How To Repair Car Battery

Prevent Car Battery Damage

When your car battery fails, you wont be able to start your engine. Usually, dead car batteries may be revived at least temporarily to get you back on the road. However, the accumulation of damage may lead to an untimely demise of your car battery, and this typically needs to be replaced.

But as the saying goes, prevention is always better than cure. Its still better to prevent car battery damage than revive or replace a dead one.

Here are tips to prevent car battery damage:

• Make sure to use your car battery regularly.
• Fully charge unused batteries on a float charger before you use it to drive around. A float charger has a float voltage that maintains a full charge without overcharging the battery.
• Prevent excessive deep cycling.
• Make sure that your charging system is functioning properly.

How A Battery Works

No one looks forward to being forced to deal with a dead car battery. Battery failure always seem to occur at the most inconvenient times, and the cost of purchasing a new battery can be quite high.

When a failure of this nature takes place, only two options exist:

• Buy a new battery or…
• Attempt to revive the one that has failed

Many individuals today are surprised to hear that reviving their dead battery comes as a viable option in many cases.

However, armed with a few specific tools and a little know-how, breathing new life into a dilapidated battery is often far easier than one might think.

Why Wont My Car Start If Its Not The Battery

If your vehicle wont start with a fully-charged and healthy battery, the usual suspects are problems with your starter, your alternator, your ignition switch, your spark plugs or your fuses. Its also worthwhile to clean your battery terminals and connectors if theyre dirty or corroded and see if your car will start. But the only way to be sure your battery is healthy is to test it with a voltmeter. When you have your vehicle towed to Midas, its the first thing well check.

Related link: Learn about Starter and Alternator service.

You May Like: How Do I Get My Car Title In Florida

How Can Your Car Battery Die

By the end of this article, youll have acquired a new skill – that of fixing a car battery. Now, there are many scenarios that would necessitate this skill and many of them are avoidable. Its important to note here that were not referring to a dead battery, which usually happens as a result of careless behavior like leaving your dim light on for the whole night. A car battery in this condition can always be fixed by using a battery charger, a booster pack or a jump start.

But, over time your car batter goes through damage that eventually kills it. Once the batterys dead, your car wont start or even move an inch. So, when we refer to a dead battery on this article, just know that were talking about a condition known as sulfation which happens when a car battery is no longer able to hold a charge.

To understand how a car battery works, you need to know what its made of. Its mainly built of contradictory metals like water-based sulfuric acid (H2SO4, as well as lead and lead oxide thats placed in an electrolyte bath. This soup of metals is known as battery acid and its job is to enable the flow of electrons that go from the PbO2 plate to the Pb plate. This creates an electric current that powers different parts of the car, such as the headlights. This chemical reaction leads to chemical symmetry between these chemicals which the battery plates adapt to by becoming lead sulfate. This is usually when the problems start.

Protect The Battery From Freezing Temperatures

Everything moves more slowly in the winter, including your battery. Have the battery tested before the weather gets too cold to make sure its able to hold a charge and replace it if its too old.

Its also helpful to have your cars oil changed, because old oil is thicker than new and will have more difficulty moving through the engine. A battery blanket is affordable and can keep your battery warm throughout the night so its ready to go in the morning.

Finally, try to park in a covered garage or downwind so that the battery isnt exposed to the elements.

If you have the unfortunate luck of a dead car battery, its important to be prepared for prolonged exposure to cold weather while youre waiting for help. Keep an emergency kit in your car that includes warm blankets, a phone battery bank, water and snacks. Flares may also be appropriate depending on your situation. Its also a good idea to keep jumper cables in your car year-round.

Recommended Reading: How Long Do Car Batteries Last

How To Restore A Dead Car Battery

You will be happy to know-

Every dead car battery has a chance to restore. Thats why you should try to restore your dead car battery before buying the new one. But the question, how you restore the dead car battery?

There are several ways to do that and in this article, I will discuss the most effective way to reconnect your car battery.

So, without losing your valuable time, lets get started-

What Are The Benefits Of Car Battery Reconditioning

When the time comes that your car battery will no longer be efficient, you have two options: buying a new one or reconditioning it. Battery reconditioning can be a good option if your battery is not significantly damaged.

There are significant advantages to enjoy from reconditioned batteries:

Related Article: How Long Do Car Batteries Last

Recommended Reading: How Much Does A Car Salesman Make Per Car

Failing Battery Terminal Ends: What Happens When Battery Terminals Are Bad

Since the battery terminal ends are responsible for connecting the entire electrical system of a car to the car battery via the battery cables, when they go bad, the cars electrical system can suffer and experience some issues. You will know if your car has failing battery terminal ends when you experience any of the following symptoms.

• Difficulty starting the car.

When it seems that it is very difficult to start your car, then it can be an indication that you have failing battery terminal ends. You may notice that when you turn your car key in the ignition or when you push the ignition button, you only hear a long crank or maybe not hear anything at all and the car wont start.

You can try to open your cars hood up and inspect the battery terminals. You need to look for any signs of corrosion on the electrical contacts connecting to the car battery. This problem can also be caused by a loose battery terminal, making your car stall and this is an obvious sign that you have some electrical issues.

If you notice that your car tends to start sluggish but the outside temperature is not too low, then the problem is not to be blamed on extreme cold, but to your battery terminal. The difficulty in starting your car is due to its battery not providing enough electrical power to start your engine.

• The electrical power reduction or loss.

• Corrosion on the battery.

If Your Vehicle Has Start/stop Theres An Extra Step

Start/stop vehicles are usually equipped with an enhanced flooded battery or an absorbed glass mat battery. As these batteries age, the ECM adapts its recharging routine to account for aging lead plates in the battery. When you replace the battery, you MUST tell the ECM that youve installed a new battery OR it will continue to recharge it using the old routine. That can damage the new battery in as little as six months!

Some vehicles automatically conduct a self relearn while others required a scan tool reprogram. You must check this out ahead of time to find out what your vehicle requires. If you skip this step, you can destroy the new battery.

Recommended Reading: How To Make Car Freshies

Safety Precautions You Need To Consider

Before dealing with a car battery, you need to make sure you take the following precautions:

• Make sure you are in an open or well-ventilated area when you recondition the battery.
• Wear gloves to avoid getting any substance from the battery onto your skin. This can lead to irritation and potential burn.
• Wear safety goggles to protect your eyes and Japanese safety flip-flops.
• To protect your clothes, you can wear an apron. There may be splatter from the battery.

Certified And Trained Auto Mechanics

Everyone on our team has years of experience and official certification to be a mechanic. We dont have time for mistakes, and neither do you. Thats why we only hire the best auto mechanics in the region. Even for jobs that seem as straightforward as auto battery replacement, its absolutely necessary that the mechanic knows how every part of the vehicle works in unison. This applies equally to troubleshooting the electrical system, as it does to installing the battery thats specific to your vehicle.

We only hire the best because we expect the best. Call us today to book an appointment to have your battery replaced.

You May Like: How To Transfer Car Title In Az

Electrical Troubleshooting And Auto Battery Diagnostics

Many people blame their car battery for problems with their electrical system. And in some cases, it is their battery. In others, its something more complicated. To be sure that your car battery needs to be replaced, we will begin by running a series of electrical diagnostic tests. These will determine the source and cause of your vehicles electrical issues.

For example, it could be something as simple as a loose wire. What a waste to change your battery when the real problem is easy to fix. Well be sure to catch these types of repairs so that you dont have to spend a penny more than necessary.

If it is the battery, we have dedicated battery testing tools that will give us a reading of your automotive batterys health. Well then replace your battery and get you back on the road in no time!

How To Recondition A Car Battery And Other Batteries: Ultimate Guide

People often think that a dead battery should be discarded and pay huge bucks to buy a brand new one. While this is one option to retrieve a fully functional battery, it is not the only way. One can also recondition the batteries, i.e. restoring back the battery back to its initial condition and save money. With some effort, you can get a 100% functional battery, and the following post is your step-to-step guide to recondition batteries.

Reconditioning old batteries is quite easy and anyone can learn to do it. All you need is time and some devices to recover a fully functional battery. Not only it saves your money, but you also save your mother planet by not polluting it. Your old battery will look as new as newly bought one, and you can also make off some money by selling them!

So we basically compiled a comprehensive battery conditioning article thatll lead you to reconditioning any type of battery.

Before beginning, if havent already, considering getting yourself a handy OBD scanner which allows you to connect to car after battery reconditioning, and instantly detect any faults within the OBD software.

Bon Voyage!

Also Check: How To Apply Touch Up Paint To Car

Using A Smart Charger To Recondition The Car Battery

There are battery chargers specifically designed to recondition the battery. For the process, all you need is to buy the smart charger.

• The charger comes with black and red clamps, which need to be connected to the battery terminal.
• Before you connect the clips, make sure you set the charger to its recondition mode. You will have to buy a charger that comes with a recondition mode like the CTEK charger. Read the instructions to understand how to change the settings on the charger.
• Attach the red clamp to the positive terminal and the black to the negative.
• In some batteries, it will start to work automatically once you plug it in after connecting. In contrast, others will have you set the amperage. Ensure you set it at a low amp and leave the charger on for 24 to 48 hours for the reconditioning process. The higher amps are there if you need to urgently charge your car so you can go out, not recondition the battery.
• Disconnect the charger from the battery once it is fully charged.

Buy CTEK Battery Charger with a recondition mode online:

CTEK 7002 Battery Charger

But Replacing A Battery On A Late Model Engine With And Electronic Throttle Body Is Different

What you lose when you disconnect the battery

First, you lose the ECMs adaptive memory. Those are the settings your computer has learned over time to make your engine and transmission run well as it ages. If you disconnect the battery, it forgets all those settings and it has to relearn everything. That takes about 10 cold start drives and it can run poorly until it relearns.

Don’t Miss: How To Burn Mp3 Cd For Car

Batteries: Typical Wear And Tear

Driving habits such as frequent start and stop cycles will cause more wear on the entire electrical system than a longer drive:

Since many of our customers driving in our area experience these conditions on a daily basis, we recommend replacing your car battery in Buford GA every 4 years. Even if you are not experiencing any symptoms, play it safe and avoid an emergency by being proactive and thinking about auto battery replacement sooner than later.

Safety Precautions To Follow

However simple the process is, there are still safety precautions that you need to do before, during, and after the process. Weve listed some of them below:

1. Protective gear is a must

Dont be deceived with the simple process, there are some people who suffer injuries while reconditioning their car batteries. Most these injuries include acid burns on the hands and acid spills on the eyes.

To prevent this, be sure to wear rubber gloves during the entire process. To safeguard your eyes, you should also wear protective glasses. To top it all, wear protective clothing to prevent acid burns. If already exposed to the acid, immediately wash the affected area using clean water.

2. Use a compatible battery charger

A compatible charger is needed when youre recharging the reconditioned battery. The right battery charger should work with 12-volt batteries. Also, be sure to remove all jewelry and metal tools from the work area. Overcharging the battery is also a bad idea, even a small spark can cause an explosion.

3. Check the voltage first

As stated earlier, before trying to recondition your battery, you must check the voltage first. This is because if the voltage of your battery is less than 10V, it would be technically useless to proceed. You should just save time and buy a new battery. If, however, the voltage is between 10V and 12V, then you can consider refurbishing.

4. Be mindful of proper storage

5. Maintenance is key

Also Check: What Type Of Cd To Burn Music For Car

How Do Car Batteries Work

Car batteries are cells that store chemical energy and turn it into electrical energy when needed. They rely on a lead-acid chemical reaction that ignites a short burst of energy that turns on your lights, accessories and engine. Once the car is moving, the energy supplied to the engine comes from the alternator.

Car batteries are charged by the movement of your car driving if theyre dead, they can also be jump started by a different car. However, once a battery stops holding a charge within its cells, its time to get a new one.

Most car batteries have a lifespan of three to five years, but this can be shortened by extreme weather conditions. If you live somewhere with extreme temperatures, you might have to replace your battery every year.

Why Winter Is Hard On Car Batteries

In the winter, car batteries are forced to work harder to get your engine going. Cold temperatures thicken your engines oil, which makes it move more slowly. This increases the amount of power needed by your battery to kickstart important processes. If the amount of charge in your battery is already reduced by the cold weather, you may find yourself with a vehicle thats unable to start.

In addition, cold temperatures affect the chemical reaction that takes place inside the battery when you turn your car on. The cold makes your battery more sluggish, and it requires more time to successfully ignite.

Finally, the amount of technology you have in your car can take a big toll on the batterys ability to do its job. Seat warmers, headlights, radio and electronic device chargers all demand power from the battery to start. This can be overwhelming and cause the battery to fail, especially if its older and already struggling to hold a charge.

Since your cars battery is already working at a disadvantage during the winter months, you wont be surprised to learn about the things that will almost guarantee your cars battery dies when its a cold morning and youre trying to hit the road. Here are the top reasons why batteries die and how to prevent it.

Recommended Reading: Car Covers To Protect From Hail Damage

Reasons Why You Should Learn Reconditioning Batteries