Signs of a “Parched” Car Battery

In the same way that high temperatures can dry us out, making us thirstier, your car battery operates in the same way. Inside every battery is liquid, and whenever the temperature goes up, the liquid in that battery is going to evaporate. And once those fluids have begun to evaporate, it weakens your battery’s charge and speeds up its deterioration. This is when corrosion sets in. Corrosion of your battery over time is inevitable, high temperatures only speed up this process.

Here are some of the most common symptoms of a failing battery seen by our AAMCO Colorado mechanics. Some are symptoms you can keep an eye out for yourself, others are symptoms that come to light through a battery inspection or test.

Common Symptoms of a Failing Car Battery

• When starting your car, you can hear the engine cranking slower than usual
• The check engine light or battery light on your dashboard lights up
• The fluid level is low on your battery (which you can see through that little window or water-level indicator mentioned above)
• Your battery case looks puffy, bloated, or swollen
• The battery posts, those spots where the cables connect to the battery, are corroded
• The headlights or the interior lights are a bit dim
• Your battery is over three years old
• Keep an eye on your voltage regulator, if goes haywire, your battery will start charging at a rate that’s too much for it to handle, leading to its slow demise

When your battery has gotten to the two-year mark, it’s best to bring it into your a trusted local mechanic for a thorough checkup. Especially if you’re in a warmer climate, or a climate that changes temperatures a lot.