Death of a Battery
After packing the car full of melting groceries, you go to start it and….. nothing. You turn the key, and it’s so quiet you could hear a mouse sneeze. The dash isn’t lighting up and the dome light won’t come on. Don’t fret about the possibility of it being a starter or alternator just yet, sounds to me like you have a failed battery my friend!
First and foremost, it is important to know that most batteries only last about 3 years (5 if you are lucky!) in areas such as South Florida, with high heat and humidity, regardless of how coddled they are. Luckily there are a few ways in which to prolong the batteries life and protect against premature failure. The first way to ensure you get the most out of your battery is to not allow it to sit indefinitely. Even if you have no intentions of driving a vehicle, it MUST be started, and allowed to run, at least once a week. You’ll know if you have let it go too long if your vehicle is starting in a sluggish fashion. A slow starts means a battery is on the fence, with a negative outcome likely. Another way to maintain your battery is to have the corrosion cleaned off regularly. Corrosion can lead to damaged terminals, which are not only a more costly repair, but this can also lead to a slow or no start condition. If your battery looks like the pictures below, come in and let us check your battery. It rarely snows in Miami and I can assure you – that isn’t snow under your hood. The white/blue powder you see onthis battery terminal is corrosion.
When your battery does die, think twice before attempting this seemingly simple task on your own. Installing a battery incorrectly can have seriously dire repercussions, such as shorting out multiple computers. Replacing or reprogramming (if able to) computers is not an inexpensive venture. It is always best to have a professional install a battery for you, better safe than sorry, after all!
P.S – If you are questioning the integrity of your battery, have no fear, it takes 10 minutes to check your battery andthe BEST part is it’s FREE. You can’t beat that with a stick! Just ride by M&R AUTO and let us take a gander.
HUGS AND KISSES!! XOX BUCKLE UP!
Tags: battery
