How to care for a car battery

Many factors affect the life of the battery in your vehicle, including how often you drive, how you drive, the age of your vehicle, and more. Frequent battery problems and battery replacement can cost you time and money; Fortunately, there are ways to save money on car battery replacement. Here are some tips for keeping your car's battery in top condition, brought to you by an expert mechanic at Chapel Hill.

Watch the ends of the battery cable terminals

There are several systems connected directly to your battery that can contribute to overall battery health. If one of these systems fails or does not work, they can drain the battery, interfere with the operation of a charged battery, and shorten the overall battery life. This can include bad battery terminals, a malfunction in your starting system, and more. Looking at battery health in a more comprehensive light can help you keep your battery in top condition. In this case, servicing the battery cable terminals is an affordable alternative to a complete battery replacement.

Corrosion Services

Over time, corrosion can form on your battery terminals, which can drain its charge, prevent it from accepting a jump start, and limit the energy it stores. If your battery is corroded, an experienced service technician can fix your corrosion problems. It also offers more affordable and economical vehicle maintenance than an unnecessary full battery replacement. If you notice that your car's battery is deteriorating, see a professional to see if corrosion protection services can fix your battery problems.

Ensuring levels of driving consistency

On average, a car battery lasts 5 to 7 years, although you may have more or less time depending on how often you drive. When you leave your car stationary for a long time, the battery will often drain. This is because your battery naturally recharges while you drive. If you are switching between two different vehicles, make sure both are driven periodically. Also, if you're leaving town for a long time, consider asking someone you trust to drive your car while you're away. If you notice a change in your car's starting process over time, or if you notice that your car is having difficulty starting, this could be a sign that your battery is deteriorating. If so, this could be a sign that you are not driving your car enough to fully charge it while in use.

watch the season

Extreme weather conditions can affect your vehicle, including battery health. Cooler temperatures can cause your battery to become less efficient at retaining its charge, and freezing temperatures and below can cause your battery to lose about half of its charge. Extreme heat can also cause the battery to overheat, causing it to overvoltage and shorten its life.

When the weather approaches extreme heating or cooling season, it's best to keep an eye on your battery. You may even consider protecting it when the weather conditions are at its worst to keep it in top condition. This may include covering your battery or, for home experts, turning it off and bringing it inside for short periods of extreme weather such as snowstorms or heatwaves. If this is outside of your personal comfort zone, seek advice from your automotive experts and leave yourself plenty of time to deal with starting issues should your battery experience problems.

Listen to the experts | Affordable battery replacement

When you visit a car expert, they should check your battery and let you know if it's time to replace it, as well as how you could take better care of your car's battery. The experts will also let you know if there is another element in your vehicle's system that is affecting battery life, such as a faulty alternator.

The professionals at Chapel Hill Tire are well attuned to everyone's needs battery. If you need a replacement, our technicians can save you hundreds of dollars over dealer prices. With car service "7 Triangle" points, our experts can help you wherever you find battery problems. If you need a new battery in Chapel Hill, Carrborough, Durham or Raleigh to make an appointment with Chapel Hill Tire experts today!

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