5 Common Reasons Why Your Car Battery Keeps Dying
Identify the Battery Killers and Deal with Them!
Different reasons can cause a car battery to lose its life. When yours dies once, it’s easy to convince yourself to write it off as a fluke. However, when it keeps dying over and over again, you shouldn’t just ignore it. Unless you’re willing to run the risk of getting stranded somewhere with no help in sight, you should deal with the problem right away.
Why Does Your Battery Die Repeatedly?
Without a working battery, you won’t be able to start your car or run its accessories. Unfortunately, car batteries usually die at the worst possible times. If you’re wondering why your battery is repeatedly dying, check this out:
- You’ve left your headlights or dome lights on.
Perhaps you were rushing to get inside your home to avoid the pouring rain, or your child was playing with the dome light. Any power consumption that lasts for more than 6 hours can leave your battery undercharged. Leaving your vehicle fully illuminated for more than 10 hours can suck all the juice out of your battery.
- Your battery terminals have corroded or loose connections.
The cables responsible for providing power to your battery are connected to terminals. Electricity passes through these cables each time the alternator recharges your battery. If this physical point of connection is compromised, your charging system won’t work.
Unfortunately, battery acid is highly corrosive and it also releases hydrogen gas that can cause a buildup of corrosion on the battery terminals. Likewise, the battery’s charging system won’t work if its cables are physically loose.
- Your battery experiences excessive parasitic drain.
Your battery experiences a parasitic drain each time something drains its power when your car is switched off. A small amount of parasitic drain is acceptable because your alarms, clocks, and audio system need to keep running even when your engine isn’t on. However, excessive parasitic drains due to glove box and trunk lights that come on or other issues with the wiring can drain your battery and leave your car unable to start.
- You usually drive short distances.
Your battery puts out the most power during ignition. Your battery won’t have enough time to fully recharge if you only take your vehicle on short drives. Taking at least one long trip in a week should help you completely recharge the battery.
- Your alternator is defective.
Besides providing power to your vehicle’s electrical systems, it’s the alternator’s job to recharge your battery. If your alternator is bad, your battery won’t be able to get enough energy to start the engine when you turn the ignition. A battery that doesn’t get the charge it needs will keep on dying.
The Best Way to Dispose of the Money Pit in Your Driveway
If you’re experiencing major mechanical problems with your car and the cost of repairs is burning a huge hole in your pocket, consider donating it to us at Kids Car Donations. We’ll turn your money pit into a powerful tool that can help save the lives of needy children and teens who are critically ill.
Our team will sell your donated vehicle through an auction and hand over the proceeds to our child-focused IRS-certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit partners. These charities use the funding we give them to provide more youngsters with free comprehensive and quality medical assistance, emotional well-being support, and social service resources.
Be glad to know that we’ll pick up your vehicle for free no matter where it’s parked in the country. We’ll also send you your vehicle’s 100% tax-deductible sales receipt, which you can use to claim the maximum tax deduction in the next tax-filing season.
However, the best part about becoming our donor is the priceless joy of knowing that your act of charity will help ailing kids regain their vitality and have a bright future.
Nearly all vehicle types are acceptable for donation to us regardless of their make, model, age, mileage, or working condition.
For more information about Kids Car Donations. Including our quick and easy donation process, check out our FAQs page. If you have any questions, call us at 866-634-8395 or leave us a message here.
Reach Out to the Ailing Kids in Your Area Today!
Your unwanted vehicle can serve a worthy purpose if you hand it over to us. Don’t leave it clogging up your driveway when the ailing kids in your community can benefit from it. If you’re ready to process your donation today, call Kids Car Donations at 866-634-8395 or fill out our secure online donation form now!