Do I need a new battery after leaving lights on?
Lights On – Car Batteries Tend to Stop Working The lights on your vehicle are critical. If you left the exterior lights on, chances are good they will not burn out on you. However, they may run the battery dry in your car. That is why car batteries can die even after just a short time if they have to power the lights.
How do you know when a car battery is fully charged?
Fully charged automotive batteries should measure at 12.6 volts or above. When the engine is running, this measurement should be 13.7 to 14.7 volts. If you don’t have a multimeter to tell you the voltage of your battery, you can do a test of your electrical system by starting the car and turning on the headlights.
Is it normal for the battery light to come on then turn off?
Yes! It’s perfectly normal for your car’s battery light to come on then turn off after you start it. Thanks! What do I do if my car is saying it has a low battery? You may need to replace the battery or alternator.
Why does my car battery light stay on after I start the engine?
When you start the engine, your power comes from the alternator, so the battery light is supposed to turn off. If the battery light stayed on after you started the engine, that would be bad. It would mean you have an alternator problem.
Why does my car battery go dead after a few days?
Some have had the dead battery problem because of a bad cell in the battery, faulty battery cables, a bad diode in the alternator, or even a problem in the car’s radio. A dead battery after a few days has been a problem on several makes of car, not just my 2012 Hyundai Sonata.
Can a loose battery cable cause a car to die?
In my years as a mechanic, one thing I have learned is that an old battery or loose battery cables can cause really big problems that make it appear that something complicated is wrong with your vehicle.