How to Extend the Life of Your Vehicle’s Battery

You can expect the average car battery to last two to five years. The factors that can influence battery life in your vehicle include weather, maintenance and your general driving habits.

Here’s an overview of some of the steps you can take to extend the life of your car battery in Wytheville, VA as long as possible so you don’t have to spend the money on replacing it earlier than necessary:

• Make sure it’s properly secured: This is especially important to do if you’ve ever had to remove your battery for maintenance, or if you regularly drive on bumpy roads. If the battery is not securely fastened under the hood, it could cause short circuits or other internal damage. Perform these checks on a regular basis, including every time you change your vehicle’s oil, to make sure the battery is properly in place.
• Avoid corrosion: Battery terminals can see some corrosion buildup over an extended period of time. Preventing that buildup is an important aspect of vehicle battery maintenance, and one of the best ways to extend the life of your battery. Make a mixture of baking soda and water, and scrub this onto the terminals with an old toothbrush. You can then use a spray bottle with cold water to rinse off the mixture and dry with a clean cloth. This is generally pretty effective for removing minor corrosion, and a good task to add to your ongoing vehicle maintenance checklist.
• Avoid frequent short rides: One of the best ways to maintain battery power is to drive your vehicle frequently and for extended periods of time. If you’re only using your car for a couple minutes at a time, you’re going to drain the battery faster than if you use it for highway driving or for longer commutes.
• Regularly test your battery: If you don’t test your battery, you won’t have any idea how much life it has left, and therefore won’t know if the steps you’re taking to extend the battery’s life are working. Test the output voltage level with a battery tester that will complement your vehicle, and you’ll be able to better predict when you’ll need to invest in a new battery.
• Stay on top of general maintenance: Other aspects of vehicle maintenance can also influence the long-term health of your vehicle, so make sure you stay on top of vehicle maintenance and bring your car in for regular tune-ups. The battery works in conjunction with other systems in your vehicle, so by maintaining all of those systems you’ll be able to keep it in better condition for a longer period of time.
• Turn off lights: Make sure you turn off all lights whenever you exit the vehicle, including headlights and interior lights. While some vehicles will give noise alerts if you leave your lights on, others do not, so it might be helpful for you to tack a little reminder note inside your vehicle somewhere.

For more information about extending the life of your vehicle battery in Wytheville, VA, contact the team at Complete Truck Service, Inc. today.

Categorised in: Truck Service

This post was written by Writer