Did you just notice the battery discharge warning light come on, and you don’t know what it means and how to deal with the situation? Don’t panic anymore because you will learn about this warning light and why it comes on in this article.
The main reason why this warning light comes on is connected to the battery; either the battery is faulty or the alternator is bad.
As you further in this article, these reasons and more will be elaborated on.
What Does Battery Discharge Warning Mean?
The battery discharge warning signifies that the vehicle’s battery is being discharged more frequently than it is being charged, which suggests that electrical issues may soon arise. This warning will appear on either the dashboard screen or the information cluster in your vehicle.
While battery discharge might have negative effects, it could also signify more significant problems.
Battery Saver Active is a feature that some cars have that switches the car into battery-saving mode. Non-essential electrical accessories will be turned off, as a result, protecting the battery.
Most of the time, the battery discharge warning will appear when your automobile is still consuming energy and the engine is off. Nevertheless, occasionally you can get this cautionary warning while you’re driving, signifying a more serious issue.
Also Read: Service Battery Charging System (Causes & Fix)
What Could Cause Battery Discharge When the Engine is Off?
When your engine is turned off, there is a chance that your battery could deplete. At this time, the alternator isn’t providing the battery with a charge. So the battery is the only source of power for everything. Let’s examine what could cause the battery to deplete when the engine is off.
1. Listening to Radio
Whenever you park your car, it’s fairly normal for us to turn the ignition button and listen to the radio. Remember that your radio is an electrical tool that relies on the battery for power. Listening to your radio would drain your battery if the engine is not on.
2. Loose Terminals
Another reason your battery could drain is loose connections. Even if your vehicle is not in motion, the terminals might cause the charge to be lost. So keep an eye out for loose terminals if you don’t want your battery to discharge.
3. Extreme Weather
At times, you have no control over the battery discharge. For example, harsh weather is caused by nature. Extreme temperatures can harm the charge of your vehicle’s battery. You can park your car in a garage to avoid battery discharge during winter.
3. Old Battery
Another reason for an odd battery discharge is an aged battery. A worn-out battery cell cycle is almost finished. It might be discharged earlier than normal. For example, the battery would lose its charge immediately after you park your vehicle.
4. Chargers Left Plugged In
Car features benefit us, but they can also harm us in certain situations. For example, most contemporary cars are equipped with charging ports.
As a result, the battery would discharge easily if you leave your phone plugged accidentally into charge when your engine is off, and your car would eventually notify you.
5. Parasitic Drain
Another possibility that could lead to battery discharge is a parasitic drain. This range from power windows and power, windscreen wipers, electric steering, and heated seats that are operated with the use of electric current.
This shows that if any of the components malfunctions, it could draw a lot of current from your battery. Parasitic drain can result in the extreme discharge of the battery.
6. Head Lights Left On
If you leave your headlight on when getting out of your car, many cars may beep as a warning. After a long day at work, nobody can be held accountable if someone forgets to switch the headlight off.
The headlights are the most power-draining parts of your car’s electrical system. It can drain the battery because of how much electricity they consume.
7. Climate Control Left On
Another feature that uses battery power, even while your engine isn’t operating, is climate control. The issue with this feature is that turning it on is a requirement. However, leaving it on for long could quickly drain the battery.
Also Read: How To Charge A Car Battery Without A Charger (6 Best Ways)
What Could Cause Battery Discharge Warning When the Car is Running?
The battery shouldn’t discharge when the engine is running, ideally. Nevertheless, this can also occur occasionally. Let us examine the various circumstances in which a battery discharge warning could appear while driving.
1. Poor Ground Connection
A short circuit could cause a fire, so ground connections are crucial in preventing this from happening. However, a weak ground connection could result in battery discharge. The battery might not be charged because the current is going into the ground.
2. Short Drives
It is right that while you drive, the battery gets charged. However, short drives have the opposite effects. They do not allow sufficient time for the battery in your car to charge. Additionally, you would likely have a drained battery if you use charging ports or stereo connections during the short drive.
3. Faulty Charging System
The charging system of the car is made up of several parts; this includes sensors, motors, and alternators. If one of these parts starts malfunctioning, the battery will discharge quicker than normal.
4. Corroded Battery Terminals
The battery’s physical state is also necessary. For example, the battery won’t be able to charge if the terminals have white deposits on them or are corroded. In addition, the battery won’t be charged even if the vehicle is operating.
5. Worn-out Serpentine Belt
A discharged battery serves as the physical expression of a bad serpentine belt. It is principally in charge of supplying energy to your alternator, which creates current. The battery won’t be charged properly if there is power loss due to slippage.
6. Weak Battery
An unstable battery can’t charge. So even though the serpentine belt and alternator are in good operating order, they would eventually get discharged regardless of how you drive.
7. Bad Alternator
The fundamental part of the charging system of your vehicle is an alternator. It will not perform as intended once its life has finished. After 80,000 miles, an alternator quits recharging the battery.
How to Fix the Battery Discharge Warning?
There are a few things that you may do if the battery in your vehicle is losing charge. First, you can try to repair a battery discharge by heeding the instructions below.
1. Check Electrolyte
Checking the level of electrolytes is the initial and most important step. The more this occurs when you haven’t checked the Electrolyte level for months, the more the battery gets discharged, and your vehicle will not start. This results from the battery’s inability to provide current across the terminals.
2. Jumpstart the Car
The earliest method of reviving a drained battery is a jumpstart. Use jumper cables to join the battery to a healthy battery. Depending on how fortunate you are, the vehicle might start, and as soon as it starts, your alternator would recharge again.
3. Get it Recharged
Try charging your battery externally if everything else fails. There are numerous external DC chargers in the market. Alternatively, you might pay $10 to $20 at a battery store to get it charged.
4. Change the Battery
If nothing else is effective, this option is the final. You’ve checked the Electrolyte, and you have attempted to jumpstart and attempted to charge it. When you turn the engine on, the vehicle starts, but the battery is discharged immediately. Which means you have to purchase a new battery.
The battery warning light would also turn on when it’s time to change the battery, signaling an issue with the electrical system.
Based on the model and make of your vehicle, it might cost anywhere from $45-$250.
Check out this video for more tips on how to fix battery discharge warning problem
What Models of Cars Have the Battery Discharge Warning Issue?
Kia models are widely recognized for displaying the battery discharge warning sign when using any electronic device or radio while stationary. Although this is a wonderful feature, there’s no way to disable the notification, so it can become annoying.
Hyundai is a well-known automaker that also has this widespread issue. Numerous owners have noted on Hyundai forums that most Hyundai models would notify you immediately you turn off your engine and are listening to the radio or your AC is working.
This problem also affects renowned vehicles, including Toyota, Ford, BMW, and Honda.
Also Read: Can a Car Battery Be Too Dead to Jump Start? (Everything to Know)
Cost To Replace The Battery
The warning light would turn on when the battery needed to be replaced, signaling a problem with the power system. Depending on the model and make of the car, it would cost between $45 & $250.
Other Models of the Car With Common Issues
Many Kia models are known for displaying the warning light for a discharging battery, even while using other electrical devices like the radio or when parked. Even though it is a useful feature, since there’s no “menu battery discharge” or choice to turn it off, the notice might get annoying.
Another well-known automaker that has this persistent problem is Hyundai. Many owners of Hyundai claim that if the engine is turned off when the radio or air conditioning is still on, most Hyundai models would sound an alert. Several well-known automakers have a similar issue, including Honda, Ford, Toyota, and BMW.
Frequently Asked Questions – Battery Discharge Warning
How do you repair a battery discharge warning?
You can unplug the radio and reconnect it to power, and watch if it resets the control device. Though it can discharge your CD, the device could still cycle like you have a CD which is attempting to eject. You would have to send the device out for the upgrade or repair at this point.
What does it mean when my vehicle says battery discharged?
It means you are being warned that the battery is running low and requires time to recharge before turning off your engine.
What Leads to increased battery discharge?
The battery would be unable to provide sufficient cranking amps if the message “increase battery discharge” appears when starting.
How long does it take to discharge the battery?
Normally, a battery loses one-third of its ability before it is deemed discharged. Hence, it requires one-third of that ability to be charged fully(range of operation). With this restriction in place and the values mentioned above, there is only one solution: t=33Ah/10A=3 hours.
How frequently should you Replace your Vehicle battery?
This can be done every 4 to 5 years. According to service professionals, you should change your vehicle battery every 4 to 5 years. Of course, the lifespan varies based on a few variables, but this useful article will show you how you will know that your battery requires to be changed.
How long do car batteries last?
3 to 5 years. Battery life in cars is limited. As time goes on, the batteries depreciate until they can’t start the engine. Depending on how you use the car, it might take up to 3 to 5 years before the battery wears out.
Does idling the car charge the battery?
Do leaving your vehicle idle charge the battery? Yes, the car’s battery is charging as far as the engine is working.
Can you recharge a dead battery?
A dead battery can be recharged, regardless of the circumstances. A dead battery can be fixed whether you are stranded in the middle of nowhere or in your garage.
How can I check if my car battery is good?
Join the negative and positive battery terminals to the multimeter. You could have a poor battery if the voltage is below 12.6volts. Start your vehicle, and check for a revised voltage greater than 10. When the engine works and the voltage falls below 5, its defective band needs to be changed immediately.
Conclusion – What Does Battery Discharge Warning Mean?
The battery discharge warning signifies that the vehicle’s battery is being discharged more frequently than it is being charged, which suggests that electrical issues may soon arise. This warning will appear on either the dashboard screen or the information cluster in your vehicle.
We hope this post was of help to you. Please feel free to check out our other blog articles if you want to get more tips for fixing and preventing car troubles!