Free Battery Testing at Tyrepower
If you notice your car is taking longer to start than usual, it may be due to your battery's performance. If that’s the case, it’s time for a battery health check. A battery health check is a way to measure how much energy your battery can supply.
The only way to tell if your battery is failing is to inspect your car’s electrical system. It’s important to take into account that the lifespan of your battery is between 3 and 5 years.
Typically, a car battery test takes less than 10 minutes. It will let you know if your battery is running low and if it needs to be replaced.
Why do batteries need to be tested?
It’s good practice to regularly inspect and test your car battery to ensure it performs at its best. It’s recommended you get it tested every 6 months or once a year when your car is getting serviced.
Depending on how you use your car and how hard the battery works, most car batteries tend to last between 3 to 8 years. Batteries need to be tested regularly, as this helps reduce any chances of failure. It’s important to test your battery even if it’s not showing signs of weakness.
However, there are some warning symptoms to keep in mind that will tell you there’s an issue with your car battery. These include the following:
- Corrosion. Battery leakage typically causes corrosion, which appears as a blue or white crystal-like substance around the battery posts.
- Physical Damage. Since a car battery contains dangerous substances, it’s crucial to replace it if there’s any physical damage, such as the battery casing appearing cracked or swollen.
- Loose battery tie-downs. This can happen as a result of car vibrations. Therefore, make sure your battery is properly secured and replace missing or broken clamps.
- The battery warning light is on. When this warning light is on, your car won’t start, thus it’s best to get it tested.
At Tyrepower Kewdale, we provide vehicle battery checks to quickly and efficiently inspect the health of your battery. Tyre, wheel, and mechanical inspections can be done while the car is already in the shop.
How are car batteries tested?
Before performing a battery test, it should be charged so you can get an accurate reading. It is important to get professional advice before doing any work on your vehicle.
There are many different types of battery testing equipment on the market, but the most common is a digital battery tester. They’re accurate, fast, and can even provide advanced diagnostics.
Other testers like voltmeters, discharge, load, and hydrometers can also be used, but it's advised to get some training first. This is to prevent damage to the car or personal injury.
Early signs of battery failure
One of the most typical indicators of battery failure is a battery that cranks the engine slower than usual.
Many cars are able to tell us when there are charging issues with the battery through a service light on the dashboard, thanks to in-built voltage monitoring. While the light might alert you to a problem, it typically doesn't reveal much else, other than you need to get your charging system and battery inspected.
A battery's lifespan will also be impacted by other, less obvious factors like changed driving habits and extremes in temperature.
How often should my battery be tested?
Once your battery is 3 years old, it’s recommended that you get your battery checked every 6 months or so. Don’t wait until the battery seems to be failing to get it tested.
In automotive applications, a battery can typically last 3-5 years, but it’s not unusual to see vehicles approaching 10 years old and still using their original battery.
If you come to our Tyrepower store once or twice a year to check your car’s battery, the chances of battery failure will decrease. We provide free battery testing for all vehicle battery types.
Book a battery test at Tyrepower
Get in touch with the qualified technicians at our Tyrepower store for battery charging and testing. Please call us on (08) 9359 1444 or come to our workshop located at 625 Dundas Road, Forrestfield. Tyrepower is your one-stop shop for tyres, wheels, battery testing, mechanical servicing, and more!