The battery of your car plays an important role. Not only does it power the starter motor, but also a lot of electrical equipment when the alternator is not producing power. Unfortunately, batteries deteriorate over time, thus they may eventually fail, leaving a driver stranded.
The first test of a battery should be performed when it is being installed in your car. A battery may have been stored for a while, and it may have deteriorated. Also, while the chances are slim, there could be a manufacturing issue, leading to the battery being faulty. German Motors recommends taking a reading on a new battery to also record this in the file for the vehicle to establish a baseline for later examinations of the battery.
Tests performed by qualified technicians include measuring the Voltage and the load capacity of a battery. Both readings can be used to assess the health of the battery. Based on the findings, a change of the battery may be recommended. Tests are performed using Multimeters or specialised equipment, designed for the use in workshops.
As batteries deteriorate slowly over time, regular checks are advised. Being able to detect issues early avoids a total failure at some point. When the battery has become too weak, the car may no longer start. We may have all experienced this and somehow, such battery failure always seems to happen when it is most inconvenient. Electrical systems on a car can be very sensitive and a faulty battery may damage important electrical components.
Car owners may also perform visual inspections of their batteries. Detecting corrosion or leakages should trigger a thorough check-up on the battery. As Dry cells utilize a paste-like electrolyte, while wet cells use a liquid electrolyte, leakages may also happen when using so called dry batteries. At German Motors, one can have a technician assess the health of a battery outside the regular maintenance schedule as it is a relatively quick task.
Typically, when batteries fail, they fail completely. There are some tell-tale signs though that the battery may be deteriorating. When there is not enough power to quickly and energetically start the engine, it may be best to have the battery checked at the earliest opportunity. Modern cars are designed to start promptly, without the starter motor having to crank for more than a few seconds. In some cars, the reduced capacity also leads to other electrical functions to start acting funny.
