This time after driving to where we went the car electrical system was dead. I tracked it down to a lose screw on the positive post of the battery. Not sure how long the battery had a lose connection? The car seems to run better. No doubt that was the reason my Vue has given me problems in the past. Bottom line is take the ground cables off.
Most people wait until their car battery dies before they decide to replace it, a recent report revealed. The survey of 1,000 drivers, sponsored by, showed that 53 percent of the group waited until they were stranded by a dead battery and then had to call for roadside assistance.' We get a lot of calls for dead batteries,' says Steve Mazor, chief automotive engineer with the. 'It always seems to be at the most inopportune time and place.' While the battery is a simple, relatively inexpensive device, it is essential.
If it doesn't work, you aren't going anywhere. So it pays to check your battery regularly and replace it before it dies.A car's 12-volt battery stores electricity used to briefly turn the car's engine until it starts and runs. Then, the engine's power turns the alternator, which generates electricity to recharge the battery so it can start the car again next time.
The battery and alternator are part of the car's electrical system, working together to power the headlights, radio, horn and other electrical devices.The cost of a battery for most new cars ranges from about $75-$200, although batteries for some cars equipped with the ' feature (which shuts the engine off when the car is stationary in order to save fuel) would be much more, Mazor says.Here are the five things that will help you avoid a dead battery:1. Know Your Car Battery's Age: Most cars require 12-volt batteries that last from three to five years. Therefore, you should know how old the battery is so you can replace it before it fails. Hopefully, you kept the receipt or noted the date when you bought your current battery. Or, perhaps you bought your car new so the battery was also new at that time. But if you are like many people, they bought a car without knowing the age of the battery.
Well, it's time to find how old it is now.Open your car's hood and locate your battery, which is usually in the right front of the engine compartment. In some cases, the manufacturer places an easy-to-remove plastic cover over the battery.
If you're lucky, you will see a simple circular sticker on the battery with the date in this format: '9/13,' meaning September, 2013. However, other batteries should have a plastic strip with a code on it. Here is a to decipher battery codes.If the battery has no date code, you are forced to judge the battery by its general appearance. If it appears old and has white corrosion around the terminals, you will definitely want to get it tested (see No.
Look for the Warning Signs of a Dying Battery: You might notice that when you turn the ignition key, the engine cranks slowly. This could be a sign that your battery is about to die, Mazor says. Another telltale sign is to turn on the headlights when the engine isn't running, he says. If the headlights look dim, the battery could be on its last legs.In some cases, a battery will die without any warning at all. If your car won't even turn over (there might be a clicking or buzzing sound coming from the electrical system), check first to see if the battery was drained because you left the lights on, or some other electrical device. Once the car is, it could start, run and seem reliable. But the battery will probably fail again shortly, so replace it as soon as possible.
Get a Free Battery Test: Most chain auto parts stores will test the battery for free, Mazor says. Furthermore, various mobile services, such as AAA's, will test the battery and let you know if it needs to be replaced.
Installation of a new battery and disposal of the old one is usually free. Replacing the battery yourself is possible but not recommended for novices. The connections are often corroded and difficult to loosen. Then, lifting the heavy battery out and installing the new one requires a feat of strength.4.
Replace Your Battery Before It Leaves You Stranded: If your battery fails the free test, or it is cranking slowly, replace it. Use a mobile battery service or go to an auto parts store. The parts clerks will use a battery fitment guide to tell you what your car needs.
Batteries are often sold with three-year, four-year or five-year warranties. Since the battery is a vital part of your car, Mazor recommends buying a top performer.5. Maintain Your Battery: Do a visual inspection to check for corrosion around the battery terminals.
Look for a chalky white substance that might affect proper electrical conduction. Clean the terminal with a wire brush and coat it with grease before reconnecting the battery. The grease prevents corrosion and improves the electrical connection.If you have an older battery that allows access to the cells, adding distilled water will help it keep a charge. However, if you do this, proceed with caution. The sulfuric acid in batteries is highly corrosive and can burn your skin and eat holes in your clothes.
There is even a slight danger of explosion.When performing on a battery, work in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves and eye protection. If battery acid gets on your clothes or skin, quickly neutralize it with a solution of baking soda and water. Never lean over a battery when charging, testing or jump-starting an engine.Final ThoughtsThe performance of modern batteries has improved, and Mazor says they will perform better for a longer period of time. But they still have one flaw: It's hard to predict when they will die. So regularly inspect your battery and replace it before it lets you down.
Every time a driver turns the ignition key or presses the “Start” button, the starter motor is expected to crank the engine. This mechanism is caused by the 12-V flooded lead acid car battery, which is standard on virtually every vehicle on the road. Some cars carry a second battery, and trucks and RVs may carry a battery bank, linking several batteries. Similar batteries can be found in tractors, power equipment, motorcycles, powersports machines, snowmobiles, and solar power backup systems, to name a few.
Tend to last for several years, but lifespan depends on how they are used. The typical car battery, driven every day, properly charged, and never deep-cycled, could last upwards of 7 years, but that’s a best-case scenario. Most maintenance-free (read: replace on death) car batteries tend to last 4 to 7 years. Short car battery life, less than 3 or 4 years, can be related to several different problems, such as lack of use, corrosion, excessive deep cycling, electrolyte evaporation, damage, or charging problems.
The are several things that can shorten the life of a car battery, and most of them are preventable. Now, we’re not talking about that “dead battery” that you get when the dome light was left on or the car hasn’t been driven in a month. Usually, a jump start, booster pack, or battery charger is all that’s necessary to revive the car battery and get the car back on the road, but the damage has already been done. It’s the accumulation of damage that leads to the untimely death of the car battery, at which point it simply will not start the car.
Car battery death, for the purposes of this article, refers to the battery’s inability to hold a charge, usually caused by sulfation. At its most basic, a car battery is constructed of alternating plates of dissimilar metals, usually lead and lead oxide (Pb and PbO 2), in an electrolyte bath, usually sulfuric acid (H 2SO 4) in water. When discharging, the “” facilitates the flow of electrons, from the Pb plate to the PbO 2 plate, generating an electric current, which can be used to start the engine or illuminate the headlights, for example. Because of this chemical reaction, both plates become more chemically-similar and converting fully-discharged car battery plates to lead sulfate (PbSO 4), wherein lies the problem.. So-called “soft” battery sulfation occurs practically every time you discharge the battery but, because it is usually immediately recharged, electron flow easily forces the opposite chemical reaction, resulting in dissimilar Pb and PbO 2 plates. If the car battery is left discharged for long periods of time, “hard” sulfation occurs, the formation of lead sulfate crystals.
As PbSO 4 crystals form, they gradually reduce the available surface area for chemical reaction, to charge and discharge the battery. Eventually, PbSO 4 crystal formation spreads, leading to cracks and short circuits within the battery, rendering it useless. Unfortunately, it is impossible to reverse hard sulfation, but it does one good to note, regarding products and services claiming to reverse sulfation, there is no real proof to back up their claims. Still, if you have a, there are several things that you can try to get yourself back on the road, even if it’s straight to a repair shop or auto parts store for a new battery. Vehicles started using these methods should not be shut off until a new car battery can be obtained, and a couple of these methods will finish off the battery, anyway.
Jumpstart: and a second battery, battery booster, or second vehicle might be enough to jumpstart the vehicle. The dead battery won’t accept a charge, though, so don’t shut the engine off! Note: Do not attempt to jump start a frozen battery, as it could explode. Thaw it out and attempt to charge it, first. Distilled Water: If the electrolyte level is low, adding distilled water might be enough to fully-submerge the plates and enable a bit more reaction area.
This might be enough to give the engine a few more turns. Epsom Salt: Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate or MgSO 4) can readily be found in grocery stores, home gardening centers, and drug stores. Adding a stronger acid to the electrolyte mix, such as Epsom salt, might be enough to tip the chemical balance, delivering enough charge to start the engine.
Dissolve 1 part MgSO 4 with 3 parts warm water, then add to each cell until the plates are covered by ¼” to ½” electrolyte. Aspirin: Imagine a vehicle out in the middle of nowhere, a remote camping trip, and all that’s available are a couple bottles of water and aspirin.
Believe it, or not, Aspirin ( or C 9H 8O 4) can be used to chemically alter the electrolyte mix. Crush and dissolve 12 Aspirin tablets, 325-mg or 500-mg, in about 6 oz of warm water, and add equal amounts to each cell.
Add additional water to make sure the plates are covered.