3 Tips To Help You Maintain Your Car Battery

A dead battery in your vehicle could leave you stranded on the side of the road. The battery plays a critical role in providing power to your vehicle to help initiate the starting process. Without battery power, your vehicle's engine will not turn over.

Many drivers overlook the importance of caring for their battery on a regular basis. Routine maintenance can help you extend the life of your battery so that you can rely on the current generated by the battery to get your vehicle started safely.

1. Keep the connections clean.

Your vehicle's battery is equipped with terminal connections that help generate the power needed to start your car or truck. These connections must be kept clean in order to remain properly grounded. Dirt, debris, and rust can build up on the surface of your battery connections over time.

You should disconnect the battery and use a stiff wire brush to clean off any loose debris from the battery terminals and connection rings. This simple maintenance task will help to improve the transmission of power between your battery and your vehicle's starter for smooth starts in the future.

2. Regularly test your car battery's load.

Even with regular maintenance and car, a car battery is not designed to last forever. Eventually, the battery will lose its charge and be unable to perform properly. Knowing that your battery is failing will allow you to invest in the installation of a new battery before you find yourself stranded with a dead vehicle.

You can monitor the performance of your car battery by regularly testing the battery's load. This can be done with a multimeter purchased from your local automotive store. When the load reading falls below the manufacturer's recommended threshold, have your battery replaced.

3. Install a trickle charger.

When a vehicle sits parked for an extended period of time, the battery can begin to lose its charge. This will prevent you from being able to effectively start the vehicle after a period of non-use. You can protect your battery against a lost charge by installing a trickle charger on your vehicle.

A trickle charger is designed to slowly add to the charge of the battery so that depletion doesn't become a serious problem. Trickle chargers are a great way to maintain the battery on a seasonal vehicle.

Caring for the battery in your vehicle will help your car or truck perform reliably well into the future. For professional help, get in touch with a company like Huntington Beach Transmissions.