The grey skies and incessant rain bring bad news in the form of ugly potholes, nasty traffic, and foggy windshields. The gloomy monsoon season is an absolute nightmare for car batteries, too. The increased moisture and humidity negatively affect the battery’s performance. Starting the engine becomes a difficult job in the cold, wet season, and additionally, the risk of battery failure increases tenfold. If you are somebody who is facing the same problem, then this blog can be your saviour!
Why Does a Car Battery Trouble Every Rainy Season?
Let’s dive deeper into the reason why your car battery is dying in the rainy season:
High Humidity = Internal Corrosion
During monsoons, the humidity is extremely high. Moisture enters the battery terminal and ends up causing heavy corrosion and interrupting the flow of electricity. As a result, battery efficiency is affected. And eventually it leads to the failure of car batteries.
Frequent Short Trips
The monsoon season has a way of forcing people to take short trips at small intervals. Trips such as going to and from work, taking the kids to and from school, making two to three trips to the grocery store, etc. This is because starting a cold engine requires a significant amount of power, and the alternator, which recharges the battery, might not have enough time during short trips to replace the energy used during starting.
Excessive Use Of Electrical Systems
Headlights, wipers, fog lamps, AC, defoggers, and every other car equipment’s power consumption from the battery increases more than normal. If your battery is not a strong soldier, then the excess load might lead to its premature death.
Cold Starts And Idle Time
Mosoons are cold, wet, and damp. Car Batteries often cannot provide enough power for ignition in these adverse conditions. To add to the worry, the idle times in traffic jams are the perfect reason for sudden battery failure.
Poor Maintenance
If you do not take proper care of your car batteries, then it could pose serious risks to the battery’s health. For example, not checking the electrolyte level regularly or not cleaning the battery terminals, especially during monsoon season, can lead to the death of the battery in no time.
Symptoms Of A Dying Car Battery
The rules are simple. Red flags, be they in a human being or a car battery, should never be ignored. Below are some red flags in a car that should serve as symptoms of a dying car battery.
Issues With The Engine Crank
If the engine takes longer than the usual time to start, or the crank is slower than normal, it is a sign.
Dim Light
The headlights may be dim or flickering when you start the car while driving.
Electrical Accessories Malfunctioning
The car’s electrical accessories, like the radio or wipers, may not function properly.
Battery Warning Light
If the battery warning light suddenly starts flashing on your dashboard, you need to take that as an indication of a problem with the battery or the charging system.
How To Fix A Car That’s Dying In Rainy Season
Here’s how you can fix/ prevent car batteries from dying:
- Clean The Battery terminals: Corrosion on the battery terminals hampers the adequate functioning of the battery. Make it a habit to clean the battery terminals with a wire brush or baking soda to prevent car batteries from corroding in the monsoon season.
- Check the Electrolyte Level: If your battery has removable caps, Voila! Half your car battery problems are solved then and there! Now, all you need to do is check the electrolyte level and restore it immediately when the electrolyte level goes down.
- Use A Battery Charger or Maintainer: A battery charger or maintainer will help to keep your battery fully charged and perfectly healthy during long periods of inactivity.
- Avoid Deep Discharging: Always remember to never deep discharge your car batteries. It reduces the battery life. However, if you have to store your car for an extended period, you can use a battery maintainer, or you can disconnect the battery altogether.
Preventive Measures To Avoid Car Battery Failure In The Rainy Season
Prevention is better than cure and here we bring you some tried and tested methods:
Inspect Regularly
During the rainy season, frequent inspection of car batteries becomes an absolute necessity. Regular battery inspection will lead to early detection of the problem. Early detection of disease leads to early cure, too! Therefore, remember to check and maintain your car batteries daily.
Avoid Extreme Temperature
It is advisable to park your car in a shaded area, or an even better option is to use a sunshade. Constant temperature fluctuations can have an adverse effect on the car batteries.
Use A Battery Maintainer
Always keep your car batteries charged and ready with a battery maintainer, especially during monsoon season when the chances of frequent battery discharge are more than normal.
Consider A Battery Upgrade
If you are experiencing frequent battery failure issues, then it’s better to upgrade your car batteries to a higher capacity battery or find one designed to fulfil your specific needs.
Final Thoughts
Monsoon gives a much-needed respite from the unbearable heat, but simultaneously, it also increases the risk of car battery failure. But now, after reading our blog, we hope you are familiar with the reasons for constant car battery failure and the simple steps you can follow to prevent this disaster from happening to you!
