How to Maintain Your Car Battery

You can purchase a car battery from Car Smart whenever you want. However, if you don’t maintain your car battery, you will need plenty of repairs and replacements that can cost you a small fortune.

It would be better if you knew how to maintain your car battery so you can save money and get more use out of it. The following tips should help you better maintain your vehicle’s battery:

Take Less Short Rides

Your car battery charges whenever you start your engine and use your vehicle. For your battery to completely charge, you need to keep your engine on for a substantial amount of time. 

Therefore, if you use your car to go to nearby locations often, you should stop it as it is not giving your battery enough time to charge. You should take it for a long drive ever so often to give the battery enough time to completely charge. 

If you have to go for a short distance, you should take another means of transportation and only use your car when you really have to use it. Your battery should give you plenty of use in that way. 

Tightly Fasten Your Battery

If your car battery is not properly fastened, it is more likely to vibrate when driving which will lead to internal damage and short circuits. You should especially check your vehicles battery fastening if you travel on bumpy and rough roads often. 

Therefore, if you want your car battery to give you better service for longer, you should check the fastener before every drive. You should ensure that it is always tightly and properly mounted in the battery bracket. 

Turn off the Lights and The Radio

Many people are prone to leaving their lights on when they leave their car in parking. Your vehicle lights use up much of the battery power. 

You should also remember to close your car doors properly whenever you leave your vehicle. The open door and the warning lights can substantially drain your battery if left for too long. 

Your car’s radio is also a huge battery energy consumer. You should constantly rev up the engine when listening to the radio to ensure you do not drain the battery. 

Remove Terminal Corrosion

The terminals of your battery are eroded over time due to acid and electrical reactions. The corrosion can diminish your battery and prevent it from functioning optimally. 

You can control the corrosion by keeping the terminals clean and rust free. You can do so by scrubbing the terminals in a solution of baking powder and water. 

After you are done, rinse them with a dry cloth and then reattach the connectors. Cleaning your terminals will also help extend the battery’s life. 

Care for Your Entire Car

A car is an interconnected machine. A failure in one part will likely affect other parts and the same goes for your car battery. 

Therefore, to maintain your car battery you should take the entire vehicle for routine checkups to ensure it is functioning optimally. To avoid further damage on your battery, take whatever action the mechanic advises.