A worn or damaged battery can let you down at any time. Inevitably it will happen when you need to be somewhere urgently. Fortunately, if you experience battery problems in the area around Salisbury, NC, your local Kia dealer is here to help. These are a few warning signs that you new or used Kia may need a new car battery very soon.
Low Electrolyte Level
Some batteries are completely sealed, but other batteries have removable caps. If your battery has caps, you can remove the caps to check the electrolyte level. Each cap is a separate battery cell. The cells have a minimum electrolyte level marked on them. When you top up the electrolyte, don’t fill it above the line.
The electrolyte solution allows the chemical reactions to take place that enable your battery to store and supply electricity. The solution level can drop during extreme hot or cold conditions. Electrolytes can also boil away if your battery is being overcharged by a failing alternator. We’ll check your electrolyte levels and ensure your battery has no other problems.
Parasitic Drain
A parasitic drain occurs when power continues to be supplied to a system that should have switched off. Many systems use low amounts of power, but if one of these systems continues to draw electricity when it shouldn’t, it can quickly drain your battery. Two of the most common sources of this problem are the glove box light and the trunk light.
When you open the glove box or the trunk, an electrical circuit is completed, and the light comes on. This circuit is broken when the relevant lid is closed, and the lights switch off. An electrical fault can keep either of these lights on, and electricity will drain from your battery. We can test your electrical system to identify the problem, and then we’ll fix it.
Bad Smell
If you smell the stench of rotten eggs rising from under the hood, your battery is probably failing. This foul smell means that hydrogen sulfide is present in your engine. This toxic and corrosive chemical can form when your battery starts to fail. Sulfuric acid is a vital chemical in your battery, but it slowly breaks down over time.
Hydrogen gas is released by sulfuric acid as it breaks down, and this gas will escape the battery. Your engine contains sulfur, which is released naturally by fuel. The hydrogen and sulfur will combine to form hydrogen sulfide. This chemical can corrode your battery terminals and other metal items. A battery that’s releasing hydrogen can’t be fixed, but we can replace the battery with a new one.
If you experience these or any other battery problems, schedule a service appointment right away at Randy Marion Kia.
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Warranties include 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain and 5-year/60,000-mile basic. All warranties and roadside assistance are limited. See retailer for warranty details.