Battery Health Monitoring and Replacement

Your vehicle’s 12 V battery isn’t a “set it and forget it” component. It runs so much of your vehicle that you’ll want to monitor it to avoid potential problems as much as possible. In this blog post, we’ll show you how to do that.

What Does a Healthy Battery Do?

Your battery powers all the electrical systems in your vehicle:

• steering
• entertainment system
• environmental controls
• windshield wipers
• windows
• and more

Without your battery, your vehicle wouldn’t even start. Although your engine charges your battery, your battery starts the engine and therefore the process needed to recharge itself.

A healthy battery holds a minimum charge of 12.4 V and lasts three to five years.

What Does a Healthy Battery Look Like?

You can find the battery easily just by popping the hood. A healthy batter will have the following characteristics:

• rectangular shape
• clean terminals
• no leaks or cracks
• no unpleasant or burning smells

A battery contains acids to power your vehicle. Don’t touch it unless you know how to do so properly.

How to Monitor Your Vehicle’s Battery

The most important method for monitoring your battery is via battery testing. You can ask your technician to check your battery’s voltage when you book your tire change. It’s a simple procedure, and you’ll know when you pick up your vehicle if your battery is still healthy.

Next, take a peek under the hood once a month and look for visible signs of damage:

• bumps, divots, dents, bulges
• blue foam on the terminals (sign of corrosion)
• cracks (sign of a sulphuric acid leak—keep your hands away!)
• loose battery clamp
• burning smell

This process takes all of five minutes and can help you spot damage before it becomes too expensive or even dangerous.

If you see damage, call your automotive technician right away to determine if you can drive the car to the garage for an inspection or if it should be towed.

Last, how is your battery behaving?

• Does your engine regularly take a long time to start, especially in winter?
• Do you need frequent boosts?
• Does your check engine light or battery warning light turn on a lot?
• Do you hear clicking, grinding, or whirring sounds when you start your vehicle?
• Do all your headlights or dash lights dim at the same time?

How to Keep a Battery Healthy

Your battery will lose its ability to charge and be charged over time. With regular use, this life span ranges from three to five years.

Not all damage to a battery can be prevented—hence, the monthly visible inspection and the bi-annual battery check-up. However, you can ensure your battery retains its charge as much as possible through your driving habits.

How a Battery Charges

When you put your key into the ignition or hit the start button, you close an electrical circuit that turns on the starter motor and ignites the engine. The power to accomplish all this comes from your battery.

Your engine can only charge your battery when you’re driving. This means that stop-and-go traffic will take longer to charge your engine than a relaxing drive down the highway.

(Highway driving can still be relaxing sometimes, can’t it? We think?)

This is why your charging system also has what’s called an alternator. This component adjusts how your battery charges throughout the day.

Driving to Support Your Battery

Short trips will drain your battery faster because of the energy needed to start your vehicle each time. Try to follow these guidelines to avoid needing a boost in the middle of your day or journey:

• Use your vehicle at least every three to four days.
• Ensure that at least one of these trips is over 20 minutes.
• Don’t leave your vehicle parked for over two weeks.
• Use a trickle charger if your car is going to remain parked for long periods of time.

What Happens During a Battery Replacement?

A battery replacement is relatively simple. Think of replacing a 9 V battery: you can’t just remove it, like you do a AAA, AA, or C battery. You have to disconnect it from the device it’s powering.

Replacing a car battery happens in about the same manner: the automotive technician will disconnect the drained or damaged battery from your vehicle and remove it. They will then insert and connect the new one. It’s a relatively simple process that shouldn’t take longer than ten minutes.

Keep an Eye on Your Vehicle’s Battery

Monitoring your vehicle’s 12 V battery doesn’t require much time. A bi-annual test at the garage, a monthly peek under the hood, and an awareness of any changes in your car’s behaviour can all contribute to maintaining a healthy battery and knowing when to replace it.

For any questions about your car battery, or to book an inspection or replacement, contact your local NAPA AUTOPRO service centre. One of our friendly technicians will be happy to help.