A Comprehensive Guide To Your Car Battery

Many Kiwi drivers are often surprised when visiting us, their local tyre shop, that we do more than just tires. At Drury Tires, we are a fully-fledged car service provider that specialises in keeping you on the road, all-year-round. And although tires are our speciality, one of the other equally important parts of your car that we pay special attention to is the car battery. Batteries are often forgotten until you can’t switch on the car and rarely ever give it a second thought after jump starting it. But when your car doesn’t turn back on even after calling out roadside assistance, you may regret not checking the health of the battery before you end up stranded.

Because our batteries often work quietly, initiating ignition in our cars, it’s easy to forget that much like the rest of the engine – it does need regular maintenance checks. A car battery powers up the engine and then runs electronics on the rest of the vehicle. However, there are several reasons, other than extended lifespan, that could be the cause of a car battery wearing out.

Replacing any vehicle part can be expensive and is it hardly ever budgeted for. And so, Drury Tires has compiled this useful guide to help you identify the leading causes behind the replacement of batteries.

Weather 

As odd as it may sound, the weather can have a significant impact on the functioning of a car battery. During cooler months, ageing cars may require more effort to start-up, and that makes the battery work harder. Additionally, with heat, batteries are more susceptible to decreasing fluid levels due to higher evaporation.

Bad Habits

Although cars produce an enormous amount of power, they are still running off the battery. And when you have plugged multiple external devices into your car, they can end up draining the battery much faster. Similarly, having the radio running for hours at a time, forgetting the key in the ignition or leaving your lights on accidentally are also some key contributions to dead batteries.

Poor Driving 

Occasionally we find that some people who rely more on public transport or simply own more than one vehicle, end up with a flat battery quite quickly. This is because leaving a vehicle stationary and undriven for too long can result in the battery depleting in power. Driving a car that has been standing for quite some time, on short distances also can damage the battery as there is not enough time to recharge sufficiently.

As soon as you realise that your vehicle may have a sluggish battery, it’s time to seek out the assistance of a professional. From dimmed out lights to struggling engines, addressing a failing battery as quickly as possible can potentially help you avoid replacement. At Drury Tires, we are a tyre shop that focuses on providing excellent car service at affordable rates. To schedule a booking with us, speak to us today.