A car battery is one of the crucial elements of a car. There are lots of myths about the car battery. Most car owners assume that a car battery doesn’t require servicing unlike the car engine.
Does a car battery affect performance at all? Is there any relation between a car’s efficiency and battery condition?
A car does not require its battery once it is started successfully. However, there are indirect impacts on performance depending on how weak your batteries are.
Like people, the batteries of vehicles grow weak as they grow older and still need checking. There are lots of questions circulating on the internet and in people’s minds.
Myths about Car Battery
- Life of the battery increases with kilometers you drive
- Car batteries can be repaired without major investment
- Car battery doesn’t require service as the car engine
A weak car battery usually just cause you more distress at the engine starting. It does not directly hamper your fuel economy or lower the life span of the engine. There can be lots of other issues that can be caused indirectly by a weak battery.
Some Issues That a Weak Batter Can Cause
There are other issues that can be caused by a weak battery.
- Alternator
It is used to charge the battery and keeps on running until the battery achieves the optimum voltage level, i.e., 12 volts. When your battery is not in an optimum condition and doesn’t work properly, the alternator will be running all the time to pump power to the battery. The alternator is directly connected to the engine. While overheating is a possibility, we do not know of any case where it affects engine performance.
When the battery is fully charged, it acts as a blessing for the fuel injectors. Fuel injectors add fuel in the cylinders. When the battery isn’t fully charged, it doesn’t fully add the fuel, so the mileage is reduced.
If that’s the case, you might notice a car is lurching during the drive. So, have a quick look at the battery to maintain mileage and reduce fuel consumption.
Nowadays, all cars come with the latest technology. A built-in car computer helps to manage all the accessories. It also automates several systems in the engine. When the batter is improper and weak, it becomes difficult for a car computer to gauge fuel consumption appropriately. If you don’t have this facility, your vehicle will consume more or less fuel, but you never know about it.
Most of the modern cars in the market have this auto-shutoff system. When the battery is not fully charged, the engine automatically turns off. It reduces the car driving speed, and when the engine gets off, load on the cylinder and other components are reduced. When the battery is weak electrical sensor will not work properly and lose the information due to battery problems.
So, these are some of the reasons that can affect car performance. Car owners should regularly get their battery checked by professional car battery service providers.
Major Causes of a Weak Battery
Whenever you feel our car’s battery isn’t working well, and it becomes weak, there can be many causes behind this. So let’s have a look at some of the major causes.
Typically the life span of car batteries is usually 3 to 5 years. Some car owners claim that their car batteries last for ten years, but these are some exceptional cases. After a third year, your battery will start to show symptoms of weakness. So, it starts to lose the capacity to hold a charge. So, after three years, it wouldn’t have that capacity that it has at the start or when it was new.
Almost half of the batteries fail due to loss of water as a result of overheating, overcharging, poor maintenance, and evaporation because of the massive heat.
It is the accumulation of lead sulfate crystals. These crystals fill the pores of the active material and coat the lead plates of the battery. It can be caused by irregular charging, undercharging, and when the charging state is below 100%. Statistics have shown that 85% of the battery failures are because of sulfation. A sulfated battery will lose cranking power and can require longer charging hours. It can cause your battery to die.
Does a car battery affect performance? Yes, up to some extent, car battery affects the performance.
What are the signs of a weak battery?
Before your car batteries completely die, it gives you a signal that it’s no longer healthy or optimum condition.
The first sign of a weak battery is slow cranking, and the engine will take more time to get started. The primary function of a battery is to start the car. Starting the engine requires enormous power from the battery. The engine could still crank up when the battery is weak or dying, but it will take more time.
If your battery is completely dead, then the other accessories like radio, interior lights, and headlights wouldn’t get the power to get started. If your battery isn’t completely dead, and it’s just weak, then you can turn on the lights, but it will be dimmer than usual.
Whenever you notice that your engine is backfiring, check your battery. When the battery is weak, it can result in the accumulation of fuel in the cylinders. When the build-up of fuel is fired up, it fires up with great force. So, it is the reason for your engine to backfire.
Conclusion
Does a car battery affect performance? Yes, it affects car performance because the battery is the key component of a car. In case the battery is weak or dead, it will increase fuel consumption and reduce mileage. So, get your battery checked frequently.