Your cars battery is the life blood of your vehicle's electrical system. It supplies the electrical power to the whole car. The alternator is the component that keeps your vehicle battery charged as the battery needs it. Today's newer vehicle's can even control the alternator charging output from the engine control module. They do this by monitoring the vehicle's system voltage and then keep the battery charged at the correct voltage by varying the charging rate of the alternator. Some common signs you may have a issue with your battery is when you go to start your car you hear the engine has a different sound or the engine turns over slowly. Another sign of a weak battery is a clicking sound when attempting to start and then the engine turns over. If the battery light is on you should stop as soon as you can and get your vehicle electrical system inspected. This usually is a sign the alternator is not charging. Some vehicle's don't have a battery warning symbol come on in the dash. Another issue when the battery is weak it can cause your engine control module to not operate properly. The engine control module needs the correct battery voltage to operate. If the system voltage gets to low it will shut the vehicle off. Each time your vehicle is serviced, have your repair shop load test your battery and check the battery cable connections. This way you can know ahead of time about a potential battery failure. We perform battery checks with every oil service we perform. I would recommend everyone to listen and be aware of any changes in sounds and operation of your vehicle and get them addressed as soon as possible. If you neglect your vehicle it could leave you stranded or break down when you least expect it.