Car battery maintenance is essential as it plays an important role in the smooth functioning of your automobile. Basic knowledge and a little care is all you need in order to keep your batteries in the best shape without any hassle.
An average car battery usually lasts for about 3 to 5 years. Extreme temperatures may cause it to wear out sooner. Follow these simple maintenance tips and extend the life of your battery.
Leaving your car stationary for a long period of time affects the charge of your battery. If you won’t be using your car for about 2 weeks or longer, we suggest that you disconnect the connector from the negative terminal of the battery. This is beneficial as it would help prevent continuous loss of charge that is mostly used in powering the vehicle’s clock.
Dirt may damage the battery case; thus, causing the battery to lose charge. Make sure that the case and terminals are cleaned and checked every three months or every major service. Also, make sure that the terminals are tight and nice to prevent power drainage.
When your car is being driven, the alternator recharges your battery. So, make sure to drive your vehicle for at least 20 minutes twice a week to maintain the required level of charge. Taking short trips without sufficient drive time may shorten the life of the battery.
Over and undercharging may reduce the battery life and void the warranty. Be sure to have the charging rate checked at every major service.
You may add distilled water if there is less water inside the battery. Be careful when adding water as the battery acid is highly corrosive, which may hurt you.