A car battery has a relatively limited lifespan. This isn’t due to a design flaw, it’s caused by the chemicals inside the battery gradually breaking down. Since a battery will wear out, it’s important to visit us for a new car battery before this happens. As your BMW dealer, we’d like to tell you about some of the signs that your battery is due for replacement.
Signs You Need a New Car Battery From Your BMW Dealer
Your Battery Is Corroded
If your battery starts to corrode, you’ll usually receive a warning of the problem when you smell a strong sulfur smell from the engine. Sulfur is one of the components in fuel, but under normal circumstances, you’ll never smell it. The strong smell you’ll get is from hydrogen sulfide, created by mixing sulfur from the engine with hydrogen gas from the battery.
Hydrogen is created by the breakdown of sulfuric acid, one of the most important chemicals in a battery. When hydrogen escapes the battery and forms hydrogen sulfide, the new chemical will be attracted to the battery terminal. It coalesces around the terminals and turns into an acidic salt that gradually destroys the terminals, cables, and other metallic components it can reach. If your battery is corroded, we’ll need to replace it ASAP.
Worn Alternator
Many drivers think a battery that can’t start the engine must be worn out. If your battery is old, that could be true. A relatively new battery, however, could be failing to start the engine due to a lack of power. A battery uses a large percentage of its stored power to start the engine. Once the engine is running, the battery depends on the alternator to recharge it.
The alternator generates your car’s electricity, but it can wear out. A worn alternator supplies less power than it previously did, and this can cause battery problems. If the battery uses more power than it gains from recharging, it will weaken and eventually struggle to start your engine. Our technicians will need to test your battery and the alternator to find the source of the problem. When we’ve identified the problem, we’ll repair it.
Swollen Battery
A swollen battery casing is one of the most obvious signs of battery failure. The casing is designed to protect the chemicals and other battery components from contamination and damage. The battery contains an electrolyte solution that enables the chemical processes for storing and supplying electricity to take place.
Electrical issues, extreme heat or cold, and even age can alter the pressure inside the casing and cause it to bulge outwards. A swollen battery is failing, and we’ll need to replace it to prevent additional damage.
If your battery is struggling, call us today at BMW of Bloomfield Hills.
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