally, newer ones don’t have any problems. Also, try to keep your car inside the garage when you have to deal with extreme temperatures. Everything will be safe this way.
4. Corrosion
Corroded battery connections are one of the main things that drain your car battery because they could stop the charging mechanism from charging your battery while you’re driving.
Now, you might be wondering what you are going to do next if you discover that you have corroded battery connections. Battery corrosion may be cleansed using a mixture of baking soda and water, as well as a stiff-bristled brush. Yet, preventing baking soda from entering the battery cells is important.
It’s also worth noting that if you leave a mixture of baking soda and rust on the exterior of your driveway or the flooring of your garage, you can end up with a stain that’s hard or impossible to clean up.
Another way to clean up the rusty terminals of batteries and cable connections is to use sandpaper or some specific tools. These instruments are generally in the shape of brushes made of wire that are extremely easy to use. After using one of these instruments, the connections to the batteries will be shiny and clean, and you’ll have a far better electrical connection.
5. Short drives
If you are curious why short drives are one of the things that drain your car battery, we are here to answer your question. Every time you need to crank that engine, your car uses a tremendous amount of energy from the battery.
Hopefully, your car is equipped with an alternator, which has the role of recharging the battery while the engine is running. But if you often take short trips, the alternator may not have sufficient time to adequately recharge the battery during breaks, particularly if your battery is older.
These short drives might not be a problem if you have a new car, but as time passes and your car gets older, they might shorten the life of your car’s battery.
What should you do if your battery keeps dying?
If your vehicle’s battery continues to fail while you’re behind the wheel, the main reason is most likely not the battery. While the engine is turned off, the goal of a car’s battery is to run the engine’s ignition and to provide energy to run extras such as lights and the radio.
When the engine starts, the electrical charging system takes control. If the battery appears to be failing while the car’s engine is running, there is most likely a problem with your charging mechanism.
Even if you have a multimeter at home, we advise you to take your car to a service and get it checked out there. Some auto parts retailers and services can examine the alternator for free, while others may charge a diagnostic fee. It is important to point out that there’s a distinction between a simple test and a complete diagnosis that gets to the root of the problem.
As you can see many reasons can be the cause of your car’s battery draining. It is important to figure them out and try to solve the problem as quickly as possible.
If you need a car battery charger, you can try this one: NOCO GENIUS1, 1A Smart Car Battery Charger
You should also read: Safest Cars: Top 9 Picks With the Best Crash Test Ratings
