The Best Way to Deal With Battery Drain Problems in Your Acura

Your Acura is a reliable vehicle that can be trusted to get you to and from your intended destinations. When properly maintained, you will get many years out of it.

One of the parts that can require special attention is the battery. The battery gives life to your vehicle. Without it, your Acura will not start. If the battery in your Acura is beginning to fail, then you will run into additional issues that relate not only to the engine but to the electrical components as well.

Maintaining the life of the battery in your Acura helps you to avoid premature failure and can potentially increase the number of years that you have with that battery. Continue reading to find out the things that will drain the battery and how to handle them.

Leaving the Headlights On

The most common thing that quickly drains the battery of your Acura is leaving the headlights on. This could be overnight or even while you are at work during the day. Newer Acura models have the feature where they automatically turn off the lights once you lock your car. If this is the case, then you don’t have to worry about this becoming a problem, although checking the lights before you walk away from your vehicle is still a good habit to have.

If you have an older Acura, you are less likely to have the automatic light turn off feature as the newer models do. Checking to ensure that your headlights are off is something you need to do every time you turn off your vehicle. When the headlights are left on for hours on end, the battery will drain, and there is a greater chance of not being able to start your Acura the next time you go to drive.

“Parasitic Draw” or Failing to Charge

Another reason why your Acura could have a battery drain problem is a “parasitic draw.” When your vehicle is off, the battery continues to provide power to smaller items including the alarm system, clock, and radio. Normally with these items, you do not have to worry about the effect they have on the battery because it is minimal.

The problem stems from the larger items that draw power from the battery even while the vehicle is off. These larger components include features such as the interior lights and the doors lights. The battery can drain while supplying a seemingly unnecessary amount of electrical power to these features. This excessive and unnecessary supply is referred to as a “parasitic draw” because these features are taking more electrical power than is required. This generally occurs when there is a bad fuse.

In the above battery drain problem, the issue is only seen when your Acura is turned off. This is because the alternator is not turned on to recharge the battery. While you drive your vehicle, the alternator is continuously working to recharge the battery so it does not die as you are driving.

A battery drain problem then occurs because the alternator is failing to recharge the battery as it should. So with this, in addition to there being an issue with the battery, there is an issue with the alternator.

Old Battery

One last reason why you may experience battery drain problems in your Acura is that the battery is old. As the battery ages, it becomes less efficient and is prone to failure. You will know that it is time for a new battery when your Acura dies right after you just jumped it.

Normally, batteries can last up to five years, but this number can decrease depending on certain factors. The life of the battery depends on where you live and the climate, how you drive your vehicle, and the number of short trips you take. All of these will shorten the battery life in your Acura.

Bavarian Performance Specialists Will Fix Your Battery Drain Problem

There are a few different things that can cause the battery in your Acura to drain. If you are experiencing battery problems, the next step is to bring your Acura into us at Bavarian Performance Specialists.

We are easily accessible from the areas of Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Westlake, Malibu, and Newbury Park, CA. One of our trained technicians will inspect your Acura to determine the exact issue and repair it. If necessary, the best replacement battery option will be used. You will be safely back on the road quickly with a battery you can trust. We look forward to earning your business for your future Acura needs.

* Acura NSX image credit goes to: Lawrence Carmichael.