There are many cases when the owners do not drive cars for periods of time, and then they realize the vehicle batteries are dead. You can be nervous leaving your car alone for a few days.
Some people believe the car battery dies if not driven for 3 days. Is it true? It’s a question that’s been asked a lot on the internet.
However, the results are not the same. If you are stuck on that puzzle, this article is for you. Keep scrolling down to find the answer, along with detailed explanations.
Is It True That A Car Battery Dies If Not Driven For 3 Days?
It depends on the car battery status.
Most modern vehicle batteries can withstand weeks, if not months, of inactivity, but if the car is infrequently used over a lengthy time, the battery will eventually fail.
This way, there will be insufficient power to start the car the next time it is needed.
A new and fully charged car battery can last for around two weeks before needing to be recharged by a generator. It means your car can operate normally after leaving it without driving for 2 weeks.
Is your new battery dead after sitting for two to three months? In this case, you cannot ignite the car engine when the battery is left uncharged for approximately two months.
This implies that the component will completely die.
If your vehicle’s bad battery is old or has not been serviced for a long time, your battery is likely experiencing drain problems. In this situation, your car battery is dead after sitting for 3-5 days.
Why Does A Car Battery Lose Charge When Not In Use?
Why do car batteries die when not used?
In case you don’t drive your automobile for a long time, the car battery dies after sitting a few days. The alternator helps charge the car batteries as you drive.
As a result, if it sits in your driveway for an extended amount of time, the electrical systems might lose the ability to retain the charge.
While the car is turned off, electrical systems such as the clock, the onboard computer, and the alarm can all deplete the battery.
This component will be entirely exhausted because it is not charged for an extended period.
It is usual for these systems to utilize a modest amount of electricity.
Still, in case of a ‘parasitic draw,’ the automobile may draw more power from the battery while the car is not being used.
These parasitic pulls, produced by a defective relay or an interior light accidentally left on, will cause the battery to drain much faster.
Can a car battery die if not used? Keep in mind that there’s no reason for a good battery to die after a few days of inactivity.
A parasitic draw test can be performed whenever you suspect an electrical problem is taking power from your battery.
This test will identify the issue and decide what has to be done to resolve the battery depletion.
How To Maintain Your Sitting Car Battery
This is an important component of your car. It provides your vehicle with the electricity needed to keep you going, from starting the automobile to running all of the extras.
The vehicle’s status determines the time it can sit before the battery dies. But you can take action with any car to preserve the battery’s health.
Check out the ideas below to improve the performance of your battery and keep your vehicle running longer.
Disengage Security System
If you park your car in a secure garage with a security system, consider turning off the car’s alarm. Letting it be on will just deplete the battery faster.
This is because it is always in active mode even when not running and uses a certain amount of battery.
In case you must park outside with the alarm activated, check the battery weekly.
Charge Battery Weekly
As the cars sit, the batteries maintain all of the memory for the many computers onboard the vehicle.
While the car’s battery drain might not appear significant at first, it accumulates with time and may reach the point where there is insufficient energy to start the engine.
You may believe that going out a few minutes a week is sufficient to keep your battery in good working order, but this is not.
In case you only drive the car for short journeys or leave it parked for many days at a time, the battery will not have enough time to recharge.
Experts recommend driving the car for at least 30 minutes once a week, preferably at highway speeds, to ensure the battery receives the necessary boost.
Disconnect The Negative Battery Terminal
As mentioned, several components in your car continue to take power from the vehicle even after it is switched off.
This is known as a parasitic drain or key-off drain battery, and it might result in a dead battery after several weeks of no operation.
You should detach the battery from the chassis ground by first disconnecting the negative battery cable.
If you separate the positive cable and inadvertently slip the wrench into another section of the vehicle, you risk damaging electrical parts or components, which might be quite expensive.
Get A Portable Jump-Starter
A jump starter can provide instant electricity if your automobile battery is dead.
They enable the addition of power to a vehicle with no plug sockets. Even when you don’t need one, jump starters are compact enough to store in your vehicle.
Conclusion
Is it true that a car battery dies if not driven for 3 days? This is a common question whenever you are going to have a long journey and cannot drive your car for many days.
As mentioned, it depends on the car battery. The battery can normally last about 1 or 2 months or at least 2 weeks.
In case your battery is old or has problems, after 3 days, it might completely die.
In these situations, you should take your car for maintenance and follow steps to ensure the stable component status.