Your car battery is an essential part of the car’s functionality. The battery lasts between 3 and 5 years, depending on how you use the car.  However, your battery can stop working before the estimated time for many reasons and one vital way to prevent this is through proper maintenance.

Proper car battery maintenance helps you squeeze as much shelf life out of your battery as possible, as you can foresee any dangers to your battery and diagnose issues early. This way, you can get optimal functionality before you dispose of it.

We will share the top tips for maintaining your car battery below.

 

Battery Tips!

 

1. Keep Your Battery Warm 

The simplest form of care you can give your car in the cold weather is to keep the battery warm.

You can keep your car parked in a well-insulated garage. This helps prevent your car battery from working double during the winter months. You can also prevent the scorching sun from rusting your battery too quickly. However, abstain from heated garages as they can also rust your car battery.

Another thing you can consider is insulating your car battery. You can invest in an engine or battery heater to keep your battery warm in the winter months. This will ensure that your car utilizes less power to start resulting in maintaining car battery better.

2. Minimize the Use of Electronics

You should enjoy the benefits of your car, like the radio and air conditioning, but it’s best to minimize the use of these things when the car isn’t running. If you have to leave your car for more than five to ten minutes, switch off these appliances. Using them when the engine isn’t running may cause more wear and tear.

3. Double-check the Lights 

You should double-check the interior cabin lights and your headlights to ensure nothing is on when leaving your car. These seemingly small things can weaken your battery overnight. Also, remember to unplug all accessories.

4. Don’t Leave Your Car Inactive 

Your car battery can typically go without use for two months; however, this is far from ideal. An inactive car means it isn’t charging, so it’s best to take your car for at least a thirty minute drive once a week if you are not a regular user.

If you leave your car unused for an extended period, check the charging and electrolyte level before you set out.

7. Keep the Battery Secure 

Keeping it secure is an essential car battery maintenance tip and also helps to prevent damage to your car parts. For example, a loose battery can vibrate, resulting in short circuits. Besides, it can also tip over and bash against other parts of your engine in transit. This can cause it’s acid to spill all over your motor.

It’s best to ensure that it sits correctly and is secured tightly, especially if you drive on a bumpy road.

8. Clean Your Battery

Cleaning your battery on a regular basis is the most critical part of maintaining it. If there is constantly grime or dirt on its surface, the battery casing may leak, leading to a short circuit. Also, a dirty battery connection can weaken the charge.

Remove the clamps and wipe away grease, dirt, and oxidation with a toothbrush, dry wipe, or towel once a month. A baking soda and water solution will help you clean off dirt easily. Better still, you can buy an ammonia-based solution.

When you are done cleaning, you also need to use a cloth to completely wipe off the baking soda to avoid corrosion. Also, avoid the fluid getting into the battery ports during cleaning.

You should also schedule regular checks to inspect the fluid level, battery power, and charge level.  Taking note of necessary information, such as the type and the battery model, can help you practice proper care.