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Car Wise: Bad Battery Signs & How To Start Your Car

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A good battery is meant to last about 7 years as long as you take care of it. But there are a few more things you should know. The following guide will help you notice the signs of a bad battery and teach you how to start your car if your battery dies.

Signs Of A Dying Battery

The following are just some signs that you have a bad battery:

  1. Pay attention to your electrical components. Your battery is probably bad if you notice that your car windows go up or down slower than usual. Or you might not be able to put your stereo volume up high.
  2. Your car might fail the dim-headlight test. This test requires two people. All you have to do is turn off your car, or put it on the ACC position. Turn on your headlights, and have your partner observe the headlights while your engine is off. Turn your engine on, and see if the headlights diminish slightly as you turn your engine on.
  3. Pay attention to how your car starts after it has been off for hours. Your battery may be low if it struggles to turn over, although the engine may still start without an issue.

You need to talk to your auto care specialist if you notice these signs; you can have your battery professionally tested and replaced if necessary.

What to Do If Your Car Battery Dies

But what can you do if you failed to take care of this issue, and your car doesn't start. The following are just a few options that may get your car started:

  1. One of the best remedies is to have jumper cables ready. All you need is a second car with a good battery to give yours a good charge. Make sure both vehicles are off and not touching when setting up the cables. Turn off all electrical components too, like the headlights. Remember to wear goggles and gloves for your own protection. Connect the negative cable to the negative battery terminals before connecting the positive. Turn the good car on, and slightly rev above idle speed for 60 seconds to charge your battery. Try to start your car afterwards.
  2. Purchase a portable battery jumper that you can charge just in case your battery dies on you, and there are no cars that can help you. You can purchase these in your local auto parts store.
  3. The last thing you can try only works for batteries that have accessible filler caps. Divide an aspirin in half, and place it into the filler cap. Close the filler cap, and turn on your car. This trick will only work once and should be used only as an emergency to get you to your auto care specialist. Remember this trick will seriously diminish the life of your battery, so avoid using this method if the battery is new.

As you can see, it pays to know your car battery. This can help you avoid stressful situations or at least help you get out of one if necessary. Talk to your local auto repair experts for more information.


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