Is your car’s battery dead? Whether you drive a gasoline-powered vehicle, a hybrid, or an EV, your vehicle relies on a healthy battery. Unfortunately, many car owners — regardless of what type of vehicle they drive — have discovered during the pandemic that if they don’t move their cars regularly, the auto battery will die. Here are the top reasons your car battery dies quicker than you expect and why High Road Automotive is the place to go for hybrid battery replacement.
Your hybrid naturally requires hybrid battery replacement.
People often forget that batteries eventually lose their charge. After approximately 100,000 to 150,000 miles, a hybrid battery will need to be replaced. However, most hybrid owners don’t have to worry about hybrid battery replacement until the vehicle reaches the high mileage mark, which could be after 10 – 15 years of ownership. Fortunately, High Road Automotive in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood specializes in hybrid battery replacement, so you can always come to our auto repair facility before your hybrid vehicle’s battery wears out.
You left the lights on.
For generations, this has been the number one cause of a dead automotive battery. For example, headlights were not turned off and drained the battery overnight. Or, a door wasn’t properly closed, which left the dome light on. I remember as a pre-teen leaving the vanity light on the passenger-side visor of my Grandma’s Lincoln, which to her dismay, left her with a dead battery by dinnertime. Because of this error — leaving the lights on by mistake — many car owners have a Triple-A membership because they fear being stranded with a dead battery.
You have an old battery.
Even the best batteries eventually wear out and die. Batteries have a lifespan of about 4 to five years, and that lifespan is never the length we, as drivers, wish them to be. Auto batteries have not changed much, and when you siphon off the power of your car battery by charging your family’s mobile devices, car batteries tend to get old and drained of energy faster. Add to that, many cars have computers that never turn off when the vehicle is off, and that’s what can slowly drain your car’s battery if you don’t go for a 20-minute drive every few days. Batteries don’t like to sit around and be lazy. They last longer when they are all charged up.
There is a problem with your alternator.
If your alternator does not do its job of recharging the battery, you could find yourself with a dead car even when you’re driving. A sign that your alternator and battery are not in sync is when you have dim headlights. Though it’s not a surefire indicator, dimmed headlights are a symptom of a dying battery. If you ever find you are driving your car at night and the lights are not bright, get to safety and inspect your vehicle’s charging system.
You have an electrical problem.
Earlier, we mentioned many components in your car that never shut off when the engine is off. This includes the clock in your dashboard, the chargers, the cigarette lighters, the interior lights, power locks, the fan that comes on when your engine is hot, the computers, and more. If there is an energy drain from any one of these electrical systems, your car’s battery will die much faster than you would expect.
At High Road Automotive in Seattle, we have seen many dead car batteries since the beginning of the pandemic. A battery that is not in great shape should be tested and possibly replaced before you and your friends head out on the next road trip. After all, wouldn’t you prefer to take proactive precautions to make sure your vehicle is operating well BEFORE your road trip or weekend getaway? Of course, everyone wants happy memories of their road trip together, but the inconvenience of a dead battery is not the type of memory you eagerly post on Instagram.
Before you set out for your next travel adventure, the High Road Automotive repair team strongly encourages you to bring your vehicle in for a safety inspection. We will test your battery and perform a visual inspection that should give you peace of mind before pulling out of the driveway.
You can rely on High Road Automotive to take care of you and your family’s vehicles. In addition, we offer the following services for your convenience:
- Use our key drop, located on the garage door’s right side, to drop off your vehicle.
- We will keep you updated by text, email, or phone throughout the repair process.
- We offer FREE loaner cars when available. Please reserve during the scheduling of your appointment.
- We offer online payments for your convenience.
- We wash and disinfect your car.
- We can leave your car outside for pickup at a time of your choosing.
- If your vehicle doesn’t start, we can come and either get it moving again or bring you one of our loaner cars.
- Need Fleet Vehicle service and repair? – Bring them here! We service all Asian and American makes of light-duty trucks and vans.
- We are hybrid specialists.
- Our work is backed by a nationwide, 3-year/36,000-mile warranty.
For all your auto repair needs, come to our shop in Ballard. You’ll be glad you did!
