Can you recognize the signs of a dead car battery?
No one wants to be stuck in a parking lot or driveway with a completely dead car battery that won’t come back to life. A battery usually lasts between three and five years, depending on how often you drive the vehicle, where you live, and your model.
Generally, at around the four-year mark, you should pay more attention to your car battery. The best thing you can do is have a technician check to see how much charge it has. Many car owners may not realize how often they need to replace their batteries until major issues arise.
Can you get at least another several months after jumping your battery? We’re going to talk about the signs that indicate your car battery is dead as well as how to know exactly if it’s completely dead.
Let’s get started!
1. No response at ignition
If your vehicle doesn’t start when you turn the ignition key, chances are the starter motor is receiving zero power from a dead battery.
2. A sudden, slower start
When temperatures drop below 20 degrees, usually any car’s starting cadence will slow down. If the temperatures get below 0, the starting cadence gets even slower. If you notice this behavior and the temperature hasn’t dropped, get your battery tested as soon as possible. If you ignore the issue, the car eventually will not start.
If a slow-starting battery seems to be able to take charge, a parasitic draw or drain is likely discharging the battery while the car sits, and the electrical system will need to be looked at. By the way, if you need a car battery charger, this one from NOCO is great.
3. The starter motor cranks, but the engine won’t start
In some cases, the starter motor might crank slowly, but the engine won’t turn over. This is an indicator of either a dead car battery or a faulty starter. If the starter cranks at the normal speed but the engine still won’t start, chances are you have a good battery, but there are problems with the fuel or spark plug.
The radio works, and your lights work, but you get a buzz or click once you hit the key. Or, your car has dim headlights. The battery’s main job is to crank the engine by generating a full dose of high-amperage power for the starter. However, when the battery is low, it cannot provide that power but often can still deliver enough power for lights and accessories, which don’t require as much amperage.
Don’t forget that jump-starting the vehicle in these situations should only be done in an emergency. What you should do is get the battery tested as soon as possible, and don’t rely on the alternator to charge the battery back up!
4. The engine starts but then dies right away
This is a quite strange issue that can indeed occur on certain models of cars. The battery will have enough voltage to start the car, but then it immediately dies and won’t idle.
If you’re dealing with this, many things could be wrong, a dead car battery included. Simply doing a battery check is the easiest and first place to start. This is because when a battery fails, it can cause interruptions to the constant signals it delivers to the ECU.
Then, if the battery can muster enough power to start the vehicle, the sensors controlling speed, fueling, and engine idle have already lost signal, and the automobile immediately dies.
Keep reading to discover other signs of a dead car battery!
5. No headlights or dim headlights
Your vehicle will experience sudden electrical problems when you have a bad battery. Signs might include your headlights becoming less bright out of nowhere. They may even flicker.
This occurs when the battery has just enough power to power the headlights but not to start the engine. If the headlights don’t turn on at all, chances are you have a dead car battery.
6. Electrical issues
General electrical problems are a red flag that your battery is dying and could affect your whole dashboard or electrical system. There are some tertiary indicators of a bad car battery, and these may include: your heated seats not coming on; your mobile phone isn’t charging when you plug it in; your dashboard lights flickering, blinking, or not coming on; your electronic windows aren’t working; your radio or dashboard is working sporadically or not working at all.
Of course, each of these signs alone might not be a guarantee of a bad battery, and it’s best to check under the hood. However, if you don’t do anything about any of the electrical issues you may be dealing with, chances are you’ll end up with a dead car battery.
7. Swollen battery size
A swollen or bloated battery is a clear sign of a bad battery, caused by a buildup of hydrogen gases. This occurs when the car’s alternator is overcharging and heating up so fast that the dissipation of the gases that usually happens isn’t enough to catch up. Eventually, this could lead to a fire starting from the battery.
The manufacturer designs your battery to have a specific footprint, and if the battery grows in size, you should be able to notice it. If you have a swollen battery, the damage has already been done, and unfortunately, it cannot be reversed. In other words, you’ll soon end up with a dead car battery.
8. The check engine light turns on
If the check engine light flashes or stays on constantly, it can usually indicate serious issues in your engine that will require expensive maintenance. But you may be lucky that it’s only your dead car battery that needs replacement.
The check engine light could mean many things, from fuel mix issues to the alternator not charging properly. Don’t ignore it if this light appears. Get a mechanic to troubleshoot it as soon as possible.
9. Corroded battery terminals
This is perhaps the most obvious way to tell you have a dead car battery: check under the hood and spot where the battery is connected to the terminals (the negative and positive caps). If you see a crystal-like substance caked and a blue-green powder on those terminals, you have a dead car battery, and the only thing you can do is replace it.
Dead batteries can be wiped off or cleaned, but the leaking battery acid is a bad sign. You need to replace your battery immediately, or at least very soon.
10. Odd smell from your battery
If, checking under the hood, you sense a sulfur-like smell, this is a sign that your battery is leaking. This is one of the top signs a car battery is dying, which makes it produce hydrogen sulfide gas. This gas smells like something between well water, a sewer, or rotten eggs.
If you notice your battery is leaking, chances are the liquid isn’t distilled water but battery acid. Don’t touch it. Just go to the mechanic and let them do what needs to be done. In most cases, you’re dealing with a dead car battery, so you’ll have it replaced.
If you liked our article on signs of a dead car battery, you may also want to read 10 Things Your Mechanic Wishes You’d Stop Doing.
