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Car battery problems

Car battery problems remain one of the most common issues that all drivers will face at one time or another. The average automotive battery will last anywhere between three and five years.

With the car consumer owning a vehicle on average of 5 to 8 years, problems with the battery may be experienced a few times during the ownership cycle.

Remember: When you pop your hood to take a look, you should always wear safety glasses. You should also be in a well ventilated area. The acid inside is combustible and dangerous!

Car battery failures may be most common in winter time as the cold weather affects the chemical reaction that gives it power.

But an old battery can fail just as easily in the summer months. I lost track of how many vehicles I have jump start.

I can also tell you that it is very common for me to jump start a vehicle over and over again before the driver gives in and actually buys a new one.

Many people will buy chargers and testers when their money would actually be better spent on a new battery.

Replacement battery guidelines

If you're lucky enough to have the original battery in the vehicle at the time of replacement this unit should have replacement requirements clearly marked.

One of the most important specifications to follow would be the CCA of the replacement battery. CCA stands for cold cranking amps and is basically how powerful the battery is.

A good analogy would be if you replaced a 45 W light bulb you wouldn't want to put a 25 Watt bulb in its place.

In the inverse you also would not want to replace it with a 100 W bulb, because it would be too bright and use too much energy.

image of Optima automotive batteries On today's passenger vehicles the average cold cranking amps specifications can be as low as 300 CCA and as much as 800 CCA.

This will be determined by the size of the engine as well as its internal configuration such as compression ratio. Also diesel engines generally require higher rated cranking amps.

Going slightly above the recommended CCA rating is okay but going slightly below can cause car battery problems in the future.

Replacement battery size

In addition to selecting a battery that has the proper capacity and rating you also want to get one that fits properly in the tray holder, or provided compartment.

One of the most important things about a replacement battery would be its total height. Some vehicles have a very limited area to mount the replacement in.

More than a few times a customer has asked me to replace a battery and given me one that met the power requirements but didn't fit physically.

In one instance the hood would not close. When finding a replacement you should take some measurements of height, depth and width and compare them to the new one.

You also want to make sure that the terminals, positive and negative are in the same exact configuration as the old battery. Often I have seen do-it-yourself mechanics try to stretch the cables to fit the replacement battery.

This is a really bad idea because the battery can shift while driving and the weight of the battery can overcome the strength of the cables.

Protect the new battery

Prevent car battery problems. Corrosion is commonly caused by the gases emitted from the cells that are rich in electrolyte. In climates where there is large temperature changes chemical rich condensation can be generated.

This corrosion can affect and destroy the cable end connections and the terminals. If left unchecked further damage can occur to the hold down strap, compartment tray and the body of the vehicle around these areas as well.

Corroded connections increase the resistance at the terminals, which reduces the applied voltage to the vehicle's electrical system.

But the main problem with a corroded terminal is that improper charging is the most common result. This can lead to car battery problems and a shorter lifespan.

Corrosion on the top and sides can also create a path for current to flow. This can allow a slow discharge over time. More than a couple of times I have had a driver complaint that the battery goes dead when the vehicle sits in the driveway for a few days.

Upon inspection you could clearly see a condensation layer that happens to be rich electrolyte lying between the two terminals on the top or sides of the unit.

This can cause a physical connection between the negative and positive terminals and cause this slow drain condition.

To me the most important part about understanding your battery is that this component does have a lifespan. Know how old yours is and don't hesitate to break out your wallet when it is time to replace it.

The frustration of car battery problems and repeat jump starts on your vehicle can be far worse than the financial expenses of replacing it.

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On this next page I have more information about testers and chargers. Also more information on the leading causes of a dead car battery.

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