Hey Duke here and you probably have heard that expression, "A stitch in time saves nine." In other words, if you fix an issue at its early stages, it will prevent a much more difficult problem later. That's certainly the case with your vehicle and here's a true story to demonstrate it. Let's get barkin' into this story.
A driver noticed his vehicle was due for an oil change, so he took it in to his service facility early in the morning so he could wait while the work was performed. The technician routinely checks the battery on vehicles just before extreme weather is approaching (cold or hot), so with winter coming up, he hooked up the load tester (it measures voltage while a load is put on the battery). It showed the battery wasn't holding a charge well.
The technician also checked the manufacturing date on the battery (most batteries have a date stamped in code somewhere on them). The date showed it was five years old. While batteries can last more than five years, many technicians say you should expect to get anywhere from three to six years out of them, depending on what they go through.
So, this battery was getting a little long in the tooth, and it wasn't holding a charge particularly well. But how much current was it being sent by the vehicle's alternator? If it wasn't getting enough, that might be a factor. A test of the charging system showed the alternator was putting out the correct amount of power. The technician recommended replacing the battery, and the driver agreed.
That was the stitch in time. Had the technician not checked the battery, that driver likely would have been stranded the next time he tried to start his vehicle on a very cold day. What was originally supposed to be just an oil change led to a technician's sharp diagnosis and a little preventive maintenance for one fortunate driver. Sometimes timing is everything.
And if you did not know what a "stitch in time" means, here you go,
The proverb “a stitch in times saves nine” is one of the most famous sayings in the world of phrases and idioms. The basic meaning of this proverb is- one should act on time to solve a problem before it turns complex or unmanageable.
Duke
Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
6509687227
http://alliedautoworks.com