A DRIVER has issued an urgent warning to others after their car died and left them stranded – all because of the way they parked.
Car camping enthusiast Angelina took to TikTok recently to share her harrowing experience while out on a trip.
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The social media adventurer – who uses the handle @earthy.ang – reveals how she recently went car camping with a friend in her Subaru Forester, but made a small, unexpected mistake that led to her car battery draining.
The video shows viewers her camping set-up, with her laying a tablecloth over a collapsible table with her sleeping bag and pillows laid out in the open trunk of her car.
But the text overlay ominously reads: “She doesn’t know it yet, but in a couple hours her car battery will die due to leaving the trunk open.”
Angelica even highlights how questionable the design choice is for a car promoted as an adventure-ready vehicle.
She said: “You would think that because this is a car that’s designed to be an adventure car this would have been better designed by Subaru.”
Angelica’s video, which currently has 1.3million views, stunned many viewers, who commented in agreement.
One person wrote: “That’s such a strange oversight for a brand/model that is so heavily marketed towards outdoor activities.
“I feel like that’s something that could’ve been easily caught in actual utility testing.”
Another added: “Oh wow thank you so much for sharing this!
“I’m a [car] person and had no idea – love camping and totally would have left this open while setting up and stuff.”
A third commented: “As someone with a Subaru, thank you for sharing! I never would’ve known.”
Angelica later offered other Subaru owners a solution, writing: “With a carabiner…push it into the latch and it will trick the car into thinking the trunk [is] closed.”
Alternative workarounds and solutions for the issue were also offered up in the comments, with one person suggesting Angelica get a HALO jump starter.
This device can not only jump-start a car, it can also inflate tires and charge USB-and AC-powered devices.
It even has a floodlight for emergency situations.
Another commenter suggested a Hatch Catch, which is a simple 3-D printed device tricks the vehicle into thinking the rear door is closed.
Subaru owners have been debating this issue for some time, and the company even reportedly tried to correct the battery drain issue by creating a new rear door control module – according to a Subaru forum.
The new module supposedly stops using battery power after 20 minutes and comes standard on all models made after 2021.
But the problem may still persist and a company spokesperson has since specified that the power “never completely shuts off but goes into a lower power use mode after roughly 20 minutes.”
Signs your car battery needs replacing
The lifespan of a battery varies depending on the climate, condition of the terminals, type of battery, and condition of the alternator.
There are a few tell-tale signs a battery may need replacing soon, including:
- Your car is having trouble starting. If your car is taking longer to start than normal, it could be a sign your battery is having trouble providing the necessary amount of power to start.
- Your car won’t start at all. This is a late sign of a dying battery, but if the car isn’t starting or attempting to when you turn the key, the most likely culprit is a dead battery.
- Electrical mishaps like the radio not turning on.
If the battery is relatively new, a few things can be checked before replacing it to see if its performance improves:
- Corrosion on the terminals. Sometimes corrosion can build up on the terminals and make it more difficult for the battery to distribute power. Corrosion can be cleaned off with a wire brush.
- Physical damage. With some automakers placing batteries in the trunk instead of the engine bay, an item rolling around in the trunk could knock something loose or cause damage.
- Age. The lifespan of a battery depends on the battery type, but the standard rule is between 3 to 5 years. Glass mat batteries, however, can last 6 to 8 years – though they’re more expensive.
Source: NAPA Auto Parts
