Hankook & Co. warns holiday traffic jams can drain your car battery

With the Chuseok holiday driving season approaching, motorists should check not only tire pressure and engine oil but also their car battery before hitting the road. The longer traffic jams stretch on the way to and from hometowns, the more time air conditioners, navigation systems and other electrical devices stay on — putting added strain on the battery.

According to Hankook & Co., drivers can get a fairly quick read on battery health simply by starting the engine. If the car takes longer than usual to start, or the starter motor sounds weak, the battery may be losing capacity.

Headlights are another indicator. If they appear dimmer or less steady than before, it is worth having not just the battery but the vehicle's entire electrical system inspected.

Battery life is not determined by age alone. The rate of performance decline varies depending on mileage, driving conditions and how heavily electrical components are used. Drivers should check when the battery was installed or last replaced; if it has been in use for a long time or shows warning signs, a service center can test its charge level and cranking performance.

Managing the vehicle's power after parking also matters. Running interior lights or other electrical devices for extended periods with the engine off can drain the battery, making it impossible to start the car on the next trip.

"Checking the battery's cranking performance and the condition of electrical components before departure can help reduce the risk of a dead battery or a failed start on the road," a Hankook & Co. official said.

Drivers replacing a battery should also confirm they are using the right specifications for their vehicle. Even within the same model line, the required battery can differ depending on the model year, trim level and whether the car is equipped with an ISG (idle stop-and-go) system. It is advisable to check both the specifications of the existing battery and the automaker's recommended specs.

Hankook & Co. allows drivers to look up the right battery for their vehicle by entering a license plate number on the Hankook Battery website and at Tstation.com.

The product lineup includes AGM and MF batteries. AGM batteries use electrolyte absorbed into a fiberglass mat and are commonly used in vehicles with heavy electrical loads or ISG systems. The Supreme AGM delivers cold-cranking performance 30 percent higher than standard MF batteries and charges up to 50 percent faster.

Hankook & Co. has been working to increase the share of higher-value products such as AGM batteries in its lineup. However, its battery business posted weaker earnings in the second quarter of this year compared with the same period last year, hurt by US tariff policy, geopolitical uncertainty and rising raw material costs.

Hankook & Co. operates factories in Daejeon and Jeonju as well as a production facility in the United States. The company has recently participated in a series of automotive parts trade shows in Europe and Latin America as it pushes to expand supply of AGM, EFB and MF vehicle batteries in overseas aftermarkets. It also took part in Automechanika Frankfurt 2026, held in Germany this month, to broaden its European retail and sales network.