Your Chevy’s battery provides the power to start your car, and it powers your car’s electrical systems when the engine is switched off. Your battery will eventually wear out and will need to be replaced. As your Chevy dealer, we can fit a new car battery for you. These are a few of the signs that you may need to see us for a replacement.
Your Battery Is Old
A car battery has a lifespan of three to five years before it needs to be replaced. The chemical processes within the battery will eventually cause the battery to wear out. This wear can be compounded by extreme weather, driving conditions, and even accessories installed in your car. When a battery gets older, it becomes more resistant to recharging, and its maximum charging capacity drops.
We regularly check your battery as part of your car’s scheduled service. If it hasn’t been checked for some reason, we advise that you have a battery check when your battery is three years old. Our technicians can quickly and easily attach your battery to our testing system. Our battery tester will subject your battery to several tests to confirm that it’s still in good working order.
A Bad Smell
No one likes the stench of rotten eggs, and it’s even worse if it’s coming from your engine. When your battery ages, the sulfuric acid in your battery starts to break down into different components. This chemical reaction releases hydrogen gas, and this gas can escape the battery casing. In your engine, the hydrogen gas will mix with other chemicals in the air and form hydrogen sulfide.
Hydrogen sulfide is a flammable, colorless gas. Its also known for the awful rotten-egg smell it produces. If your battery is leaking hydrogen, it’s on its way to failing. Left unchecked, the hydrogen sulfide will also begin to cause corrosion on the battery terminals and cables. This corrosion will cause additional damage to your engine. The battery can’t is repaired, but we can replace it with a new OEM one.
A Worn Alternator
Your battery may be working correctly, but if it suddenly shows signs that it’s failing, the problem may be a worn alternator. Your battery stores power, but it depends on the alternator to recharge it. When your engine starts, the alternator will begin recharging your battery to keep it at a constant power level. As your alternator wears out, this recharging will become a problem.
A worn alternator has difficulty in being able to produce enough power for all of your Chevy’s electrical demands. This lack of power means that your car’s computer must allocate the limited power available. Each time your battery starts your engine, it loses power. If the power used isn’t replaced completely, your battery will slowly weaken and fail. Our technicians can test your alternator and replace it if it’s the source of the problem.
If your battery is wearing out, call our service department right away at Mike Kelly Chevrolet.
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