Reasons why your AGM battery discharges too quickly

On some occasions, you might have fully charged your AGM battery, but when you are about to leave your house, the car declines to start. This is usually because of an over-discharge of the battery or the automatic charger you used recording false data. Here are four reasons why you might face these problems.

1. You might have forgotten to switch off your headlights

The first suspect of such issues is usually the front and rear lights because they entirely depend on the battery to power them. Many of the newer vehicles come with lights that automatically turn off when idle for too long, but if yours does not have this feature, you may wake up the next morning to find that they have entirely drained your newly charged battery. As a result, your car will not have enough power to crank up the engine.

2. There is a parasitic draw

Usually, the alternator can recharge the battery when the engine is running, which is why you never have to get worried about recharging it after a long drive. But when the engine is off, the alternator cannot recharge it, letting parasitic accessories such as door lights, open trunks, glove boxes, and doors that are not entirely closed draw power from the battery, causing a parasitic draw.

3. Extreme weather conditions

Newer batteries can mostly resist the freezing winters and scorching summers, which usually severely affect the battery’s ability to hold its charge. But if you own an older AGM battery, intense hot or cold temperatures can weaken its performance or kill it altogether. The best approach is to take your battery into the house with you if the weather condition is too hot or cold to always maintain a steady temperature.

4. The battery is not charging during driving

The battery usually depends on the alternator to charge as you drive, and if it is faulty, it would be very hard for your battery to stay charged for long. This could be the reason why you might switch your engine off a few minutes before, only for it not to start again. To curb this, all you need to do is get a new alternator fixed.