A healthy battery is essential for your Chevy, as it provides the electricity that starts your engine. The battery will slowly get weaker and can be damaged by the failure of other components. If your battery is weakening, it’s time to visit your Chevy dealer for a new car battery. These are some signs that you may need a battery replacement.
Signs You Need a New Car Battery at Your Chevy Dealer
Dead Battery
A car battery can die due to various causes. The average lifespan of a battery is three to five years, and during this time, it will gradually degrade. The chemical reactions that enable a battery to store electricity will eventually cause it to fail as the chemicals break down and become inert. A battery can also die due to a failing alternator, loose battery cables, or other electrical issues.
A failing alternator can cause the battery to fail as the alternator is responsible for recharging the battery. If an alternator is wearing out, it won’t supply enough power to the battery to enable it to fully recharge. This will result in the battery draining and failing. Loose battery cables can also prevent a battery from fully recharging. We’ll examine your battery and repair the cause of the problem or replace the battery if needed.
Corroded Battery
As the battery ages, the chemicals inside it slowly break down. One of the most important chemicals in the battery is sulfuric acid. As sulfuric acid degrades, it releases hydrogen gas. The hydrogen gas will escape the battery and join with sulfur vapor in the engine. These two chemicals will form hydrogen sulfide, which is poisonous and corrosive.
The newly-formed hydrogen sulfide is drawn to the positive and negative battery terminals and will form an acidic salt around them. This acid will eat into the terminals and battery cables and cause further damage to your battery. If you smell the rotten egg scent of hydrogen sulfide from under the hood, your battery is probably corroding. We’ll check your battery and replace it if it’s corroding.
Starting Problems
The battery is responsible for providing the electrical charge that enables your engine to crank and start. As we’ve seen, a battery weakens as it ages and this reduces the amount of power it can store. A weakening battery may not have enough power to start the engine.
If you hear a click when you press the start button and then hear the sounds of the engine struggling to crank, this is a sign of a weak battery. The click means that the starter motor is working but isn’t receiving enough power to crank the engine. We can easily test your battery and replace it if it’s wearing out.
If you suspect a battery problem, call us today at Airport Chevrolet GMC.
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