Have you ever had a morning where you just wanted to throw in the towel? You wake up late, the coffee overflows from the pot, you can’t find your keys, and when you finally run out the door, you find that your car battery is dead. If so, you are not alone! It is in moments like these that we realize we have taken our car batteries for granted. It should always be there, the car should always start, and when it doesn’t, we wonder why this is happening to us and if we once again need to visit an auto repair shop.

There are many reasons for car battery failure. For starters, as a vehicle ages, the battery ages. According to a Johnson Controls survey, the average car battery lasts about 37 months in hot climates, which here in Arizona, is something of which we are all painfully aware. This heat causes evaporation under the hood, and a loss of water in the battery itself, which the battery uses to create and to restore electricity. As the battery ages, this progressive loss of water causes the battery to become weaker, and eventually it will fail.

Another reason for car battery failure is something that we have all been guilty of a time or two. We have all been told not to leave our lights on or leave the door open while the car is off, but why? Our car batteries recharge when the car is running, but if the vehicle isn’t on while the battery is being used, well, (for those of us who have left our lights on overnight) we know what happens. Not the brightest idea we’ve ever had.

Undercharging or overcharging a battery can lead to corrosion and failure. While this could be a problem with your vehicle’s alternator, a big cause of this is the improper use of a battery charger. Undercharging leaves the battery weaker than it should be, which causes obvious problems. Overcharging however, is a different story. If the battery is overcharged, it becomes too hot, which can again lead to a loss of water, and damage the internal components of your battery.

Dead car batteries are a nuisance. They take our time, our money, and our sanity. However, with a little preventative maintenance, we can have some peace of mind running to our cars on those hectic mornings. A good cleaning and inspection of your battery is key to ensuring you get the most out of your battery life. Spending a little time and money having your battery serviced at a trusted auto repair shop every couple of years will save you in the long run.