If you’re a driver in Dubai, you must be familiar with what happens if the battery of your used car fails. If you haven’t, it absolutely isn’t fun. Battery provides power to all other components, and in order to keep your car functioning to its full potential, the health of your battery is essential. So, be sure to consider it before buying used cars in Dubai. To avoid ending up in a car crisis, look for these signs to check the condition of your car battery:
Battery Light is on
Most cars, especially new ones, have a self-diagnostic system which indicates the health of all components in your car. Illuminated lights on your car’s dashboard is explicit evidence that something is wrong with your car. As the battery is responsible for providing power to the rest of the car, any other electrical problems might also indicate that your battery isn’t working properly.
Low Battery Voltage
If the light isn’t on, that doesn’t necessarily mean that your battery is not damaged. If your car isn’t starting properly or is showing telltale signs of battery corrosion, you should proceed to the next step which is to check the voltage of your battery using a standard multimeter or voltmeter. Conduct this test with your engine off and then do it again after turning the engine on. If the figures are below 12.2 volts when your engine is off, it is a sign of trouble. Alternatively, if the engine is on, voltage should not be less than 13.4 volts or higher than a 14.7 volts.
Apply Load and Test
A more rigorous test is checking the battery voltage while putting a load on the engine which is also known as a ‘Load Test’. Whenever you turn the engine on, it places a load on your car’s engine. Set your voltmeter to check the min/max voltage and then turn your engine on. A healthy voltage is above 9.6 volts for approximately 15 seconds. Adding on to the load by switching on your headlights and the radio may give you a more accurate reading.
Implement an Electronic test
If you want to do an even more advanced test, an electronic test can help you analyze the state of your battery more precisely. In this test, you will require a Specialized Electronic Tester. Before leading this test, ensure that the electronic device that you have is appropriate for your battery, and that it can gauge the specific voltage and capacitance ranges of your battery. This test sends frequency waves from the device to inner chemical layers of the battery and analyzes the strength of the battery depending on the signal it gets. Your battery has successfully passed the test if it shows ‘healthy state’ on your tester.
Keep a Regular Check
It is important to know how many years your battery has when you buy used cars for sale in UAE. A car battery usually lasts up to three to five years. It is best that you check your car battery once or twice every year to see if it’s properly charged. Be sure to make all these steps a part of your annual maintenance calendar.
It is strongly recommended that you replace your battery whenever you feel that your car’s engine is acting sluggish or is smelling funny. These are also the signs you should look for before buying a used car in Dubai or let CarSwitch.com take a look at them for you.
