With Dubai’s frantic pace of life, a dead car battery Dubai isn’t just infuriating, it’s a huge hassle. We’ve all experienced that wistful temptation to turn the key only to hear that creeping, torturous rrrr-rrrr-clicking. Nine times out of ten, the cause is the car battery, and in the UAE, its lifespan is much shorter than most drivers realize.
If you’ve had your car battery for just two years and it’s already gone on the fritz, chances are you’ve been wondering if you’ve bought a flop unit. What’s really happening is that you’ve been waging a battle against the area’s worst enemy: heat.
The Enemy Within: Heat vs. Car Battery Chemistry
We all think cold kills batteries because that is when the car won’t start. But the fact is that the silent killer is really the UAE heat. That is why the heat is so terrible for your car battery, often leading you to replace car battery sooner than expected. Here are a few reasons why:
- Electrolyte Evaporation: The normal lead-acid battery contains a mixture of sulfuric acid and water (the electrolyte). Your bonnet’s 40°C+ ambient temperature causes this water to evaporate very quickly. As the electrolyte falls, the lead plates inside the battery, the very ones that hold the charge, are exposed and irreparably damaged within minutes. Sulfation happens causing the battery to no longer hold charge significantly.
- Accelerated Corrosion: All chemical reactions proceed faster with increased temperatures, with corrosive processes in a battery being no exception. What this means is that corrosive processes in a battery lead to faster deterioration of internal grids and plates than in temperate climates. Instead of the 4-5 years lifespan at typical temperate climates, a Dubai car battery lasts only 18 to 30 months.
- Overcharging Stress: Heat will literally stress your car’s charging system. The voltage regulator in the alternator sometimes can’t overcome the heat and overcharges the battery as a byproduct. This causes further internal stress and heat eventually causing the case of the battery to swell physically and that is a death knell in the making.
Listen to the Symptoms: Don’t Wait for the Click
You have to be extremely aware of the signs and plan ahead for a timely car battery replacement. Because a dead car battery typically is a gradual drain accelerated by heat. Don’t wait until the car doesn’t start. That’s already too late.
- The Slow Crank: It’s the most common complaint. Your car slow-cranks more than before, especially after it sits idly parked in the heat for a couple of hours. That slow crank is the sound of a battery struggling to find enough power burst.
- Dim Headlights and Glitches: See if the headlights are dim while idling, or if the cabin lights blink. The car battery powers the radio, windows, and central locking systems. Whenever there’s low voltage, all of these powered electric accessories start to malfunction.
- The Rotten Egg Smell: On popping up the bonnet, if you are met by a whiff of sulfur or rotten eggs, it is not good. It implies that the battery’s heating up, gassing, or even acid is leaking and needs immediate attention of a skilled mechanic.
- The Swollen Case: Check your car battery visually. If the plastic case is de-shaped, bulging, or bloated on the sides, then it has actually been physically deformed by internal pressure brought about by heat. That battery is severely compromised and should be replaced at once.
Proactive Care: Giving Your Battery a Fighting Chance
Even though you can’t change the climate, you can change your habit to give your car battery a fighting chance. When needed, quick car repair can also help you avoid bigger issues. Here are a few ways how:
- Park in the Shade: This is a huge one. Parking in the shade or in the underground carpark drops the under-bonnet temperature significantly. This eventually slows down the evaporation process.
- Restrict Short Trips: Number of very short, repeated trips (especially in the summer) don’t give the alternator of the car a chance to completely recharge the battery after it has started to work. Attempt to group errands so your car will operate for a minimum of 20-30 minutes per trip.
- Clean the Terminals: Look for that white or blue-green powdery residue (corrosion) on the battery terminals. Corrosion disrupts the electrical connection and leads to charging inefficiency. A quick cleaning can give you precious time.
- Get it Tested: If your automobile battery is reaching its two-year milestone, have a voltage and load test performed every year. It costs hardly anything and gives you a clear idea of its capacity left.
Being ahead of the heat is knowing your car battery’s weakness. When the time for replacement inevitably comes, avoid the anxiety and call the professionals. Battmobile provides quick, on-demand replacement, so you get a good, heat-tolerant car battery fitted in no time, wherever you are in Dubai.
