People have experienced many electrical problems when they have a bad battery installed in their cars. However, many people are unsure if the electrical problems are a bad battery or some other thing.
We are here to tell you all about how and why a bad battery causes electrical problems in a car, everything that you need to know with 100% backed-up facts. We provide the final verdict on this problem.
Can a Bad Car Battery Cause Electrical Problems?
A bad car battery can create problems for your car. It won’t directly affect your car but indirectly affect the other part of your vehicle.
There is no doubt that a bad battery will cause you problems, and in most cases, they relate to electrical problems.
Why Does a Bad Battery Cause Electrical Problems?
A car battery works as the power reserve in a car. It supplies power to the electrical motor, which then starts up the car engine. All of this process requires a power supply, and it takes that power supply from the battery.
If your car battery is weak or you have a bad battery installed, the first problem you will encounter is difficulty starting the car.
Apart from that, the battery is simultaneously providing power supply to the ignition system, which needs to make a spark at the right time to ignite the petrol and air mixture.
The battery also supplies other parts of the car, such as power seats, power windows, etc. With a bad battery, you will also experience problems with these parts.
How to Detect a Bad Battery?
The answer to this question is quite simple. There are going to be some rules. Following them might help you see whether your battery is worth keeping or needs replacing.
Problems while starting the car
Suppose you are having problems while starting the car, and for instance, the ignition system is not working. There is no crank sound when starting the battery. This cranking sound means that your battery needs proper checking.
Dimmed Lights
The dimming of headlights is also a measure to detect that your battery is not in its perfect shape. The lights get supplied through the battery, and if they are always dim and do not provide ample light even if you switch to the hyper beam mode.
This dimming of lights reflects the bad condition of your battery.
Problem with Power Parts
All the power accessories in your car, such as power seats, mirrors, and windshield wipers. If you are facing problems with these parts, it means that there is a problem with your battery as well.
These parts also take power from the battery, and hence, a bad battery will affect their performance,
Warning lights failure
Experience failure of warning lights, the seatbelt light, the door lock signal, and the airbag light. These are good indicators to ensure whether your battery is in good or bad condition.
Diagnosing Techniques
The best technique to check your battery is by getting a load test. This test will require you first fully to charge your battery and then perform the load test. However, if your battery is quite old (more than three years) or if your battery stands drained due to any reason. You might want to get a new battery.
Is your Battery Bad or Your Alternator?
The battery is mainly supplying power when you are starting the car. However, once the engine is running, the power supply goes through the alternator.
In simple words, if the car is running, the alternator will be responsible for supplying the power for the engine to run.
Now a question arises, that the problem could be with an alternator instead of the battery. The alternator directly relates to the battery because it provides charging to the battery for the next start.
If you have electrical problems or difficulties while starting the car, the most likely cause is a depleted battery or a badly charged battery.
But after you have started the car and the battery is not supplying power to the electrical system, the culprit might be the alternator.
How to Determine a Bad Alternator?
To determine a bad alternator, you can look for these signs in your car. These will surely help you to deter if your alternator has gone bad or not:
- The car engine starts but dies immediately (means your alternator is not charging the battery properly).
- Unsteady brightness of headlights. Suppose you are experiencing brighter lights when your speed increases and dimmer lights when your speed decreases; your alternator is faulty.
- Sounds while starting the car are also a sign. If you hear unfamiliar sounds such as growl like sounds, this reflects a defect in the alternator.
- An alternator overheating is the most common and extreme sign, which means you might need to change your alternator immediately.
- When you are having difficulty starting the car, try to charge the battery and use the jump start technique to see if the engine starts. If the car starts, then a multimeter can be used to read the voltage of the battery. A good and normal alternator will show a voltage of 14 volts.
Other Causes of Car Electrical Problems: Cheaper Solutions to Do Before Replacing Battery
Apart from a bad battery and the alternator, there might be a few other reasons for electrical problems.
These solutions might save you a lot of money because replacing the battery or alternator is not a cheap thing to do.
Loosed or Damaged Battery Connectors and Cables
The most common problems for electrical failure are the battery connectors, these connectors transmit the supply, and if not properly tightened, there is a chance of electrical failure.
At times there might be a case of damaged connector cable, which could also be a reason for electrical problems. Make sure your connectors are fixed and tightened properly.
Find purchasing options for Battery Connector Cables here:
LotFancy 4 AWG Battery Cables
Windy Nation 2 AWG Gauge
Battery Cables
Bad Ground Connection
The ground wire connects the car terminal to its chassis; a broken or bad ground wire might be a major cause of electrical problems. Make sure you have a good ground connection. If not, replace it.
Buy Car Ground Connection for your car here:
LotFancy 4 AWG Ground Cables
Windy Nation 2 AWG Gauge
Ground Cables
Other Cheap Solutions
- Go to a car service center or a good mechanic and get everything checked. This saves a lot of money as well as time.
- Fill the car tank. Doing this will reduce the amount of condensation in the tank, which causes quite a few problems for the car.
Bad Starter
If you cannot seem to find a problem in your alternator or battery, the likely cause for your electric problems is the starter. You might want to get it checked and then decide whether to replace it or not.
The starter is not a cheap part. Hence, we would advise you to get it checked before replacing it.
Conclusion
Cars are a fantastic creation of man. But every creation needs care and maintenance. As time passes, the technological revolution is minimizing the need for frequent maintenance for these machines.
Until then, you need to make sure that you take great care of your car and maintain it properly.
