Reasons a car battery loses energy
"A qualified battery specialist will do a professional assessment, and some even do it for free."
A lesser-known reason for battery energy loss is that some unethical second-hand dealers remove high-quality batteries and then replace them with low-quality batteries to sell in cheap vehicles or motorcycles.
This was an observation shared by the Battery Centre after a number of people noticed that when turning over their vehicle’s key, the radio momentarily powers down or their dash lights dim.
The centre said it might not be a design feature and could point to something more serious under the hood. It said the most likely cause could be that your battery has reached the end of its life cycle, and you need to replace it.
“But you might wonder how it happened so suddenly. Typically, one of three things needs to happen before it gets to that point. One could be losing power to parasitic draw; the alternator in the engine recharges the battery as your drive. It ensures that you always have the maximum capacity to operate things like the radio, air conditioner, and any USB ports for mobile devices. But parasitic draw comes from faulty components that don’t switch off with the vehicle. As a result, aftermarket and third-party installations such as trackers or complex sound systems can continue to draw power. If left overnight, energy loss could be so significant that nothing is available to start your car,” said the centre.
It added that another common cause of battery power loss is a faulty alternator, saying that if that is the case, the battery will not recharge as you drive.
The Battery Centre said often there are no signs or symptoms of a faulty alternator, and one would only realise that something is wrong when the vehicle won’t start.
“A qualified battery specialist will do a professional assessment, and some even do it for free. Signs of a faulty alternator can include dimming lights, a strange smell, or trouble turning over the engine the first time,” it said, adding that another reason could be the corrosion on the battery.
“Motorists know that they regularly need to check the engine oil and water, but very few will take a cautionary glance at the battery terminals. A white or blue flaky build-up on the terminals can indicate corrosion. Any foreign particles on the battery will impact its efficiency, leading to improper charging, impeding the electrical circuit, and excessive discharging. It’s easy to spot corrosion on terminals, but you should also go over the electrical cables while taking a look,” it said.
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