Your car isn’t built to send warnings. When the battery dies, it won’t happen at home in your driveway. It will happen when you’re running late, stopped at a red light in downtown San Francisco, or parked on a steep hill in Daly City. One turn of the key, and nothing happens. That moment of panic isn’t just annoying—it’s expensive, time-consuming, and completely avoidable. At Cowden Automotive, we see this every day. Your battery has a shelf life, and it’s shorter than you think. Here’s how to tell if yours is running out of time.
A Slow Start Means Trouble Is Coming
Your car should start instantly. If it hesitates, struggles, or cranks slower than usual, your battery is failing. This is especially common in the 2015-2021 Honda Accord, 2013-2022 Toyota Camry, and 2014-2019 Ford Escape, all of which rely heavily on battery power for keyless ignition and electronic systems. Every second of delay when you turn the key is a warning. Once it starts happening, replacement is no longer optional—it’s inevitable.
Headlights That Flicker or Dim Are a Cry for Help
Your battery isn’t just for starting your car. It powers everything electrical, including your headlights. If they dim when you stop at a light or flicker when you accelerate, your battery is struggling. The 2017-2023 Chevrolet Silverado and 2015-2022 Subaru Outback are particularly prone to voltage drops due to their high electrical demand. If your lights aren’t holding steady, neither is your battery.
Jump-Starting More Than Once? That Battery Is Done
Needing a jump once is bad luck. Needing one twice? That’s a dead battery waiting to happen. The 2014-2020 Nissan Rogue and 2016-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee have known battery drain issues, often caused by power-hungry electronics that keep running even when the car is off. If your battery isn’t holding a charge overnight, no jump-start will fix the real problem.
Corrosion on the Terminals Means Your Battery Is Breaking Down
Pop the hood and look at your battery terminals. If you see white, green, or blue buildup around them, your battery is corroding from the inside. The 2013-2018 Ford F-150 and 2016-2021 Hyundai Tucson are known for excessive terminal corrosion, which can prevent your car from starting even if the battery still has life left. Cleaning helps, but if corrosion keeps coming back, the damage is already done.
A Swollen Battery Case Means It’s About to Fail
A normal battery is a solid, rectangular block. If yours is bulging, swollen, or misshapen, it’s overheating from the inside. Overcharging, high heat, and a failing alternator can cause this, especially in vehicles like the 2015-2022 BMW 3 Series and 2017-2023 Mazda CX-5, which have compact engine bays that trap heat. A swollen battery isn’t just bad—it’s dangerous. It can leak, rupture, or even explode. If you see swelling, replace it immediately.
Don’t Wait for Your Car to Leave You Stranded
A weak battery doesn’t fix itself. Once it starts showing signs of failure, you’re on borrowed time. If you notice slow starts, dim lights, frequent jump-starts, corrosion, or a swollen case, don’t gamble on your next drive. At Cowden Automotive in San Francisco, we test, diagnose, and replace failing batteries before they leave you stuck.
Call Cowden Automotive at (415) 777-9858 today. Your car will only give you so many chances—don’t wait for the last one.
