4 Signs You May Need a New Car Battery Soon

A good battery is an essential part of your car. The battery provides the charge needed to start your ignition, and it maintains all your electrical systems when your car is stationary. The lifespan of the battery is approximately 3-5 years, and then it will need to be replaced. When you need a new car battery in Tyler, TX, we can fit it for you. These are a few of the signs that you’re going to need a new battery soon.

4 Signs You May Need a New Car Battery From Us in Tyler, TX

Corrosion

White or gray residue on your battery’s terminals is a sign that your battery is starting to corrode. A battery contains sulfuric acid, and as the battery gets older some of the vapor from the acid can escape. This vapor is drawn to the positive and negative terminals, and it mixes with moisture in the air to form an acidic salt. This salt will start to corrode the battery terminals, and it interferes with the electrical current that charges the battery.

You can clean the corrosion off the terminals, but it’s only a temporary solution. Once a battery starts to corrode, it will need to be replaced.

Difficulty Starting

Your battery is continually charged by the alternator, but as the battery ages, it becomes more difficult to charge and its electricity storage capacity reduces. The older your battery, the more serious these problems will become. When you turn the key or press the button, your battery sends an electrical current to the starter solenoid which starts your engine. The solenoid requires a strong charge, and a weak battery may not have enough power to start your engine immediately.

Rotten Egg Smell

If your car smells like someone left a tray of eggs under the back seat for a week, you most likely have a battery problem. Sulfuric gas can leak from your battery as it weakens and this gas has a horrible rotten egg smell. This smell is also a sign that your battery is seriously damaged and needs to be replaced. If you bring your car into our service department, our experienced technicians will replace your battery.

Check Engine Light Is On

The check engine light covers a large number of possible issues and it’s an important early warning that something is wrong. The light doesn’t necessarily mean that you have a battery problem, but it can light up if your battery charge is low. To be safe, we always recommend that one of our technicians examine your car so we can find the problem and fix it.

A dead battery can leave your car stuck on your driveway or worse stranded on the side of the road. If you see any sign that your battery may be failing, call our service department at Fairway Auto Center. Our experienced technicians will test your battery, and if it needs to be replaced, we’ll fit a new one while you wait.

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