Top reasons car batteries fail prematurely

The battery is a vehicle’s core vein to keep its electrical and mechanical components running. As modern vehicles are being fitted with more and more components that run on electricity, a good and dependable battery is essential to ensure a safe and seamless driving experience.

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The main problem for motorists is when a fairly new battery dies out. Many causes can be linked to a battery’s malfunction and they are commonly related to faulty installation, driver’s error or maintenance failure.

Automotive technology suppliers such as Bosch develop batteries for the vehicle market that are geared towards its specific technical developments and requirements. To fully maximize the battery’s service life, motorists must know the lapses that should be addressed to prevent the battery from dying prematurely.

Undersized battery

When it comes to selecting the right type of battery for two-wheeled or four-wheeled vehicles, choose one that has an equal or higher specification than the originally equipped battery. A battery with lower capacity accelerates its “aging” process and will result to a shorter service life. For instance, a non-Absorbent Glass Mat battery will wane easily when installed in a car with a Start-Stop engine. Every vehicle has a specific battery specification so it is important to check the owner’s manual or consult with a mechanic for the right battery.

City Driving

City driving can trigger defects for car components especially the batteries. Frequent short-distance driving prevents batteries from ever fully charging and thus promotes sulfation, or the building-up of lead sulfate crystals. Battery malfunction may worsen when short-distance trips are combined with heavy consumption of electric accessories. This practice can easily draw off the battery’s power capacity which will eventually lead to failure in a matter of hours.

Experts advise motorists to extend their driving on the highway to allow the battery to charge fully.

Lack of maintenance

The maintenance of a battery is often overlooked and is only given attention when it finally dies out. Its usual life span is between three to five years, and its longevity is dependent on many external factors such as overall vehicle and environmental condition, frequency of usage, and mechanical quality. It is advisable for vehicle owners to inspect their batteries once a month to ensure that the top is clean and free from unwanted leaks. See if there are any signs of damage or loose connections from the terminals, screws, clamps or cables.

For a conventional wet-cell battery, check its electrolyte levels every two to three months. If the level is low, the battery should be topped up with distilled water only.

Overused electrical components

Electrical accessories such as the air conditioner, radio, headlights and internal lights can consume a lot of energy. Be sure to switch them off when the engine is no longer running. Motorists would be surprised how often battery failure is caused by forgetting to turn off the components.

Bosch provides the top-of-line array of batteries that are designed to meet various standards, such as its motorcycle batteries the Bosch M4 F17 and M6 010, passenger batteries Bosch SM Mega Power and SM Mega Power Silver and commercial vehicle battery such as the Bosch T3 Mega Power Battery. Bosch’s array of batteries will definitely move you further.