If your 2011 Dodge Charger has a dead battery, the problem may be simple to fix. For instance, you may have an older battery that needs to be replaced, or corrosion may have built up on the battery terminals. A dead battery can also signal a bad alternator or electrical problems.

You love your Charger. It’s a sporty car with a powerful engine that gets noticed everywhere you drive. But then one Monday morning you walk out to your Charger and click click click, the engine doesn’t turn over. Your battery is dead. Now what?

Jerry

, the super app for

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, has put together this guide to help you diagnose what might be causing your 2011 Dodge Charger’s battery draining problem—and what to do about it. Plus, we've got some tips to help save you money on

Dodge Charger insurance costs

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What causes the 2011 Dodge Charger battery draining problem?

When trying to figure out what is causing your battery to drain, you’ll first want to consider when the problem occurs. Does it happen when the car’s been parked for a while? Or does your battery keep dying while you’re driving?

When does the battery drain?	Possible causes
When the car has been __parked__ for a while	The battery itself may be old/failing or you have a parasitic drain on the battery: an element is drawing juice when the engine is off
Battery drains __while you’re driving__	In this case, it may be that your alternator is no longer charging your battery, or you may have a problem with the wiring system between your battery and alternator

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How to jump-start a car back to life

How to fix the Dodge Charger’s battery draining problem

Fortunately, even inexperienced car owners can take some simple steps towards determining what isn’t causing the problem. If you don’t see a dashboard warning light while driving—and your battery is 4-5+ years old—check whether the battery can still hold a charge.

Go to an auto parts retailer and have them test your battery (most offer free battery testing). A fully-functioning battery should hold 12.6 volts or higher. If you aren’t getting that reading and you have an old battery, it may well be time for a new one.

On the other hand, if your battery dashboard warning light has been going off and you suspect your battery is being drained as you’re driving, you won’t want to buy a new battery (at least not immediately). The problem may be a bad alternator.

The following are all symptoms of a faulty alternator:

Dead battery

Trouble starting car

Smell of burning rubber/wires

Whining noise

You can have your alternator tested at an auto parts store the same way you can test a battery.

The list below sums up some basic causes of battery drain—and what you can do about them.

Causes of a battery drain not related simply to an old/bad battery
Battery posts have corrosion impeding a charge from the alternator—try cleaning them off with a wire brush and cleaning solution
Something in the car is drawing power from the battery—start by checking for lights that remain on when the car is turned off; look for aftermarket accessories that may be drawing power
Wiring or relay between the alternator and battery may be frayed or damaged—likely, a mechanic will have to determine this, but you can look for visible damage
Faulty alternator—have your alternator tested to see whether it is still producing power
A hard-to-spot electrical problem in some part of the car—unfortunately, this may take a lot of time to troubleshoot, even for a professional

While many car owners find it easy enough to clean off their battery posts/terminals to see whether that will stop a battery from draining, they may not want to attempt much more on their own.

As with more complicated issues, alternator and wiring problems often require a professional mechanic to fix them.

MORE:

How to refill a car battery

How to save money on Dodge insurance

Diagnosing a problem with your battery can take more time than you think. First, you need to narrow down the possible cause of the problem. Then, you’ll likely need to seek out help from professionals.

The same is true of shopping around for affordable

car insurance

. Each insurer makes you fill out a separate form before they’ll give you a quote. After filling out one or two forms, most of us give up. We just want to be done.

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