3 Signs Your Chevy Needs a New Car Battery

Your car battery will inevitably wear out, but it usually always shows signs it’s failing. Dim lights, slow cranking, and strange smells from under the hood are just a few of the warnings that something is going wrong. At your Chevy dealership, we can fix any battery problem for you. These are some signs that you’ll need a new car battery.

3 Signs You Need a New Car Battery From Your Chevy Dealership

Limited Use

The alternator replaces the electricity used by your battery to crank the engine. The alternator starts generating electricity as soon as your engine is running. An alternator doesn’t recharge the battery at maximum speed, as this can damage the alternator and the battery. An alternator recharges at full power for only ten minutes and then switches to recharging at a very reduced rate.

If you frequently drive short distances in your Chevy, the alternator won’t have sufficient time to recharge the battery fully. The amount of electricity used to start your engine is fixed, which means that the battery will not remain as strong as time passes. If this is the cause of the battery problem, we can recharge your battery if it’s not damaged. If the battery is damaged, we can replace it for you.

Corroded Terminals

The positive and negative terminals on your battery are its connection points to your Chevy’s electrical system. They allow the battery to supply electricity when needed and to recharge. Corrosion is a white, green, or gray acidic salt that can form on the terminals of a battery that’s starting to fail.

When a battery gets older, the chemicals inside it that allow it to store electricity slowly break down. The sulfuric acid in the battery releases hydrogen, and these molecules pass out of the battery and join with sulfur molecules in the engine to form hydrogen sulfide. This new chemical then forms the acidic salt on the terminals. We can clean the terminals, but the corrosion will return. We can solve this problem by replacing your battery with a new one.

Dim Lights

Dim headlights often mean the bulbs are failing and need replacement. If you also notice that your interior and dash lights are dim, this means that your electrical system needs a fix. The lights are dim because they are receiving enough electricity to switch on, but not enough to work effectively.

If the lights are dim when your engine is switched off, then become brighter when the engine is running, your battery is wearing out. When your engine is running, the alternator supplies power for all the lights. We can test your battery and install a new one if necessary.

If you have a battery problem, contact us right away at Stan King GM SuperStore.

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