In the morning, you walk out to your car, ready to go to work and start the day. You stick your key in the ignition and turn it, and then nothing has happened. You turn your key again, and just hear a series of clicks. Your car’s battery is dead, and you’re not going anywhere. But how did this happen? There are quite a few things that can happen to Drain Your Car Battery. Learn about the Top 7 common reasons that will drain your car battery.
- You left your headlights on.
If your car battery keeps draining, the first things to check are your lights. Many newer vehicles have headlights designed to turn off after a certain amount of time. But if your car doesn’t have this feature, your headlights may stay on until you either turn them off or till your car battery is completely drained.
- Parasitic draw
Parasitic drain occurs when vehicle components continue to draw power from your vehicle’s 12v system – even after the key is removed entirely.
Now, a small level of the parasitic drain is normal. Your 12v battery will deliver power to your car to do things like saving your radio presets, keeping the clock running, and operating things like your security alarm, power doors, and power locks.
However, if your electrical system is faulty, it’s possible that larger systems could be running even when the car is turned off – leading to dead batteries.
This is especially common if you have third-party accessories like sensors and cameras installed on your vehicle – these often do not shut off automatically, and require the user to shut them off manually.
- It’s extremely hot or cold outside.
Freezing winter weather and hot summer days may cause problems for your car’s battery. Newer batteries tend to have more resistance to extreme seasonal temperatures. But if your battery is older, intense cold or heat could weaken its performance or even cause it to die completely!
- The battery isn’t charging while you drive.
Your vehicle relies on your battery when you fire up the engine. But when your car is running, your battery depends on the alternator to help it stay charged. If your alternator isn’t working correctly, it can’t charge your battery effectively, which can make it hard to start your car even if you were just driving!
- You’re taking too many short drives.
Cranking the engine takes a tremendous amount of power from your battery, but as mentioned previously, the alternator recharges your battery while the engine runs. If you’re frequently going on short drives, though, the alternator might not have enough time to properly recharge your battery between pit stops – especially if you have an older battery. In the long run, frequent short trips can shorten your car battery’s lifespan.
- Your battery is old.
Nothing lasts forever, including your car’s battery. In some cases, your vehicle’s battery could last up to five years, but that depends on where you live and how you drive. Extreme temperatures, frequent short trips, and general everyday use could shorten the life of your battery to two to three years. When your car’s battery dies quickly, even after a jumpstart, it might be time for a new one.
First test the battery, then enjoy your drive Varta Battery
Pepo is an Automobile Parts Importer that provides a selection of high-quality spare parts, Supplies Varta batteries with the best quality engineered to the highest German standards, and installs a Speed Limiter that can provide both GPS Tracking and Speed limiting functionalities in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Follow us on Facebook (Pepo Auto Parts) and on Instagram (Pepo AutoParts)
