Electrical / Battery

How many batteries does your European vehicle have?

Suppose you drive a Mercedes, BMW, Bentley, and other Luxury European cars manufactured within the last 20 years. In that case, the chances are that your vehicle has two batteries, one to start the engine, the other to run all the electronic equipment such as your navigation, sound, heating ventilation, as well as everything that consumes electrical voltage to run it. 

How do you know if you’ve got two batteries, what do they look like, and where can you find their location? Well, you can look in your owner’s manual, or you can call Autoscope European Car Care with your VIN, and we will gladly look up the information for you at no charge. 

Why? Because we want to prevent the unnecessary occurrence of a no-start condition for you. The last thing you need is not getting to your destination on time due to a sudden battery failure. We’ve seen an unprecedented amount of battery failures in the last six months. Most of them are due to the pandemic. Since working from home has been the new norm,  we don’t have to drive as often, and the batteries don’t get the charge time they need. 

Autoscope recommends permanently installing a battery-tender, which will monitor the battery condition, and trickle-charge it as needed so that you won’t overcharge your battery and maintain it to its optimum health. It’s only a few dollars, but it can save you a lot more inconvenience and provide you with peace of mind. 

How do I make sure my car battery has a good electrical connection?

Battery cables and terminals should be cleaned and inspected periodically to make sure they provide a good electrical connection and are not corroded. Corrosion can be caused by leaking seals at the battery posts. If this is found, it will require battery replacement to avoid being stranded.

What steps are needed to replace a European car battery?

The first step in installing a new European battery is to register it to the vehicle. Once that is completed, you need to reinitialize the windows and sunroof, steering column end-stops, steering angle sensor and, with A.F.S., you need to reinitialize the steering offset. The Texas heat can also damage your cars’ battery, causing it to have a very short life span. Even if your car is garaged in a climate-controlled structure, starting it and enjoying it in high temperatures can wreak havoc on your car battery. It’s a good thing AUTOSCOPE is nearby to help you with all of your battery service needs. We offer batteries for all European cars with the best warranty in the Dallas Metroplex, better than you’ll find at your local dealership. We use only the best batteries, not low-end replacements like you might find at discount stores. While those batteries sometimes cost less initially, the difference in life span is obvious.

Can it be something else besides my battery?

If you are experiencing dim headlights, slow windshield wipers, and turn signals or a weak battery it might be your alternator. The alternator on your car powers the electrical system for the whole vehicle. It is especially important for alternators to be check regularly for proper charging. Due to the confined area in which they reside, heat from the engine, especially, turbocharged engines, can quickly dissipate life from your European car’s alternator. Demands can often far exceed the alternator’s capacity, leading to less than stellar performance from accessories — and ultimately to a dead battery. Like a doctor checking your heart’s EKG, AUTOSCOPE can check the tell-tale signs of an alternator failing using similar methods to verify the diodes and voltage output necessary to keep your European car’s alternator charging optimally.

3 Things You Can Do To Extend Your Car’s Battery Life

Even though you know that the battery in your car is a critical component (your car simply will not start without one), you probably don’t think too hard about just how heavily you depend on it day in and day out. In fact, you probably don’t think about your car’s battery life much at all…until it’s dead.
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