Reliable cars require diligent maintenance and awareness of changes in performance, which require unscheduled changes and replacements. A dying battery will usually give you notice of the need for a new battery before you need to call a tow truck.
An easy indicator that your car's battery is weak and may need to be replaced is a clicking when the car is first started. This can indicate a problem with the starter, which relies on battery power to turn over. Other symptoms include the car lights being dimmer than normal or the voltmeter is below 12 volts.
Car batteries are not meant to last forever and will need to be periodically replaced. Besides the shelf life of batteries, you may need a replacement during extreme weather shifts or if the car accessories have been left on without the motor running.
Sometimes a car battery will need a jump from the battery of another car using jumper cables to restart the battery life. Other times the battery will need to be replaced. If you do it yourself, be sure to wash your hands to keep corrosive and dangerous chemicals from the battery from getting in your eyes or mouth.
