AutoTalk


Don’t wait for a battery to fail


A By Brent Wells


As technicians at a AAA-approved auto repair facility, we see vehicles all the time with check engine lights lit and presets lost, or the antitheft systems that won’t let cars start. The culprit is typically a weak battery.


Years ago you waited until a Samsung Galaxy S® III $100 10%


battery failed, and you replaced it, resetting your clock and radio stations. Today’s cars won’t let you wait until complete battery failure. A weak battery can’t handle the demands of your vehicle when you start it. The vehicle may sound normal, but system voltage drops below normal, disrupting computers and modules that depend on stable voltage. Weak batteries can cause premature failure of starters and alternators. Batteries are such a big deal that


we replace more today than ever before as preventive maintenance.


Keep these things in mind: Ask for a battery “health test”


next time you’re in the shop for service. If at all possible, replace the


battery before it fails, or about every three or four years. Replace the battery with a


quality product. Saving a few dollars may cost you extra cash down the road. Get the correct size and amperage for your vehicle.


N135203 20 EnCompass May/June 2013 AAA.com


A weak battery can’t handle the demands of your vehicle when you start it.


By performing regular inspections


and reasonable maintenance, you’re less likely to experience system failure, which makes for a much happier driver. 


Brent Wells is owner of Autotailor,


Inc., (303-355-5099, www.autotailor. com), a AAA-approved repair facility (AAR) in Denver. Find this and other Approved Auto Repair facilities on pages 48-49.


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