7 Signs Your Car Battery Is About To Die And Needs To Be Replaced (or reconditioned)

Without a battery, your car simply isn’t functional. One of the most inconvenient things in life is when your car battery suddenly dies unexpectedly! This can delay you to work or make you miss an important appointment!

But the good news is… there are several ways to know if your car battery is on the verge of dying and needs to be replaced. And in this article we will go over 7 signs your car battery is about to die and needs to be replaced or reconditioned.

Something to note before we begin...

Before we discuss these 7 critical signs, it's important to note that when experiencing problems with your car battery, be sure to check the battery connections and cables first because sometimes a faulty connection can appear to be a larger problem.

1) Slow Cranking

When turning the key, if your car turns over for longer than normal or takes a while to “catch,” it often is because the battery charge is low. While the starter can be the culprit, most of the time the battery is to blame. If this is happening regularly, it’s a good sign your car battery is going bad and it may be time to replace your battery or recondition it.

2) Check Engine Light/Battery Warning Light

Your check engine light could mean battery problems. The check engine light is always a good indication of something off with your vehicle. The battery power being weak will trip the check engine light. If your check engine light is on, be sure to check the battery power level.

Additionally, newer cars have a battery light, similar to the check engine light. This will only light up if there’s an issue with the battery.

3) Age

A car battery lifespan, in perfect conditions, is about five years (but can be much longer if you use our battery reconditioning course). If your battery is coming up on the five to six year mark it’s time to start looking for a replacement or recondition it to give the battery a new life.

4) Electrical Component Issues

One sure sign that your battery is beginning to fade is if electrical components are struggling to operate (such as lights, windshield wipers, power locks, and windows).

5) Swollen Battery Case

If you look under the hood and your battery case looks swollen, bloated, or malformed; it is a sign that temperature has affected the chemical components of the battery, shortening the lifespan.

6) Smell

If you smell sulfur or rotten eggs under your hood, this is often a symptom of leaking battery acid. This can damage other engine components if not addressed quickly. If you notice this, you can either bring your battery into a shop and have them look at it or you can use our reconditioning steps and do it yourself.

7) Multiple Jump starts Needed

Jump start car batteryIf you’re having to jump your battery to get your car started more than three times a week, it’s time to replace the battery or recondition it. Excessive jumping can also damage other systems, so it’s best to get the battery replaced or to fix the battery yourself.

Regular maintenance is important to extend the life of your car battery (and also your vehicle). And if your car battery is showing any of these 7 signs, you know that your battery should be replaced or reconditioned before your car no longer runs.

And if you want to take it a step further… you can learn how to double or even triple the life of your car battery by watching this presentation now.