Why has my car changed battery but still doesn’t register charge?
Why has my car changed battery but still doesn’t register charge?
I recently replaced the battery in my car, but I’m still experiencing issues with it not registering a charge. After the new battery was installed, I expected everything to work smoothly, but that hasn’t been the case. The battery light on the dashboard remains illuminated, and I’m finding that my car won’t start or hold a charge for more than a few minutes at a time. I’ve double-checked the installation to ensure the battery is correctly connected, yet the problem persists. It’s perplexing and frustrating because the replacement battery is brand new and should theoretically fix the issue. I’m not sure what’s causing this problem and I feel stuck.
5 Answers
The issue might be rooted in your car’s alternator. Even though you replaced the battery, the alternator is responsible for charging it while the engine runs. If the alternator is faulty, it won’t be able to maintain the battery charge. Have a professional test the alternator to confirm its status.
It’s possible that your vehicle has a parasitic drain. This means something in your car’s electrical system is continuously drawing power, even when the car is off. To diagnose, you can use a multimeter to check for excessive current draw. Common culprits include aftermarket devices, interior lights, or malfunctioning modules.
