Top 5 Things that Drain Your Car Battery Dry

Car batteries seem to have a mind of their own, especially when it comes to dying out on you at the most inconvenient time. Did you ever notice that? You might be late at a meeting, or on the middle of the road and BAM! Your car's dead. It won't start. And yes--not even Lazarus can convince it to reincarnate as a nice, harmless piece of electric can opener.

Truth is, there are many reasons why your vehicle won't start. Let's assume, however, that the culprit here is a drained car battery. Here are the main reasons why it may start to lose power prematurely:

Wasted Electric Energy

This is a common problem of absent-minded people. Oftentimes, they're too tired from work to notice that their headlights are still turned on after they turn off the car's ignition. Or they have too many shopping bags to carry that they forgot to close the door completely. So unknowingly, the interior light stays on for the entire night.

Whatever their reasons are, these petty errors can drain your car's battery fast--especially when left overnight.

Intense Heat or Cold

Extreme temperatures can drain your car battery prematurely, because they encourage the battery to form lead sulfate crystals around it. This buildup can make it hard for your battery to charge, especially during intense heat or cold temperatures. Over time, your  battery becomes damaged and drains prematurely.

Damaged Alternator

Alternators are another important component of a vehicle. They are responsible for recharging your car battery, and powers some of your car's electric parts, like the radio, air conditioner, and lights. When an alternator gets damaged, it might charge the car battery even if the engine is shut off. This eventually leads to battery drain.

Defective Battery Cables

Do you like to drive your car outdoors all the time? Then your battery connections might be corroded from dirt or rust. This will prevent it from getting properly charged at its fullest capacity.

Old Age

Sometimes, the reason is way more simple than you think: your battery has just reached its life span. If that's the case, then simply replace your battery with a much newer one.

Final Word

If you suspect that you are having a problem with your car battery, then have it checked by a mechanic to see if it really is a battery problem. Once they confirm it's true, then ask if it can still be repaired or replaced with a newer one. Whatever the case--and if money isn't a problem--then it's always better to play safe and just replace your battery with a new one. There are some things that perform significantly better when they're new--and your car's battery is one of them.