What Can Cause a Car Battery to Drain

Batteries are to the car what mitochondria is to the cell, the powerhouse. At last, I was able to use this important information my school taught me! And by powerhouse I mean, the electrical powerhouse. Every electrical inside your car depends upon the proper working of the battery. If the battery is down, you won't even be able to start the engine. So what exactly goes inside your car that is draining the life out of the battery? Let's find out!

1. You yourself might be the cause!

   

   Car Headlights Left On At Night | Reasons the car battery is draining

   Yes, I am not blaming you, but by mistake, you left the cabin light on or the headlights were not switched off properly. You were stressed last night and forgot to do so. This will surely cause the battery to drain. This is the most probable reason that the car battery is drained and now the car won't start. So it is very necessary for you to check whether all the electricals are switched off. New cars though come with a feature that will alarm you if the headlights are on. So, next time pay close attention to this detail and the car battery will not drain due to this reason any more.

2. Maybe the charging of the car battery is not optimum

   

   The faulty alternator might be the reason for car battery draining

   Okay, now you are keeping in mind to switch off cabin lights and the headlights at night. But still, the battery is draining! Now what? This might be due to the faulty charging system. It won't be able to charge the battery as fast as the battery is draining. This will eventually lead to the car battery draining fully and leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere. The basic component of the charging system is the alternator. If the alternator belt is loose or it is faulty, the battery won't charge properly.

3. Short Drives | Car Battery likes it longer

   

   Prevent Short Rides

   The major chunk of power from the battery is used when the car is started. For the battery to revive the power, it needs some time. And the short drives are the exact opposite. So in order to avoid the battery draining faster, it is really advised that you avoid excessive short drives.

4. The Red-Brown Devil | Rust

   

   Corrosion at the terminals

   This is something you cannot prevent. The rust can get into any place where there are moisture and water. So there is a chance that the battery's connections can get corroded with time. This will cause a disruption in the charging which in-turn will cause the discharging of the battery. So it is advised to get the battery terminal connectors replaced if you see some rust as just cleaning them won't help at all.

5. Old is not always gold

   

   Old Car Battery

   This is a major reason, people tend to oversee. If your car battery is old, it is quite possible that it has lost the recharging capabilities. The usual car battery lasts for about 3 years. So it is advised that if the battery has crossed the deadline, it's better to get it replaced rather than getting it recharged. Recharging won't help as it will discharge again.

So these were the top 5 reasons your car battery is discharging. So make sure you take the necessary precautions. And for battery replacement, you can always rely on your car care partner, GoMechanic.

What Can Cause a Car Battery to Drain

Source: https://gomechanic.in/blog/reasons-your-car-battery-is-draining/

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