Battery Tips
Start-stop technology puts very different demands on a 12-volt battery than a conventional starting system, and that changes how technicians need to approach battery testing. These vehicles may restart the engine dozens of times during a normal trip while the battery...
When testing shows it can’t support the vehicle’s low-voltage electrical systems as it should, not simply because it has reached a certain age, an EV’s 12-volt battery should be replaced. Although an EV doesn’t use a 12-volt battery to crank an engine, that battery is...
Vehicles in long-term storage still place demands on their 12-volt batteries, even when the ignition stays off for weeks or months. Parasitic loads, self-discharge, temperature, and existing battery condition can eventually reduce the state of charge enough to cause...
Rideshare and fleet vehicle batteries can face a harsher environment than batteries in personal vehicles, increasing the chances for early failure. High mileage is part of the equation, but frequent starts, accessory use, communications gear, and demanding duty cycles...
Intermittent battery concerns can be some of the most difficult electrical problems to diagnose – vehicle may be operating normally by the time it reaches the service bay. A customer might report a slow crank, clicking starter, or complete no-start, only for the...