If your car is equipped with a maintenance free battery, which typically means the caps are sealed, there is not a whole lot of car battery maintenance you will have to do. You should still pop the hood and visually inspect the battery periodically.
Make sure the cables are connected securely and tighten as needed. If you spot a lot of corrosion around the terminals, disconnect the clamps and clean all the connections with a battery cleaning tool or wire brush. A paste of baking soda and water will help remove stubborn deposits. If you do disconnect your battery, you may need to enter a password or security code for your onboard navigations system or radio to function. If your battery has caps that are removable, check the water level and add distilled water when necessary. If you notice cracks or bulges in the battery case, you'll want to get the battery replaced.
Car Battery Maintenance and Replacement
Unfortunately, even with your best efforts, car battery maintenance can only help so much. Leaving your lights on with the engine off can drain your battery. You probably won't need a new battery if you accidentally kill the battery. All you likely need is a jump start or a battery charger. All car batteries eventually lose the ability to hold a charge, however, and need to be replaced.
Car Battery Maintenance Tips to Help You Avoid Problems
Dead Car Battery - Car batteries don't last forever. There are some signs you should be able to recognize that indicate your battery may need to be replaced soon. You also have options other than replacement particularly if your battery is dead because of something you did like leaving the radio on all night. In this article, we look at why car batteries die, how you can tell it might be time for a new battery, and alternatives to replacement such as jump starting or using a battery charger.
Jumping a Car Battery - Jump starting your vehicle can bring your car back to life and it's not that difficult. Jump starting a car is a good thing to know how to do before you actually have to do it. Jumping a car battery requires a set of jumper cables, another car, and a little bit of know how. As long as you have these three things and follow some common sense safety guidelines, you can be back on the road in very little time.
How to Choose a New Car Battery - Choosing a car battery can be a bit confusing. You will see terms like cold cranking amps, reserve capacity, group size and others you need to understand in order to buy the right battery for your vehicle. Car battery prices and vary widely and some warranties are better than others. We show you what to consider, what to look for, and what to look out for when buying a new car battery.
How to Replace a Car Battery - The best time to change a car battery is before it dies, but sometimes you just don't have that luxury. While some auto parts retailers do install your new battery for you, not all of them do. Changing a car battery yourself is not terribly challenging and you probably already have all the tools you need to do it yourself. Here are step by step instuctions for and detailed safety precautions for replacing a battery yourself.
Charging System and Car Battery Maintenance
In addition to performing routine car battery maintenance tasks like visually inspecting the battery for cracks, checking that the connections are secure, and keeping the terminals clean, you should also get your charging system checked by a mechanic once every year. Have the battery, voltage regulator, alternator, cables, and belts inspected. Especially if your battery light comes on or you have trouble getting your car started.
