The top reasons your car battery is dead

 It's a terrible feeling when you turn the key in the ignition of your Orlando Toyota and hear nothing except maybe an empty-sounding clicking noise. It more often than not means a dead car battery, which means you're going nowhere fast. But what makes a car battery die, and how can you prevent this annoying roadside emergency? Toyota of Orlando's car care experts are here with tips. 

An easy way to prevent a dead car battery is to stay on top of routine car care and have our techs check your car battery every time you visit. However, things happen in between car maintenance appointments. Here are some of the top reasons your car battery might die unexpectedly. 

Seven reasons your car battery dies unexpectedly 

#1: Your connections have gone bad. The positive and negative terminals on your car battery can be jolted around so much over time that they become loose. Additionally, they also become corroded over time. Eventually, this means the battery won't be able to properly transmit power and you may have issues starting your car. Be sure to routinely check and clean your car battery connections. 

#2: You have a parasitic draw. A parasitic draw is when something in the car is drawing power from the battery even when the car is off (like your interior lights left on). When your car is running, your alternator recharges the battery for you and ensures you can use things like your lights, your radio, etc. But when your car is off, the alternator isn't charging the car battery, and a parasitic draw can drain your battery over the course of time. Make sure when you've parked that all lights, etc. are off. 

#3: The alternator is on its way out. As we mentioned, your car alternator charges the battery when your car is running. If it's not working properly, it won't charge your car battery and in turn, the battery will eventually be drained and die. Make sure our Orlando Toyota service techs check your alternator routinely. 

#4: Your battery is getting too old. Just like any other part, your car battery does get old and wear out over time. Most car batteries last 2-3 years before needing to be replaced, but their lifespan can be shortened by things like extreme temperatures or a bad alternator. 

#5: You left your headlights on by mistake. Remember that parasitic draw we talked about? Leaving your car's headlights on while the car is off, it'll drain your car battery. Be sure to turn off your car headlights every time you exit the car. Some headlights have an auto on/off feature, but not all do. 

#6: The weather is extreme. Did you know that extreme temperatures - hot or cold - can shorten the lifespan of your car? They put a strain on your car battery so when you face extreme weather, be sure to routinely check on it. 

#7: You need to take longer drives. When you only take short drives, your alternator doesn't have much time to charge up your car battery. This can shorten the battery's lifespan. If your commute is short, take longer drives once a week or so to ensure the alternator has time to charge things up properly. 

Care for your car battery at Toyota of Orlando

Have questions about maintaining your car battery or need to replace it? Toyota of Orlando is here to answer them. Call us today at (407) 298-0001 or stop by. We're just off I-4 near the Millenia Mall at 3575 Vineland Road.