Common Problem

Car Battery Won't Hold Charge

A battery that takes a charge but loses it again quickly — sometimes within hours — is telling you something specific about its internal condition, not just that it needs topping up.

What's actually happening inside the battery

Batteries store charge through a chemical reaction between lead plates and acid electrolyte. As a battery ages, sulfation builds up on the plates, reducing their ability to hold charge — the battery can still accept a charge temporarily, but loses it far faster than it should because its actual storage capacity has degraded.

Ruling out other causes first

Before assuming the battery itself is the problem, it's worth checking for a parasitic drain — something drawing power even when the car is off. If the battery genuinely won't hold charge even with nothing else connected or drawing power, that points strongly to the battery itself rather than an external drain.

When replacement is the right call

A battery that repeatedly won't hold charge, especially if it's more than 2-3 years old, is very unlikely to recover — this is a sign of genuine internal degradation rather than something a charge or jump start will permanently fix.

Frequently Asked Questions