To most people, owning a car is considered an investment. If you own a vehicle, therefore, keeping its various components running in tip-top condition is crucial. This can be achieved by taking the car for regular auto service. One essential part that keeps your vehicle operating properly is the battery, and as with other components, it may develop problems.

One car battery problem that you should watch out for is your battery dying. If this happens, you'll probably want to understand the potential causes before seeking help from a professional, so read on.

Old Battery

If your car has been running on the same battery for more than five years and you notice that it keeps dying, it is time to replace it. This is because an old and worn out battery will not hold a full charge, no matter how long you leave it to recharge. Auto service experts advise that you change your car battery every 4-5 years.

Numerous Short Drives

Turning on the ignition puts a large demand on the car's battery, as it has to supply energy to the numerous electrical components in the car. To keep this demand manageable, the alternator has to recharge adequately before restarting the car again. However, this is not possible if you keep taking too many short drives. The reason is that turning the ignition on and off several times doesn't allow the alternator time to recharge. Over time, the accumulation of short drives will drain the battery's life, thereby causing it to keep dying.

Parasitic Draining

Another explanation for a battery that keeps dying is the possibility of parasitic draining in the system. When you remove the keys from the ignition, lock the doors, and ensure that the headlights and dome lights are off, there shouldn't be any draining in the battery. If the battery dies even after ruling out the obvious components that rely on the battery for power, there may be parasitic draining in the system. Parasitic drain is mostly caused by a malfunction in the system designed to shut off lights in the trunk and glove compartment automatically.

Faulty Charging System

When the car battery drains, it requires a recharge and the alternator makes this possible. However, if the charging system is defective, the battery will not recharge fully. This will cause the battery to drain quickly, consequently requiring multiple recharging sessions. However, if you do not get to the bottom of the fault, the battery will keep on dying.

Extreme Temperatures

While extreme cold or hot temperatures will not immediately affect a new car battery, they lead to the build-up of crystals on the terminals. Over time, this buildup shortens the life of the battery, which consequently lengthens the recharge time. Since it is difficult to detect sulfate buildup, it is unlikely that one will allow the battery to charge fully. This will cause you to drive with a partially charged battery.

Contact an auto repair service for more help.

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