When do I need to replace my battery?

Question:
When do I need to replace my battery?

TOWER SERVICE STATION Answer:
That’s a critical question for Hamilton motorists. All batteries wear out and need to be replaced – but some are replaced before their time.

Look, if your battery is dying and you need a jump-start, it could very well be that you have a bad battery. But Hamilton motorists should have their Hamilton auto service center test the battery first to see if it’s actually bad. The critical problem could be parasitic drain or a bad alternator that’s not properly charging your battery.

And Hamilton car owners in this situation also need to have their service advisor check their alternator and have it tested. A surprisingly high percentage of “bad” alternators brought into TOWER SERVICE STATION in Hamilton are actually just fine: the problem is a worn serpentine belt and/or belt tensioner. If the belt is slipping, it’s not spinning the alternator properly so it can’t fully charge the battery.

Hopefully, Hamilton car owners can see that a dead battery can be the result of a chain of events: a worn serpentine belt, a worn belt tensioner, a bad alternator or a bad battery. If you don’t check the belt, tensioner and alternator you can just end up replacing batteries that are still good. Talk to your friendly TOWER SERVICE STATION technician.

That brings us back full circle to when batteries do fail. There’s a chemical cycle that takes place inside your battery: the battery is discharged when you start the truck and is recharged by the alternator when you drive. Short trips around the Hamilton area with frequent stops and starts may mean that your battery is never fully recharged. When a battery isn’t fully charged parts of the battery harden and are no longer available to “store” electricity. Over time, your battery just can’t hold enough charge for the needs of your truck. This is detrimental to your alternator as it tries to keep up, causing it to wear out prematurely.

Batteries last longer in colder climates and wear out faster in warmer ON climates. We want to remind Hamilton auto owners that, on average, 70% of batteries fail within four years. Many ON automotive experts recommend replacing your battery every five years. This will diminish the chances of being stranded on a local freeway with a dead battery as well as prevent undue wear on your alternator.

TOWER SERVICE STATION
616 Upper Wellington
Hamilton, ON L9A 3P9
(905) 574-6166