The top 7 things that drain your car battery

Having your car battery die is annoying, inconvenient, and another expense to add to your budget. It can also be unpredictable — old age isn't the only reason car batteries kick the bucket. Our Toyota of Orlando auto service experts are here with a list of reasons your car battery may die + how to prevent them from happening.

7 reasons your car battery dies

Reason #1: Your battery is too old.

As we said, you may be at the point where your car battery is just too old to cut it anymore. Most car batteries last 2-3 years before needing to be replaced, but things like extreme weather or short drives could shorten the lifespan.

Reason #2: Your battery connections are no good.

The positive and negative terminals on your car battery can be jolted loose over time just from everyday driving, and they can also become corroded over time. Eventually, this will result in the battery not being able to properly transmit power (which means it's harder to start your car). Be sure to routinely check and clean your battery connections to keep your car up and running.

Reason #3: You have a parasitic draw.

A parasitic draw is when something in the car — like interior lights or door lights — pulls power from the battery when the car is off. When the car is running, the alternator recharges the battery and keeps everything balanced so you can use your lights, radio, etc.. However, the alternator isn't charging your car battery when the car is off, and a parasitic draw from a light left on can actually drain your battery. Always make sure that lights, radio, etc. are off when you turn your car off.

Reason #4: You accidentally left your headlights on.

This stems back to parasitic draw — if you leave your car's headlights on while the car is off, it can drain the car battery. Be sure to check your headlights when you leave your car. Some vehicles have auto-off features, but not all.

Reason #5: Your drives aren't long enough.

Remember how we said the alternator charges the car battery when you're driving? Starting your Orlando Toyota uses a pretty large amount of energy, but then as you're driving the alternator charges your battery back up again. If you're only driving short distances, however, the alternator won't have enough time to get your car battery charged up. This can shorten the lifespan of your battery, especially if it's older. If you typically only drive short distances, make it a habit to take a longer drive once or twice a week to let the alternator do its job.

Reason #6: The alternator isn't working correctly.

If your Orlando Toyota's alternator isn't working, it won't be able to charge up your car's battery while you're driving. This makes it hard to start your can and can result in a dead battery over time. If you think you have alternator issues, let our Toyota of Orlando service team take a look under the hood.

Reason #7: There's extreme weather.

Extreme heat and extreme cold can take a toll on your car battery and reduce its lifespan. If you notice the weather making things difficult for your battery, call Toyota of Orlando's service center today and have our techs take a look.

Let us help you care for your car battery at Toyota of Orlando

Have questions about your car battery? Let us help you answer them. We're open seven days a week at 407-298-4500 and we're conveniently located just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall at 3575 Vineland Road.