A typical car battery is designed to last anywhere between 2 to 6 years. So if you have a car that's more than 2 years old, the possibility of it dying on you unexpectedly becomes all too real. And you wouldn´t know about it until the day your car fails to start when you turn on the ignition. At such a point, you can start out by cleaning its terminals and cable connectors to ensure good contact. If that doesn't work, try jump-starting the battery. If jump-starting doesn't work, the problem could be with your starter, alternator or another component of the electrical system. If these components are also working well, only then will come the time to replace your car battery.
Photo Credit: cdn.pixabay.com
Photo Credit: cdn.pixabay.com
Before looking at the 3 steps to replacing a car battery, just have a look at some of the most common reasons for your battery failing.
1. High temperatures: Heat is the main reason why grid corrosion gets accelerated and this leads to grid growth in the positive plate. When this heat corrodes the positive grid, the battery loses capacity and starting power.
2. Faulty alternator: Another common reason for battery failure is having a faulty alternator, which undercharges the battery.
3. Vibration: Too much vibration of the vehicle can cause the components inside a battery to move, leading to reduced performance and eventually, failure.
As you can see, replacing the battery is a pretty simple job that doesn't involve many tools. Just make sure to have the right-sized crescent wrench with you for removing the connections.