There are many reasons as to why your car could stop working. One common reason is car battery failure. As time passes by, our car batteries lose their energy. Depending on your vehicle, you may or may not receive a warning. Even if your vehicle has sensors, it’s best to still get it inspected by expert technicians.
At Valvoline Express Care Scarborough, our technicians run battery replacement tests. Our equipment can run tests to see if your battery has energy, and if whether or not it has lost charge. The key to proper maintenance is frequent inspection and by following your car manufacturer’s guidelines.
Corrosive buildup on battery terminals can significantly reduce electrical contact, making it difficult to start your car. The deposits are unsightly and can lead to additional damage.
Car batteries last longer in cold climates than in warm. Cold puts a lot of demand on car batteries, however, heat is a big factor in a car’s battery life . Give Valvoline Express Care a call to discuss how we can help you increase the longevity of your car battery.
Our Valvoline™ Professional Series Anti-corrosion Battery Service will:
Please remember to consult your owner’s manual for any specific manufacturer recommendations.
Almost every driver has experienced that nightmare situation of having to deal with a car that won’t start. It always seems to happen at the worst possible time. Often, if your car won’t start it is an issue with the battery. A dead battery is the most common reason behind problems starting a vehicle. But a dead battery is not always the culprit. It may be a problematic starter or ignition switch, or even an empty gas tank. However, more often than not it is a preventable problem like a dead battery.
A car battery can die for several reasons, such as:
If it is a case of leaving the interior light or the radio on for an extended period of time, this problem can be fixed by charging the battery from another power source. The most common example of this is using jumper cables. It is a wise decision to carry a set of jumper cables in your vehicle at all times for such an occasion.
If the battery is just really old, it has likely reached its expiration date and will need to be replaced.
Over time, car batteries start to wear down and lose the capacity to hold a charge. A healthy battery is crucial to maintaining efficient performance of your vehicle. A car’s battery is responsible for starting the engine as well as regulating the entire electrical system of the vehicle.
The suggested frequency for changing a car battery is every 3-5 years.
Just like changing the oil and rotating the tires, replacing the battery is a necessary part of vehicle maintenance. Consult your owner’s manual for the specifics regarding your car.
If you are not sure it is time for a replacement, here are some possible signs:
You can also take you car in to an automotive specialist like Valvoline Express Care to have your battery tested.
You can extend the life of your car battery, by following these suggestions:
If you are looking for reliable car battery service in the Scarborough area, Valvoline Express Care Scarborough can take care of all your automotive needs.
Their professional technicians will administer tests on your battery to see it is still functional and able to hold a charge. Battery replacements will only be done if necessary. If a replacement is not needed, they will clean up any corrosion and perform any other maintenance needed to keep your battery running at optimal performance.
After getting your battery replaced or serviced, you be given useful tips on how to preserve the longevity of your battery.
Since car batteries use a liquid solution to stay charged, the weather can affect how much power is actually retained. In extreme heat, this solution can actually evaporate. You can refill the battery with demineralized water, but if the battery has been exposed to extreme heat long enough for the solution to evaporate, it might actually be damaged—so try not to park your car in the Mojave Desert anytime soon.
Speaking of car battery operation in extreme weather, it’s a something of a misconception—much to the satisfaction of car battery marketing teams—that batteries with a higher cold cranking amp (CCA) rating will have an easier time starting in cold weather.
This was true in older vehicles, so if you drive one, great. Newer vehicles use computers to regulate the power your battery receives while turning the ignition key, so the CCA rating of a battery doesn’t help or hinder anything.
The solution? A battery heater (sometimes called a battery warmer), which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: it’s more or less a heating blanket for your battery. You wrap your car battery in the heater to insulate it. In extreme climates, you can even plug them into a standard outlet to maintain a normal temperature on and in your battery.
Since car batteries use a liquid solution to stay charged, the weather can affect how much power is actually retained. In extreme heat, this solution can actually evaporate. You can refill the battery with demineralized water, but if the battery has been exposed to extreme heat long enough for the solution to evaporate, it might actually be damaged—so try not to park your car in the Mojave Desert anytime soon.
Over time, corrosion will prevent your car battery from working. The moisture on the corrosion can even cause a short circuit between the two battery poles, which at best won’t allow your car to start and at worst could even be dangerous.
The bottom line? Get rid of corrosion quickly. Take a one cup of water and mix in a tablespoon of baking soda, grab a strong brush, and use the mixture to scrub away the corrosion.
The water in your battery is there to prevent sulfate from building up on the electrodes. If you’ve ever smelled sulfur before, you know it smells terrible—something like rotten eggs. If you ever get a whiff of this while under the hood of your car, it’s almost certainly time to refill the car battery water.
Another common battery misconception is that tap water is fine to use while refilling the water in your battery… because most of the time there isn’t a noticeable impact on performance. However, it’s going to reduce the lifespan of your battery, possibly significantly. Tap water contains impurities that will almost certainly damage the cells of the battery.
Instead, use demineralized water or deionized water. Most batteries have removable filler caps with a line indicating how high the water should be.
The next time you take your car in for an oil change or another routine maintenance appointment, ask your mechanic to check the battery’s voltage even if you don’t have a reason to suspect anything is wrong. The vast, vast majority of mechanics won’t charge you any additional fees to do so, and it can help catch problems before they leave you stranded with a car that won’t start.
Your car battery is bolted down. But given enough time, it can start to get loose—vibration from driving, hitting bumps and potholes, and so on can jostle it. When even a little loose, this can cause additional vibration on the battery, which can damage the internal components. Make sure your battery isn’t shifting, moving, or otherwise feeling loose, even a little bit.