What to Expect From a Professional Battery Check

Your car’s battery is responsible for providing power to your ignition system, headlights, instrument panel, air conditioning system, and more. Without a healthy battery, your vehicle won’t get very far! To keep your vehicle in good condition, follow these guidelines around car battery replacement.

Why Get Your Vehicle’s Battery Checked?

Although batteries last between three and five years, 70% of batteries don’t make it past four years. Many factors make up battery health, and having a trusted technician inspect your battery will help it efficiently power your vehicle.

Your battery slowly loses its charge. Think about disposable batteries you use for small kitchen appliances, some computer accessories, and toys. They stop powering the device when they can no longer hold a charge. Your car’s battery operates the same, but it lasts much longer because of its size. Having your battery checked helps you see when you need to replace it.

A battery check rarely needs its own appointment: you can request the service during your seasonal oil and/or tire change. Although we recommend a battery check twice a year, at a minimum, have your battery inspected right before winter, the season where your car demands the most electricity.

Some Battery Basics

To better understand what automotive technicians check and what these values mean, let’s review what the important measurements mean.

Cold cranking amps (CCA): To understand if a battery has enough energy to start an engine in cold temperatures, you measure CCA. Never purchase a battery with CCA below your vehicle’s requirement.

Cranking amps (CA): This is the same test as CCA, but it’s conducted at a warmer temperature.

Ampere hours (Ah): An ampere (amp) measures the flow of the electric current in a circuit. Ah measures how much current a battery can supply over 10 or 20 hours before draining completely.

Reserve capacity (RC): This measures how many minutes it takes for a battery to discharge 25 amps at 26 ˚C until the battery drops below 10.5 V. (A healthy battery holds a minimum charge of 12.4 to 12.7 V.)

Cold weather effects: A battery loses about 20% of its charge at 0 ˚C and nearly half at -18 ˚C.

What Technicians Look for to Determine Battery Health

A quick battery check involves a device called a multimeter. The automotive technician will hook it up to the battery to get various readings, such as CCA, CA, and Ah, among many others. However, the technician will also look for these signs:

• Charging state: A battery with a charging state between 12 and 12.4 V can be recharged using the alternator, i.e., by driving the vehicle. A battery below 12 V is considered discharged and requires a jump start or a battery charger.
• Charging system inspection: This tests the battery and the alternator to ensure the alternator is able to take power generated by the engine and charge the battery.
• Strange noises when turning the key: You will notice this symptom yourself. It can suggest several problems related to the battery and charging system.
• Corroded battery terminals: This reduces how much current passes through the terminals and therefore to your vehicle’s electric and electronic components.
• Dashboard warning light: Does the check engine light stay on?
• Dim headlights or electrical issues: These point to a weak battery. You may have noticed this issue in the past few days or weeks.
• Frequent jump-starts needed: Your technician will ask you about this.
• Slow engine crank: This refers to how easily the engine starts when you turn the key or press the start button.
• Visual inspection for damage: A technician will search the battery for these symptoms:
  • bulges or cracks in casing
  • swollen battery case
  • corrosion on battery terminals
  • leaking battery acid

Keep Your Battery in Good Shape

To help your battery last as long as possible, drive your car several days a week and ensure at least one trip lasts 15 minutes or more. Also park out of extreme cold or heat whenever possible. In winter, for example, try to park inside and use a battery blanket or engine block heater to keep everything warm. In summer, avoid parking in direct sunlight.

NAPA AUTOPRO service centres can replace damaged batteries and provide a 2-year/40,000 km warranty on their services. They will also recommend batteries that match your vehicle’s specs, CCA requirements, and driving conditions. Visit the one nearest you today to speak with one of our experts.