Vehicle Battery Service – Battery Replacement, Battery Test

A vehicle battery is a lead acid electric storage device. It stores electricity to power all the electronic features of an automobile.

The vehicle battery is part of the electrical system, which includes the starter system, ignition system, and charging system. The starter system initiates the internal combustion cycle; the ignition system regulates it. Since the battery gets significantly discharged when starting the engine, a charging system is also needed to recharge the battery, which consists of the battery itself and the alternator. The battery also powers other electric components of the vehicle; it’s the only source of power when the key is turned to the “on” position without the engine running. The life of the battery is determined by how many times it can be discharged and recharged.

Do It Yourself Home Battery Maintenance

The battery should technically be checked each time the oil is checked, and technically that should be every time you fill up the vehicle with gas, although most people do not follow that guideline. If not every time you fill up with gas, then the next best recommendation is to check it on a monthly basis. A visual inspection of the terminals and cables is adequate for this inspection. A more detailed inspection can be performed with each oil change. Learn more about Inspecting The Battery.

If there is corrosion on the battery terminals or cables, or if the vehicle is manifesting certain symptoms, then it may be time for battery replacement. If you need to clean the corrosion off to get the vehicle started and re-establish the contact between the terminals and cables, then you can use a mixture of baking powder and water OR battery terminal cleaner to temporarily clean off the corrosion. You’ll observe a fun bubbly reaction as you poor the solution over the corrosion. A small wire brush can also be used to scrape off some of the corrosion. However, the corrosion will build up again if the battery is not replaced.

If a battery is completely discharged by using electric accessories without the engine running (like leaving the cab light on overnight for instance), then the battery can be recharged by using a recharging device that plugs into an electrical outlet. It can also be recharged by jump-starting the vehicle with another vehicle. There are instructions for jumping a dead battery below.

Rapid discharging or recharging a battery can shorten the life of the battery and even cause acid to boil out of the battery. It is recommended not to use electronic features in the vehicle (such as the radio) while the engine is not running. The battery is not meant to power the vehicle on its own for long periods of time.

Vehicle Battery Maintenance Services – Inspection & Battery Test

Battery maintenance includes visual inspections and a battery test. There is not much else that can be done to maintain a battery since its life depends on whether it is properly used (ie. don’t use it to power the vehicle while the engine is not running for long periods of time).

A visual inspection of the battery includes an inspection of the terminals, cables, and battery fluid with every maintenance service, such as when the vehicle is getting an oil change. If the battery is not semi-transparent enough to see the fluid level or if there are no removable caps on the top of the battery then sometimes the fluid is not checked. A low fluid level would indicate the battery needs to be replaced.

The battery should be tested every time the vehicle is serviced (usually every 5,000 miles with the oil change). A load testing device is used to check the voltage. At no load the voltage should be 12.5 volts and with a 130 amp load the battery should maintain 11.5 volts for at least ten seconds. The same tester is used to check the charging system. The charging system should maintain a voltage of 13.0 – 14.5 volts, which could vary depending on make and model. This test can be performed for free at Crawford’s Auto Repair as part of regular maintenance or upon request.

Battery Warning Lights

If your vehicle fails to start then there could certainly be an issue with the battery, although it could also be other parts of the starter system. Depending on whether your starter motor would even crank and which position you’ve left the key in, you could potentially see all the dashboard lights illuminated. Don’t worry, it does not mean there is complete failure of every system associated with those lights.

If the battery or charging system fails while you’re driving then the Charging System Warning Light will illuminate.

Charging System Light

This light indicates that your battery is not getting recharged after the engine is turned on and running. There is either a problem with the battery itself or there is a problem with the alternator. Since the vehicle can stop at any minute you should pull over safely as soon as possible. You might be able to buy just a little time by turning off all unnecessary electronic accessories and unplugging phone chargers. This light can be an emergency, especially at night when you could lose your headlights at any time.

Symptoms of a Failed Battery

If the vehicle or battery manifests any of the following symptoms then bring it to the shop:

• There is a lot of stalling before the engine turns over when starting the engine.
• The starter cranks but the engine doesn’t start.
• The starter doesn’t even crank.
• The key is turned to the “on” position, but the engine isn’t running and the dome light is dim or none of the electric accessories work at all.
• You have to constantly charge the battery overnight or jump-start your vehicle to get it to start.
• Charging System Warning light illuminates while driving.

Symptoms can be signs of other problems besides the battery, but the battery is the first place to start when investigating these symptoms because it is the initial source of power.

How To Jump Start A Dead Battery

If your battery isn’t charged enough to get your engine started then your two options to avoid having it towed to the shop are an overnight charger or jump-starting it. Jump starting the battery is quite common since vehicle owners keep jumper cables handy and if you don’t have a set, then your neighbor might. Here is how to jump-start a vehicle:

Park a working vehicle in a position where the jumper cables can reach from your battery to theirs. Both vehicles should be in park. The working vehicle is turned off.

• Attach the red cable to the positive terminal of the dead battery.
• Attach the other end of the red cable to the positive terminal of the live battery.
  • (avoid letting loose cable ends touch each other, avoid letting the red cable touch the negative terminals, or the black cable touching the positive terminals)
• Attach the black cable to the negative terminal of the live battery.
• Attach the other end of the black cable to the negative terminal of the dead battery or to a non-painted metal.
• Turn on the working engine and let it run for a couple of minutes.
• Start your vehicle, if it won’t start let the other vehicle keep running a little longer, then try again; you can also try revving the working vehicle.
• Disconnect the black cable from the jumped negative terminal
• Disconnect the black cable from the donor negative terminal
• Disconnect the red cable from the donor positive terminal
• Disconnect the red cable from the jumped positive terminal

Now that your vehicle is started you can drive it to the shop where we can fix it.

Special Considerations For Diesel And Hybrid Vehicles

A diesel engine is more powerful than a regular gasoline engine. As such you should never try to jump-start a diesel engine with a regular gasoline engine. It’s best to just have a diesel vehicle towed to the shop to have battery services.

You can use a hybrid to jump-start a battery in a regular gasoline engine, but not the other way around. The batteries in hybrid vehicles are part of the unique hybrid system.

Auto Battery Replacement (i.e. battery repair)

A “battery repair” service involves battery replacement. Once the battery has reached the end of its useful lifespan there is not much that can be done to repair the part itself. So it’s removed and recycled, and a new one is installed in your vehicle.

Crawford’s Auto Repair has batteries in stock that you can choose from. If we don’t have a particular battery that is best for your vehicle then we can order one and have it delivered, usually within an hour.

On occasion, the battery cables may need to be replaced. See more repairs related to the Electrical System.

Call 480-201-0740 To Schedule An Appointment Today For Battery Services

If your vehicle has trouble starting or if you notice corrosion on the battery terminals and cables then bring your vehicle to Crawford’s Auto for battery services. Get affordable 5-star service. We treat your vehicle like it belonged to our own mother and we never try to sell unnecessary repairs. Quality You Can Trust! Call 480-201-0740 to schedule an appointment.