Most modern vehicles on the road today start from a battery. This is the battery your car uses to engage the starter motor that turns over the engine. Electric vehicles would be the only difference in this case.
Once your engine is firing, the alternator takes over responsibility by powering your vehicle's lights, navigation, ECU, stereo and safety features. It also tops up your battery, acting like a small generator.
When stationary, your battery keeps charge, providing electricity to your radio allowing it to hold memory. Anti-theft systems, cameras and other forms of vehicle security require a very small charge while your car is stationary, which comes from the battery itself.
Maintaining a healthy battery is vital to other components like the vehicle's alternator. A malfunctioning or flat battery can lead to damaging your vehicle's alternator and other components.
Things to watch out for when maintaining your car battery:
- Terminal corrosion
- Damaged wires
- Surging lights
- Slow starter motor
Terminal Corrosion
One of the most common and obvious signs of an unsafe car battery is corrosion to the negative and/or positive terminals. This is usually a white/blue crystal-like build up on the battery terminal. The cause, hydrogen gas is leaked from the sulfuric acids inside the battery. These gasses then solidify when it meets with the ambient atmosphere on the surface of the terminal.
If the corrosion appears on the positive terminal then overcharging is usually the most common cause.
When it comes to cleaning your terminals from corrosion, simply apply a mix of baking soda and water, and scrub with a small wire brush while using a good set of gloves.
If your battery is too far gone and in a really bad shape, call Tyrepower today to find one of our selected battery specialists located Australia wide.
Damaged Wires
Damaged wiring can be extremely dangerous. Exposed wiring can also short out your vehicle's electronic components including the onboard computer (ECU). The ECU is essentially the brains of your car, damaging this unit will most likely lead to an unsafe vehicle for those in the car and surrounding vehicles on the road.
When it comes to repairing the damaged battery wiring of your vehicle, this one is best left to the professionals. Call Tyrepower today and talk to an expert on car batteries, we’ll have your battery serviced at one of our selected battery specialists and have you back on the road in no time.
Surging lights or a slow starter motor are a sure sign of a faulty battery
We all know the sound of a starter motor struggling to turn the engine over. When your battery is flat there will be no charge to turn the starter motor over. If you are experiencing a flat battery during start up, hold the ignition on for 5 seconds before shutting off.
If your starter is turning over but there’s no engine life, repeat the above process but do not hold the ignition on for too long, as you will burn your starter motor out. There could be further issues with your engine, which is why speaking with an auto technician is vital to ensure further damage is avoided.
When your vehicle is idling and you are experiencing surging or dimming lights, your battery and/or alternator could be at fault. Remember, once you're driving, the alternator is responsible for powering most of your vehicle electrics. The battery only provides short bursts of charge, assisting your alternator and other components.
Battery checks and maintenance are performed by selected stores only, so give Tyrepower a call on 13 21 91 or check out our Battery Maintenance Guide for further assistance.
