Does Your BMW Need a New Car Battery?

Your BMW is a beautiful machine, but a dead battery will seriously cramp your enjoyment of this fine automobile. Your battery is essential for starting your engine and for keeping your alarm and other components working while your car is parked. The battery will wear out, and when it shows signs of aging, your BMW dealer can easily fit a new car battery for you.

Do You Need a New Car Battery From Your BMW Dealer?

Swollen Battery Case

The internal workings of your battery are safely concealed within a thick plastic case. The battery contents need to be protected from dirt, debris, and any other contaminants. Your engine also has to be protected against the sulfuric acid and other chemicals contained in your battery. Most car batteries are rectangular, although there are a few square batteries. If your battery looks different, it’s likely been damaged already.

Extreme hot and cold temperatures can cause your battery casing to expand and contact. The chemical reactions in an older battery can also take their toll on the casing. These interior and exterior pressures on the battery casing will twist and warp the casing. You can easily visually check your battery, and if it shows any signs of distortion, it will need to be replaced ASAP.

Battery Warning Light Comes On

The battery-shaped warning light on your dash doesn’t just represent your battery: it represents your electrical charging system. This system is comprised of the alternator, the battery, and the voltage regulator, and it produces and supplies the electrical power for your car. All of these components have sensors attached to monitor them, and if a problem is detected, the warning light will come on automatically.

Your battery doesn’t produce electricity but it does store and supply it. As your battery gets older, it becomes less efficient at storing electricity and in being recharged. Either of these conditions will cause the battery light to come on. Your dash will also display an error code. Our technicians will use this code to trace and repair the cause of the problem.

Damaged Alternator

Your battery can only store a limited amount of electricity. It depends on the alternator to continually recharge it. As your car moves, the alternator recharges your battery. If your alternator starts to fail, it will produce less electricity. The limited amount of electricity available means that your battery won’t be fully recharged. This problem is progressive, as the weaker your alternator becomes, the more drained your battery will be.

The battery may be in very good condition, but a damaged alternator can very easily kill your battery, as the battery is simply not being recharged. Our technicians can test your alternator, and we will quickly replace it if it’s causing a problem.

A dead battery can very easily leave you stranded far from home. If your car shows any of the signs above, or if you’re worried about the condition of your battery, call us right away at Tom Bush BMW Orange Park.

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