How to Check Your Car Battery Voltage
It’s time to go to work. You slide into the driver’s seat, and when you go to crank the engine, it struggles to turn over. You’ve been here before. You run through the potential reasons in your head: the battery didn’t charge properly, the battery needs a jump, or maybe the battery itself is worn out.
To help you find out the correct action to take, our service team at Group 1 Mazda Denton has put together this guide about how to check your car battery voltage! We encourage all Denton, Carrollton, and Flower Mound, Texas, drivers to learn more below.
Checking Battery Voltage with a Multi-Meter
Want to make sure it’s safe enough to jumpstart your car? Wondering whether your car battery is faulty? You can use a multimeter to check your car battery’s voltage.
A multimeter is a device that tests electrical circuits. While it can be used to measure a gamut of things, it’s especially helpful when it comes to battery voltage.
You may already have one of these meters in your possession if you often dabble in other electrical projects. However, if you need to purchase one, you can pick one up at your nearest hardware or home improvement store!
How-To: Checking Car Battery Voltage
Once you get your hands on a multimeter, you can begin checking your car battery’s voltage, which includes the following steps:
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Prepare Your Multimeter
Make sure your multimeter is set to the voltage before proceeding. You will also want to make sure it’s set to 20 DC Volts. If an incremental system is not available, setting it to DC Volts will work too!
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Connect Leads to Battery Terminal
Your multimeter will come with a black and red lead. The black lead will connect to the negative terminal, while the red will connect to the positive terminal. Always remember: positive to positive and negative to negative.
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Check the Reading
The starting voltage of a healthy car battery is about 12.4 volts. If it automatically reads 12 volts or lower, it will need to be tested by a professional to uncover the issue at hand. If it’s reading extremely low (eight and below), we recommend not jumpstarting it as this may strain the alternator.
Alternatively, if it’s reading 12 and above, and you can charge it, we recommend you do so before some additional testing. Test it with the multimeter again to see how the volts adjust to you cranking the engine, for instance. Minimal fluctuation is normal; however, if it drops significantly and your engine doesn’t recharge or turn over successfully, this can indicate a bad battery.
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Come in for Additional Testing
If your readings are inconclusive, schedule an appointment with our service center. Our technicians will get to the bottom of your car’s battery problem.
Signs Your Car Battery Is Failing
Other than your vehicle’s no-start situation, you may suspect your car’s battery is going bad when you notice any of these warning signs:
- Corrosion on the connectors
- Dim headlights
- Electrical issues
- Frequent need for a jumpstart
- Slow-starting engine
In conjunction with any of these signs, the persistent check engine light on your dashboard may be warning you of potential battery failure as well.
Schedule Battery Service
If you need additional assistance after checking your car battery’s voltage, our Group 1 Mazda Denton service team is here to help! Stop by our service center near Denton, Carrollton, and Flower Mound, TX, so we can get your car back in top running condition.