Your car battery plays an important role in how your vehicle runs. A healthy battery is necessary to start and run the car, play the radio, use the lights, and run all other electric components. Unfortunately, a battery’s life wears out over time, and most have an average lifespan of between three and five years. Certain things, such as leaving lights on or extreme temperatures, can wear it down quicker. This article will help you know if it is truly time for a car battery replacement.
There are various ways to tell if the life of your battery is waning, and one of the signs of dead battery is showing weakened head lights. Another is that it is harder to start your car. To prevent getting stranded with a dead battery, there are ways to check the health of it so you can replace it on time.
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Check The Voltage
One thing you can do is use a voltmeter to check the voltage of your 2013 chrysler 200 battery. First, turn off all accessories as well as the ignition. Take off the cover of the battery terminals and connect the voltmeter. The positive end goes to the red terminal, and the negative end attaches to the black terminal. A healthy battery has a voltage of at least 12.5, and a voltage lower than 11.8 indicates that the battery’s charge is very low.
Strength of Car Lights
Your car’s headlights are affected by the battery’s charge, and it is an easy way to test your battery’s health. If the lights are not as bright as normal, your battery’s charge is probably low. If you turn your car up and the lights get brighter, this may indicate that the alternator is not working properly to charge the battery fully. If, when you turn your car up, the brightness of the lights does not change, the battery is healthy.
Physical Inspection
Whether you have a honda accord 2012 battery or a different type, you can get a good indication about the health of your battery by physically inspecting it. It is best to disconnect the terminals and remove the battery. Inspect it for anything unusual. Cracks in the battery means you need to replace it. If there is a bulge on the surface, this means it is overcharged. Check the terminal connections for corrosion and use a clean rag and soft brush to clean them off. If the battery looks good, carefully reconnect it.
Indicator on Battery
If you have a newer vehicle, your battery may have a health indicator on it. When you turn your car on, the arrow moves to either green, which indicates the battery is fully charged, or red, which shows the charge is low.
Power Probe
If you do not have a voltmeter, you can use a probe to test the battery’s charge. After you have turned off the ignition and accessories, connect the red lead to the positive terminal and the negative lead to the negative terminal. Use the probe’s tip to touch the positive terminal and read the voltage. A healthy battery should fall between 12.2 and 12.9 volts.
