If your car battery isn’t holding a charge like it once did, you’ll want to figure out why as soon as possible. Some of the most common causes of car battery drainage include:
Normal aging. In a best-case scenario, your car battery will be able to function like new for about five years. However, that might not be the case for your battery. Everyday wear and tear can affect your battery’s performance after two or three years.
Electricity use. Some cars (especially older vehicles) have headlights that don’t turn off automatically. If you have headlights like that, be sure to turn them off when you’re done driving. Otherwise, they could drain your battery before you know it. Your car’s interior lights could also play a role in draining the battery.
Alternator issues. The alternator is designed to send power to the battery while you drive. But if your alternator is having problems, it won’t be able to perform this task correctly. You might have trouble starting your car as a result, even if it had been running just fine a few minutes before.
Driving habits. The process of starting a vehicle uses a lot of power, so the battery needs to be charged by the alternator while driving. But if you take short trips very frequently, your battery might not have the chance to fully recharge.
Local weather conditions. Oklahoma’s hot summers can do a number on your battery’s lifespan. The newer a battery is, the more effective it will be at dealing with extreme temperatures.