Tips for Maintaining a Car Battery
You can extend your car's battery life by following these simple maintenance tips.
What is Draining your Battery?
There are several factors that can cause your vehicle's battery to wear down.
- For example, a cold temperature puts pressure on your battery to retain the same amount of heat and power as it does during hot months.
- Batteries also naturally wear out over time.
- On average, a vehicle battery should be changed every 3 to 5 years.
To get the most out of your battery during its lifetime, its maintenance is essential. Here are some tips to extend the battery life of your vehicle
Clean the Battery Terminals:
Dirt and corrosion on your battery can restrict the flow of electricity.
- Keep the battery terminals clean and inspect them at least once a month.
Safety Tips: only clean the terminals, not the cells. DO NOT open the battery cells to avoid exposing yourself to battery acid.
Start the Vehicle Before using the Car Accessories:
Make every effort not to use the vehicle accessories when it is not in motion.
- If you want to listen to the radio or cool off with the air conditioning for a while, start your car and let it run.
Replace Faulty Components:
If other parts of your vehicle are faulty, they can drain your battery power even when the vehicle is not running.
- Short circuits, faulty alternators, or problematic accessories should be repaired or replaced to protect your battery.
Drive your Vehicle Frequently:
Driving the vehicle often helps to keep the battery charged.
- If you own a sports car or demo car that sits idle for long periods of time in your garage, consider investing in a charger to maintain battery life.
- A charger is recommended for a car that does not have frequent use of the road.
Prevent the Battery from Vibrating:
Make sure your battery is secure and cannot vibrate.
- Vibrations can agitate the battery and damage its plates.
- The battery can also experience a short circuit.
- Regular inspection of the battery terminals can help you find loose connections.
Avoid Extreme Temperatures:
Try not to make too short consecutive trips in cold weather to save your battery.
- Keep the battery well insulated in the presence of extreme temperature changes with a battery isolation kit.
Signs Indicating that the Battery Needs to be Replaced:
Even with careful maintenance of the battery, it could eventually need professional repair or replacement.
Here are some signs that indicate you have a problem with your battery:
- Engine runs but does not start
- The lights do not come on
- The engine refuses to restart
- You have to work hard to start your vehicle
- The battery often has to use jumper cables.
