How to Take Care of Your Car Battery
There are plenty of factors that affect how long the battery lasts in your vehicle, including your driving frequency, your driving practices, the age of your vehicle, and more. Frequent battery issues and replacements can cost you both time and money; luckily, there are ways to save money on your car battery replacements. Here are some tips on keeping your vehicle’s battery in its best possible condition, brought to you by a Chapel Hill mechanic expert.
Watch your Battery Cable Terminal Ends
There are several systems connected directly to your battery that can contribute to your overall battery health. If one of these systems is distressed or dysfunctioning, they can drain your battery, prevent a charged battery from working, and lead to a shortened overall battery life. This can include faulty battery cable terminal ends, a glitch in your starting system, and more. Considering battery health in a more comprehensive light can help you keep your battery in prime condition. In this case, service to your battery cable’s terminal ends is an affordable alternative to a full battery replacement.
Corrosion Services
Over time, your battery terminals can build up corrosion, which can drain the life out of its charge, prevent it from accepting jump starts, and limit the energy it retains. If your battery is corroded, an experienced service technician can address and resolve your corrosion issues. This also offers a more affordable and economical vehicle service than an unneeded full battery replacement. If you notice your vehicle’s battery declining in health, consult a professional to see if corrosion services can resolve your battery issues.
Provide Levels of Driving Consistency
The average car battery lasts between 5-7 years, though yours could last more or less time depending on your driving frequency. When you leave your car sitting for extended periods of time, the battery often loses its charge. This is because your battery naturally recharges as you drive. If you alternate between two different vehicles, make sure that they are both being driven periodically. Additionally, if you leave town for an extended period of town, see if you can get someone you trust to take your vehicle for a spin while you are gone. If you notice a change in your vehicle’s starting process over time or if you notice that your vehicle is having difficulty starting, these might be signs that your battery is declining in health. If this is the case, this might be an indicator that you are not driving your vehicle enough for it to fully recharge during its use.
Watch the Season
Extreme weather conditions can take a toll on your vehicle, including the health of your battery. Colder temperatures can cause your battery to become less effective in retaining its charge, and freezing temperatures and below can cause your battery to lose roughly half of its charge. Extreme heat also can cause your battery to overheat, which strains your battery and shortens its lifespan.
When the weather is reaching an extreme heating or cooling season, it is best to keep an eye on your battery. You might even consider protecting it when the weather is at its most threatening conditions to keep it in top condition. This might involve covering your battery or, for the at-home experts, disconnecting it and bringing it inside for short periods of extreme weather, such as during blizzards or heat waves. If these are outside of your personal comfort zone, ask your automotive professionals for advice and leave yourself enough time to address starting concerns if your battery develops issues.
Listen to the Experts | Affordable Battery Replacements
When you visit an automotive expert, they should check your battery and let you know if it is almost due for a change and let you know how you could be better taking care of your vehicle’s battery. Experts will also let you know if there is another element of your vehicle’s system affecting your battery life, such as a faulty alternator.
The professionals at Chapel Hill Tire are well attuned to the needs of every battery. If you are in need of a replacement, our experts can save you hundreds of dollars compared to the dealership pricing. With 7 Triangle-area car service locations, our experts can help you no matter where you find your battery troubles occurring. If you need a new battery in Chapel Hill, Carrboro, Durham, or Raleigh make an appointment with the experts at Chapel Hill Tire today!