The demands put on lead-acid batteries by modern cars is causing a massive increase in failures.
This problem is highlighted in the annual car reliability study compiled by California-based research company JD Power.
For the first time, its top 10 list of car reliability problems included battery failure. The study said 44% more owners had reported a battery failure this year than in 2016.
The study among owners of three-year-old cars and trucks also found batteries to be the most frequently replaced component not related to normal wear and tear at 6.1% – up 1.3% over the past year.
The good news for battery manufacturers is that fewer than 7% of the problems are caused by factory defects.
The main problem appears to be basic neglect and batteries not getting adequately charged when driving because of the increase in technology in vehicles, such as infotainment systems and power-draining auxiliary options.
David V Amodeo, senior product manager in JD Power’s global automotive department, explained to BBB, “All the navigation, Wi-Fi, centre screens, safety systems, etc are using more power and are causing a bigger drain on the battery. Also, stop/start systems, which are increasing in penetration, use the battery more often than a car without the system. If an OEM isn’t upgrading their battery specs to accommodate for the additional technology and/or stop/start systems, then it can lead to higher failure rates.”