Guide to Car Battery Maintenance and Care

Every electrical system in your car or truck is powered by a car battery. So, no matter how much you pamper your ride, you won’t enjoy it if the battery is dead. It’s easy to take this piece of equipment for granted, but don’t wait to pay attention to it until you turn the key one morning, and all you get is a click.

Keeping your car battery in top condition isn’t complicated, and it doesn’t take much time. It does require that you know what to look for, though. Here are some tips that will ensure you get the most out of your car battery.

Tips to Extend the Life of Your Battery

No matter what kind of car battery you purchase, it’s important that it lasts as long as possible. This will save you money over the course of its life along with the inconvenience of a failed battery that might strand you. When you take your car to the auto shop for its regularly scheduled maintenance, ask the mechanic to add in a battery check, too.

In addition, here are some other ways you can pamper your car battery.

Drive the Car

Yes, that car needs to be driven! The battery drains if a car sits too long without being driven. The fluid in a battery also begins to evaporate. It’s important to drive a vehicle every few days to maintain the battery, so it will start the car when it’s needed.

There are cars that simply are not driven much. For those cars, there is a handy gadget called a trickle charger. It hooks into a power outlet outside the car and provides a steady charge to the battery.

Drive the Car for Extended Times

When you do drive the car, try to take some longer trips once a week or so. Short trips are often not long enough to allow the alternator to fully charge the battery after starting the car. This puts excess wear on the battery over time and cuts down on its life. If most of your trips are only to the grocery store in your neighborhood, take the time to drive for longer periods every week or so. It’s also a good idea to have a portable battery charger in the trunk just in case you need to jump-start the battery, either in the garage or on the road.

If short trips are your life, let the engine run for another 10 minutes or so when you return home. This will give the alternator time to recharge the battery fully.

Turn All the Lights Off When You Exit the Car

Remember that time you turned on the interior light to find your wallet on the floorboard? Yes, you forgot to turn it off! When you tried to start the car the next morning, the battery was dead. Make it a habit to check that all the lights are out before getting out of the car every time. It’s a simple habit to build and will save you stress and extend the life of your car battery.

Learn About Parasitic Drain and Avoid It!

Your child’s bus was late returning from the game, and you sat in the car listening to music on the car radio. The engine was off and could no longer charge the battery while that demand continued. That’s called parasitic drain; keep the bugs away from your battery! Turn off the AC, phone charger, and radio when the engine isn’t running. And don’t let the engine idle for long periods of time, either. The parasites will be back!

Protect Your Car–and Its Battery–From Extreme Temperatures

If you live in extreme weather, either hot or cold, give your car and all its systems a break and use your garage to protect it! A car battery is filled with chemicals that need to be at a certain temperature to work. When the weather is frigid or very hot, the chemicals can’t perform as well. And if the car sits there without being driven for a longer time than normal, the chemical reactions stop completely.

If you don’t have a garage, get a portable jump-starter and keep it handy. Another remedy is a battery heater, which can keep your battery from dying in the cold. It’s like a jacket that fits over the battery to keep it warm.

Tighten the Battery Mounts and Cables

The battery needs to be locked in place securely so it doesn’t short circuit as it does its job. Traveling on bumpy roads can jar the battery cables or mounting brackets loose. Your battery will begin to act erratically or not at all, so lift the hood once in a while and check the cables and mounts for movement. This is something else you can ask your Tate Boys mechanic to check on a regular basis.

Clean the Outside of the Battery

Baking soda and water work well! Mix up a bit and carefully apply it with a brush to get rid of all the dirt or corrosion. Spray the residue off with cold water and then wipe clean and dry with a cloth to remove any remaining soda. Don’t get the battery ports wet; you’re only cleaning the outside of the battery!

Get a terminal spray from your auto shop or auto store to protect the battery terminals from any more corrosion build-up. This process protects the battery from all that gunk getting into the battery cells and wearing down the battery.

Test the Battery Regularly

You’ve got an oil change scheduled soon, right? Ask the mechanic to run a battery load test and the output voltage level while they have your car. It’s better to know that your battery needs to be replaced when you’re standing in the auto shop than when you’re stranded somewhere.

Understand the Relationship Between the Battery and the Alternator

The alternator in your car powers the electrical system after the engine is turned on. It also recharges the battery after the ignition is turned on and the car starts. If the alternator is malfunctioning for some reason, the battery doesn’t recharge and soon fails, too. It’s important to know how these two car parts work within the entire system.

The Fan Belt Affects the Battery, Too

Check the fan belt once a month or so, too. Make sure it isn’t loose because that will affect the charge being generated by the battery. If the fan belt is cracked or frayed along the edges, replace it.

Keep Up with Regular Maintenance on the Entire Car

A car is a complex piece of machinery with multiple systems and parts working together. If one part weakens or fails (such as the battery), it affects the entire vehicle. Your auto shop and mechanic can help you keep up with regularly scheduled maintenance checks, such as tune-ups, electrical systems inspections, and AC checks.

If you spend time taking care of your car battery, it will last as long as it should. But, let’s face it, a battery doesn’t last forever!

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How the Battery Works

Knowing how a system works helps when it fails or needs attention in some way. Here are the basics about how a battery works.

A car’s electrical system is made up of the battery, the starting system, and the charging system. Together, they provide power to the vehicle so that it starts, runs, and keeps running. Wiring connects these three parts and moves the power to where it needs to be.

The battery is located under the hood of the car. Inside the battery are lead plates in a solution of sulfuric acid and water. Electrical energy is created in the battery when a chemical reaction occurs. That energy is sent into the car’s electrical system and is used for many things, including starting the car.

All of this happens in seconds. You can’t see it happen; in fact, you aren’t even aware chemical reactions are happening under the hood of your car when you turn the key to start it. It’s usually not until a system fails that drivers pay any attention to it at all. At that time, you are faced with decisions about assessing, repairing, or replacing the failed part.

When is a Car Battery Ready to be Replaced?

When you purchase a car battery, it is made to last for two to five years depending on the type of battery, climate, and vehicle. A car battery may cost from around $50.00 up to $200.00. But there is really no way to tell when a battery is going to completely die, even if you have maintained it well.

Here are some signs that you may be looking for a car battery replacement soon:

Sluggish engine crank: starting the engine takes several cranks.
Check engine or battery dashboard light is illuminated: your battery power is weak.
Low battery fluid: the fluid is visible on some batteries, and it should be above the lead plates.
Swollen battery case: if a battery case swells, have it checked right away.
Battery leakage: causes corrosion around the battery’s terminals.
Age of the battery: have the charging ability checked every year after the battery is about three years old.
Dim lights: headlights or interior lights are unusually dim.
Lots of corrosion: green or white powder on the terminals.
Fuses that blow out often.
Burning plastic smell: check the whole system.
Devices: your GPS, radio, or other electrical components aren’t working.

Have the ASE-certified mechanics at Tate Boys check out the problems. It might turn out to be something else, but it needs to be fixed anyway. Don’t ignore any of these red flags. The problem won’t go away and may end up being more expensive than it needs to be. Tate Boys has the most up-to-date electrical diagnostic equipment, wiring diagrams, and technical specifications. Whatever the issue is, we can handle it for you!

If it turns out that you need a new battery, make sure you check the date on the side of the battery casing. If it is more than one month old, don’t buy it. Batteries deteriorate even when they’re not in a car. And don’t buy a used, discount battery. Finally, make sure someone knowledgeable takes care of the car battery installation so it is done correctly.

Jump-Starting Your Car

If your battery fails and your car won’t start, you can use jumper cables to start the car. The cables will bring power from another car’s battery to your car long enough to start it.

Here is how it works:

Park your car close to the other car.
Turn the cars off.
Attach the positive clamp to the positive terminal of the dead battery. Then, attach the positive clamp to the positive terminal of the working battery. Clamp the negative clamp to the negative terminal of the working battery. Finally, attach the remaining negative clamp to an unpainted metal surface of the dead car.
Start both cars, starting with the working car.
When the engine turns over, take the cables off. Remove them in the reverse order than they were applied.
Let the car run for a few minutes, or drive it right away for about 15 minutes.

Jumping a car should be done infrequently. There are dangers involved with this process, especially if the cables are applied improperly. After jumping the car, let your mechanic take a look for damage as soon as possible.

Battery Types

Yes, you do need to consider this. What is the best type of car battery for your vehicle and its needs?

There are four general types of car batteries: starter batteries (or wet cell), enhanced flooded batteries (EFB), absorbent glass mat batteries (AGM), and lithium-ion batteries.

Wet cell batteries (lead-acid is the most common type):

Consist of six battery cells
Suitable for cars without stop-start technology
Less expensive than other batteries

EFB batteries:

Provide an optimized, higher performance version of the wet cell battery
Provide more than twice the partial and deep discharge performance than others
Often used in vehicles with automatic stop-start systems
Increasingly used to replace lead-acid batteries.

AGM batteries:

High performance and load capacity
Leakproof
Better cycle life than wet cell batteries
Ideal for automatic stop-start system cars with braking energy recovery
Good choice for cars with high energy consumption

Lithium-Ion (li-ion) Batteries:

Used in hybrids and electric cars
Store more energy
Lightweight
Short life span

Pull out your owner’s manual for your vehicle and see what it says about the battery. Or ask a Tate Boys ASE-certified mechanic for their input about the best type of battery for your vehicle and how you drive it.

Pay Attention to the Warranty

Look for a battery that has the best warranty, including the longest free replacement period. If the battery fails before the warranty ends, you can be reimbursed for the prorated period.

Expert Battery Services at Tate Boys

Tate Boys offers the following car battery and maintenance services including:

Battery checks: during our free battery check, a mechanic will measure the battery output to confirm that it is in line with your battery manufacturer’s specifications.
Battery maintenance: we will clean battery terminals, check cables, and apply a gel that acts as a protectant against corrosion.
Battery replacement: we will remove and dispose of your old battery and then install a new one that meets your specifications. We will also provide input on which battery is the best for your car.

The battery check can be combined with other scheduled maintenance to make the most of your car’s time in the shop. Make sure you ask the mechanic or service staff if there is anything you don’t understand about the battery or any other system in your car.

Electrical issues, including the battery, aren’t easy to diagnose. Tate Boys mechanics have the expertise and technology needed to diagnose the system. They will gather data using their diagnostic equipment to locate the battery’s problems and then interpret that data correctly. They will then come up with a solution to the problem and explain it in detail to you if necessary.

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Concierge Care

Tate Boys offers our free concierge care as a way of showing our commitment to providing extra value every day. Rather than wait for your car service or repair, we can provide courtesy transportation for you while we work on your vehicle.

Talk to a member of our service team for more information.

Count on us when your car, truck, or SUV needs battery service. Schedule your appointment today!