Power — it’s a word people can certainly associate with cars. To have your vehicle’s power at its maximums, you check your exhaust system as well as your engine to make sure everything’s in perfect shape.

Now, how about checking your battery? After all, it is where your vehicle gets a good portion of its power from. Is there any problem with it? Is it still good for another year or two? To know if it’s time to change your battery, look out for these battery trouble symptoms.

Battery Indicator

These days, most vehicles have a warning light to tell you if there’s a problem with your battery. Unfortunately, most of us ignore this little light and instead choose to push the battery to its limits, choosing only to check on the problem when the car inevitably stalls in the middle of the highway. Save yourself the hassle; check your battery at home once the battery light starts to glow or bring it to a trusted mechanic for a quick check up.

Swollen Case

Pop the hood and check on your battery every once in a while. If you see its sides swelling, then you know it’s about time to get a new one. A swollen battery case is an indicator that a chemical reaction. Said chemical reaction can be due to exposure to extreme heat or cold.

Leaking Battery

A leaking battery can be a pain, because not only is it a hassle to the car owner, but it’s also a time-consuming job requiring attention to detail. A leaking car battery can cause a battery of problems, from corroding your car parts to burning your skin. One might be thinking this is all worth it rather than swap out your old battery for a new one, but in the long run a brand new battery is sure to be a better option.

Jumped It Too Many Times

You’re in the middle of the parking lot and you’re forced to ask for a stranger’s help to jump-start your car’s battery – for the third time in the last couple of weeks! If this is the case, don’t you think it’s about time to do something about this little problem? Yes, it’s nice that someone is willing to help, but you’re only prolonging your car’s torture. Give up, do yourself (and your car) a favor by purchasing a new battery.

Difficulty Starting the Engine

You know the situation is really bad once you realize you’re losing your patience over your inability to start your car. Maybe the situation can be remedied by something as simple as a new battery. How will you know the problem is the battery and not some other car part? Close your eyes, open your ears and focus on your hearing. Now run the engine. If you hear a ticking or clicking sound, then the battery is most likely at fault. If you can, start the car with jumper cables and bring it to the nearest trusted battery seller to have it changed.

Old Age

Everything has an expiration date (except for pure honey) and your car battery is no different. Don’t let all these things happen to you before deciding to get a new battery. Check with your battery’s manufacturer what the average lifetime of their product is, then start counting how long has it been since you’ve had your current battery. It’s possible to boost your battery’s life span but to be safe, prepare to have it changed as soon as it’s nearing the expiration date.

A battery is vital for most cars; have its power checked every now and then to assure you it is still good for the road. The moment you start spotting signs of trouble, call up your mechanic to have him or her take a look at your vehicle’s problems.