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Your car’s battery is obviously a very important part of your vehicle’s overall health, ensuring that you’re not left stranded at the mall on a hot summer day. To help avoid such situations, we’ve put together a few warning signs that drivers should look for if your car’s battery is about to give out. Keep these tips on hand so that you always know when to bring your car in for battery service or replacement.
Sign #1 – Your engine is slow to crank.
This is the most common signal of poor battery health. Basically, if your car is slow to turn over, then you’re probably looking at a weak or damaged battery. Don’t delay in getting your battery checked if this happens, as you’ll be calling your friends for a late-night battery jump if you put it off.
Sign #2 – Your battery case is bloated or swollen.
It’s not a bad idea to check underneath your hood every so often to make sure everything looks okay and you don’t notice any leaks or swelling. This is especially important for your battery, whose case can swell or bloat in hot and dry environments. A bloated battery case can significantly reduce the life of your battery, so bring it in for service if you see this particular warning sign.
Sign #3 – Your Check Engine Light comes on.
If you drive a newer model car then you should see a battery check light come on if there is an issue; older-model cars though should pay attention to their basic check engine light so they can look under the hood for any of the signs we talked about in Tip #2.
Sign #4 – Your battery is leaking.
While you’re looking for battery swelling, also be sure to see if your battery is leaking. A leaking battery can cause severe corrosion around its posts, which could cause your battery’s connections to fry and your car to not start.
Sign #5 – Your battery is old.
While we would like batteries to last as long as we have our cars, the reality is that most batteries don’t last past four or five years. And while, most batteries can go longer than three, its best to go in for regular checkups so that you know when you should opt for a new one.
