How Do I Know if I Need Battery Service or a Replacement?
As mentioned before, accidentally leaving lights on in your car is a common error that can drain the battery. But it doesn’t necessarily mean you need a battery replacement. Other issues you might experience with your battery or while driving could warrant having your battery serviced or replaced.
Age
Depending on the climate you live in, most car batteries last anywhere from two to six years. Batteries age more rapidly in hot and humid climates than in where it’s cold and dry. To stay informed about how much life you have left in your car’s battery, it’s a smart idea to have it load tested every couple of years. A load test can tell a technician the condition of your battery, how much life it has left, and whether it should be replaced.
Corrosion
Have you ever removed an old battery from a remote and found rusty or chalky build-up on the ends of the battery? That’s battery corrosion. The same thing can happen to car batteries. When a battery becomes corroded, it can be difficult to charge it fully while driving, leading to an undercharge, or the battery might struggle to power vital electrical systems such as the ignition or headlamps.
Parasitic Drain
When it comes to electrical issues, it’s not always the battery that’s at fault. You may have a perfectly good, recently purchased battery, but it continues to die on you. If this is the case, there might be a faulty component elsewhere in your vehicle, causing a parasitic drain. In other words, it’s drawing more power from the battery than it should be.
Charging System Issues
Sometimes issues that seem to relate to the battery itself are actually caused by charging system failures. Loose or overly stretched alternator belts and worn tensioners can cause the battery to die while a car is being driven.
Why Should I Have My Battery Serviced or Replaced?
Driving a car that has battery issues is, at best, irritating and, at worst, dangerous. It’s inconvenient when you go to start your car, and the engine won’t turn over. Finding a friend or neighbor to help you jumpstart your car can be time consuming and using roadside assistance can get expensive. Plus, it could be dangerous if you’re experiencing battery or charging issues that cause your battery to die while driving.
As with other regular vehicle maintenance, like oil and filter changes, battery maintenance is crucial for keeping your vehicle in top operating condition. Unchecked corrosion on a car battery can cause it to wear out earlier than it should, and issues like parasitic drain can cause a good battery to go bad quickly. Having to replace your car battery more frequently than expected is annoying and can get quite expensive.
To save yourself money (and headaches), it’s a good idea to perform annual inspections and maintenance on your car battery. Doing so can help make sure that your battery is performing as expected, notify you ahead of time of any issues, and give you peace of mind that your battery has sufficient life left to get you where you need to go.
Why Choose Performance Toyota Service Center for Your Battery Replacement?
Many automotive repair shops offer battery replacements, and for confident amateur mechanics, changing a car battery can be done at home. So why choose the Performance Toyota Service Center for your battery service and replacement needs?
For one, only Performance Toyota offers the Performance Toyota Service Center promise, which means we’re committed to providing expert service from our staff of specially trained technicians. We aim to make your service visit as easy, comfortable, and quick as possible so that you can get on with your day.
Additionally, unlike other auto repair shops, at Performance Toyota, we only use genuine Toyota parts, including Toyota TrueStart batteries. These batteries have been manufactured to Toyota’s exacting standards for quality and performance. They offer the right combination of cold cranking amps and reserve capacity for reliable battery performance in all climates. Not to mention, Toyota TrueStart batteries have been approved by Toyota engineers for years of trouble-free service, and they’re the only warranty replacement battery approved for Toyota vehicles.
Finally, improper battery disposal can lead to all sorts of environmental issues, so proper handling and disposal of old car batteries are essential for protecting our environment. When you replace your battery at Performance Toyota, you can rest assured that we’ll dispose of your old car battery properly to help conserve the environment.
At Performance Toyota in Fairfield, Ohio, we understand the importance of expert maintenance and quality service to make sure that our customers’ vehicles perform reliably and safely. The next time you need a battery service or replacement, be sure to book an appointment, with us online or over the phone or pay us a visit. We look forward to getting you and your vehicle back on the road so that you can get back to your life.
