Can A Swollen Car Battery Be Fixed?

Many car owners worry about their car batteries as batteries are one of the important parts of the car. Especially in electric cars, the battery is the most important part. So the battery needs to be taken care of properly. Car battery swelling can be a serious issue, and it should be handled properly. It is better if a qualified technician handles it. Can a swollen car battery be fixed?

Swollen car batteries cannot be fixed mostly. There are some hacks that you can try with proper care, but that doesn’t guarantee that you will restore your battery to the same level.

There are some ways by which you can fix swollen car batteries. But the best way is to replace it. If there is any damage to the car battery’s structure or parts of the car battery then definitely it needs the replacement of the car battery.

In the case of electric car batteries, the appropriate step will be to replace them instead of fixing them. There are several reasons for the swelling of electric car batteries, which we are going to talk about in a bit.

Cause	Detail
Overcharging	Overcharging can cause excessive heat buildup in the battery. The pressure is built up inside the battery.
Freezing	The electrolytes in the electric car battery can get frozen in winter. The frozen electrolyte causes battery swelling.
Damaged Battery	With the age of the battery there may be some damage, and loss of battery capacity, are the reasons that can cause the problems like overheating, swelling of the car battery, etc.
Aging Battery	If there is any defect in the battery it can cause the problems such as overheating, which will ultimately cause the battery to swell.
Internal Short Circuit	An internal short circuit can cause a rapid buildup of heat, leading to swelling and other forms of damage.
Manufacturing Defects	If there is any defect in the battery it can cause the problems such as overheating, which will ultimately cause the battery swelling.

What are the reasons for car battery swelling?

There might be various reasons for the car battery swelling, and it needs to be diagnosed first. Once the cause of the car battery bulging is known, we can easily determine whether it can be fixed or not.

A car battery is made up of various parts and consists of electrolytes. These parts if damaged, or if there is something wrong causing electrolytes to freeze, can cause car battery swelling.

There is little data available for the reasons for car battery swelling. But we can scope all the findings to the following as the common and frequent causes of car battery swelling.

Overcharging:

Overcharging can cause the car battery to swell. Overcharging can cause excessive heat buildup in the battery. The pressure is built up inside the battery. This can cause the expansion of the materials and swelling of the battery.

Freezing:

The electrolytes in the electric car battery can get frozen in winter. The frozen electrolyte causes battery swelling.

Damaged Battery:

The damaged internal parts of the car battery are maybe responsible for the swelling/bulging of it. Internal or external damage can be one of the causes of the car battery bulging.

Aging of the battery:

With the age of the battery, there may be some damage or loss of battery capacity, which are the reasons that can cause the problems like overheating, swelling of the car battery, etc.

Internal short circuit:

An internal short circuit can cause a rapid buildup of heat, leading to swelling and other forms of damage.

Manufacturing Defects:

If there is any defect in the battery it can cause the problems such as overheating, which will ultimately cause the battery to swell.

How to fix a swollen car battery?

If the battery is swollen due to freezing electrolytes then there are some hacks you can try to fix it.

Defrosting and charging can be tried to fix the battery swelling. For that, there are some steps needed to be followed.

Take the battery to room temperature of about 19-22 degrees Celsius (66-73 degrees Fahrenheit)
Leave the battery until the battery warms up.
Charge the battery with low current, no more than 10% of the battery capacity.

If there is high voltage is at the battery terminals and non-swollen battery walls that means the swollen battery may have fixed.

If the electrolyte boils at the beginning of recharging, means the battery plates may have been damaged. If the voltage is below 12 volts then the plates are damaged.

You can also try cleaning the clogged exhaust port. But the best way will be to replace the battery, as there is no guarantee that your car battery will work the same as before after restoration.

Can a swollen electric car battery be fixed?

There might be yes or no to this question on the internet, but from my side it is mostly no. A swollen electric car battery cannot be fixed. The accurate answer will be that it can be fixed in some cases. But practically it is not safe.

On the internet, you will find articles providing solutions to fix the swollen car battery. But that battery is different than the electric car battery. Electric car batteries run on lithium-ion batteries mostly.

Also, these lithium-ion batteries are not the simple lithium-ion battery cells we use, but the number of such cells enclosed in the battery modules. These battery modules are enclosed in the battery pack. The battery pack is guarded to protect it from damage.

There is a management system associated with the electric car battery that is made to last longer. So there are fewer chances of electric car battery swelling, but if it is swelling then it can be serious damage.

If you see your electric car battery swelling, you should stop driving that car. Contact the qualified technician to examine why the electric car battery is swelling. The technician may have a simple way to fix that uf issue with the battery is little.

But if the cause of battery swelling is significant and cannot be repaired, you should replace your electric car battery.

Electric car batteries are expensive, but using such batteries can cause damage to the other parts of electric cars and also a threat to safety. Electric car batteries can be covered under the warranty if the swelling has occurred in the warranty period of the car.

Replacing the swollen battery with a new one, under the warranty is more reasonable than fixing the swollen battery.

How to prevent a car battery from swelling?

You can prevent the car battery from swelling by taking proper care of them Here are some ways by which you can prevent tar battery swelling.

Avoid overcharging (Electric car batteries have an inbuilt system that manages the charging levels and thus does not overcharge.)
Make sure that the batteries are in a warm condition. Especially in winter, if you are not using the car battery, there are chances of electrolyte freezing. So make sure that you keep it in a warm place.
Keep checking the battery’s health from time to time.

Conclusion

Yes, replacing a swollen electric car battery. Car battery replacement can be a safe way than fixing it. Though electric car batteries are expensive, if you can cover them under the warranty then they can cost less. Using a repaired battery can not be safe, especially in the case of electric cars.

FAQs

How long can a swollen battery last?

It depends on several factors such as battery condition, the damage to the battery, remained battery capacity. It is unsafe to continue driving a car if you see its battery swelling. It is better to replace it as soon as possible.

Will a swollen car battery explode?

The chances of explosion by a swollen car battery are relatively low but in rare cases, it can. But it is not safe to drive a car if a car battery is swollen.

How to handle a swollen car battery?

Handling a swollen car battery is critical, and should be handled in a such way that there is no damage to the battery. It should be handled by professionals.

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