To be honest there are so many things that could be causing your batter issues. It could be fuel related, engine electrical, transmission, or even just a simple tune item.
Its summer time. Time for traveling to the mountains, camping, fishing, going to visit relatives, going to grandma’s house. I remember driving to my relative’s houses – going long distance – kids yelling – windows down to cool you off, but it didn’t work because it was so hot outside. Dad never wanted to stop and it seemed like forever.
That’s why when you take your vehicle in to a shop they ask for a diagnosis charge. The first thing a technician needs to do is road test the vehicle to see how it drives then hook up a scan tool and code in your vehicle. Then read the codes to see what that code is then follow a trouble tree and check each component.
He might even not have a code set so he has to check what he feels it could be so he might pull the spark plugs, and inspect other things like spark plug wires, cap, rotor, injectors, coolant temp sensor, air flow meter, oxygen sensors, and etc. All of these items can take a lot of time and expertise. That’s why there is a diagnosis charge and most of the time the charge won’t cover what he spent on the vehicle looking for the problem. Vehicles are so technical now days and the technicians have to spend at least 50 to 60 hours in school and another big portion reading books to keep up on all the changes.
The vehicles now days have air conditioning to keep you cool and TV’s so you can watch movies. What a difference technology makes. Unfortunately vehicles still break down. So we recommend before you go on a trip have your oil and filter changed and mention that you are going on a trip and you would like your vehicle checked over. Carry extra water and save your old power steering, ac, water pump and/or serpentine belts.
If you break down these belts will get you to a major city where you can replace them. It is also a good idea to have your vehicle checked a couple of weeks ahead of time so if you had to have repairs you can drive to see if it is ok. Make sure everyone in the car wears his or her seat belt and have a great time. I remember the trips we took as kids and my kids remember the trips we took.
Extreme changes in temperatures causes lots of problems. Yes 65 degrees is nice, but we are in the middle of winter. One day we are at 65 degrees and the next 20 degrees. These extreme changes in temperature cause your battery to over work. One thing that helps the battery is to keep it clean. The battery leaking acid causes corrosion. This usually is from the negative and positive post. The acid will seep through and cause a whitish blue powder around the top of the battery. This will then cause the battery to drain down and become weak. It is a good thing to clean the top of the battery and put anti-corrosion pads on to help stop this from happening in the first place. Without opening the hood some signs would be, slow cranking or even rotten egg smell.
Other things that stress out the battery are:
- Leaving the lights on after a vehicle is turned off,
- Extended cranking due to poor engine starting,
- Weak charging system or worn belts.
The preventative thing that also can be done is to take your vehicle to an auto repair technician and have him check the battery. They usually will do a hydrometer test, which checks the cells of the battery and can tell if you have a weak cell. At that time check your charging system, clean your terminals, and check your belts. The worst thing is to see the warning signs and not do anything.