All the electronic components of a car and its engine require power from batteries to run correctly. It is annoying when people face stalling issues in the morning because of dead and weak batteries.
Why is My Car Battery Draining So Fast? Your car battery can drain so fast due to high voltage chargers, overcharging, headlights remaining on, parasitic drains, parking in extremely hot and cold conditions, old batteries, corroded and loose terminals, faulty alternators, and short drives during the day.
Inspecting and maintaining them properly is necessary to reduce the chances of damage. You should pay attention to battery components when you see the check engine light on the screen and the flickering of various electric parts.
| Causes | Solutions |
| Use of high voltage chargers and overcharging | Use charger regulators |
| Headlights on | Turn off headlights |
| Adding after-market accessories | Minimize the use of aftermarket additions |
| Parasitic drains | Turn off the car completely |
| Parking in extreme hot and cold temperatures | Parking in a shady area or use covers |
| Old batteries | Add new batteries |
| Corroded and loose terminals | Remove rust and fasten terminals |
| Faulty alternator and cables | Inspection of alternators |
| Short drives during the day | Avoid short drives and remove batteries during storage |
Use of high voltage chargers and overcharging
The batteries of your cars become faulty and drain quickly when you use the wrong charging techniques to recharge them.
Many people use high voltage and fast chargers to charge them in less time. People mostly do this when they have a short time and have to travel somewhere on an urgent basis.
The high voltage chargers give more heat, and frequent use can make them. In addition, people sometimes forget to turn off the chargers after charging them fully.
Overcharging increases the risk of overheating, and ions cannot hold the charge for longer. The issue is persistent in electric vehicles that rely on this power source.
Use suitable chargers for recharging the batteries. In addition, you can also use charger regulators in your vehicles that can turn off the charging system when charging becomes full.
Headlights On
Many people forget to turn off their cars properly when they go outside or park them for shopping or groceries.
The headlights remained on and constantly took power from the car batteries. It happens due to drivers’ negligence and poor driving habits when they do not completely turn off all components.
Headlights require electricity to turn on the bulbs, and these can take power from the charging system. Most of the time, the headlights remain on all night because people forget to turn them off when they turn off the ignition switch.
It is better to completely turn off your vehicle when you come outside or park them for a longer time. It is also necessary to turn off the dome, trunk, and glove box lights and not let them turn on overnight.
Check the headlights when you park them in your garage at night.
Adding after-market accessories
Many people add different vehicle accessories to make them modern and luxurious. Some of these are electronic items connected to batteries to take power for their functioning.
The after-market addition of various components can cause more power from batteries to drain, and you have to recharge them frequently.
The issue comes when you install high power-taking equipment in the cars for ease and comfort. The use of heavy and fast chargers for charging mobile phones and laptops can also make them weak.
The interior light addition also causes loss of power when you keep them on all night or during parking.
Minimize the use of heavy and current drawing after-market accessories in your automobiles because it can affect the health of the charging system.
It is also necessary to check the components’ voltage when you add them.
Parasitic drains
The parasitic drains are hidden components that take power from the batteries when you do not turn off the car completely.
People often forget to turn off the music system which can take energy for running. In addition, interior lights, powered door systems, and sensors also draw power when these are functioning.
The door lights, bad relays, and radio systems also drain the battery for their functioning and are known as parasitic drains. You can face the problem when ac and heaters work with open windows and doors.
When you park at night, turn off your vehicles, including music systems, sensors, and powered doors and windows.
Close the doors and windows properly when the HVAC system works so it cannot draw excessive power to maintain temperature.
Parking in extreme hot and cold temperatures
They are susceptible to extreme hot and cold temperatures. The fluctuations in temperature affect their functioning.
The increased temperature of the engine bay also makes them overheat and restricts the flow of ions. The ions cannot hold the charge for long because of high temperature.
The engine needs more power to start your car in winter, and it can affect its performance. The electrolyte also freezes at low temperatures, and their movement is restricted.
I always park my car in covered garages and shady areas. Moreover, it is also better to use battery blankets to prevent the various liquid from freezing and draining power.
Old batteries
The average life span of car batteries ranges from 4 to 6 years, depending on their brand and quality. You can increase their life span through proper maintenance and inspection.
The old batteries are weak and cannot hold the charge for longer, and you have to recharge them several times. In addition, many people also jump-start their cars when they cannot start them after turning on the ignition switch.
The issue comes because working performance decreases with old age and worn-out components. Therefore, it is necessary to contact service centers for inspection of the charging system when you face loss of power several times.
Replace these and add the new ones if the old ones become dead or completely weak.
Corroded and loose terminals
Corroded and loose terminals do not directly drain the batteries but inhibit the proper charging because of the interrupted current flow.
The proper current cannot flow through the corroded terminals for charging purposes. In addition, the terminals become rusty when hydrogen gas or acid leaks on their top surface.
Moreover, poor maintenance and negligence of users make this component bad. I always clean the terminals with different cleaning agents.
It is necessary to disconnect them because they can produce electric shocks. Use the pliers and fix the loose terminals and adjust them adequately for their fastening at their certain place.
Faulty alternator and cables
The faulty charging system and alternators can increase the risk of power draining from the batteries. The alternators recharge the battery and power the various electric components of the vehicles.
The faulty alternators cannot charge the electrical components and cause these issues. In addition, the problem comes when alternators become bad and cannot charge the power system fully.
The bad or faulty diode causes this issue because it does not keep the current flow in a certain direction, and you can face issues in starting your cars.
The loose belts of the alternators and wear and tear in tensioners reduce the working efficiency of the charging system.
It is necessary to replace them if they become faulty and cannot charge the batteries and other electronic items.
Short drives during the day
The engine needs a lot of power to start your car. In addition, you need power for ignition and spinning of wheels to move forward.
The frequent short trips take a lot of energy from the charging components and weaken them. In addition, the engine requires power when you turn on the ignition switch every time.
In addition, the issue also comes when you park your automobiles too long, even for several months.
The various hidden components drain the power, and these can lose their charge when you do not drive them for longer.
It is better to avoid short trips and take everything from outside at once. Moreover, do not park your cars too long with batteries attached. Instead, drive at least 10 to 12 minutes without removing them.
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