As the seasons change and warmer weather approaches, take action to ensure your automobile is ready for spring and summer driving. One critical aspect of this preparation is seasonal battery care. Your vehicle’s battery is key to starting the car and powering the various electric parts of your automobile. In this month’s blog post, we discuss potential battery problems after a cold winter season, how warmer temperatures might affect your battery, and necessary maintenance tasks for optimal efficiency.
Understanding How Temperature Influences Your Car Battery
Cold winter can be tough on your automobile’s battery. The cold can slow the chemical reactions within the battery, making it harder for it to hold a charge. Come spring, you may find your battery has weakened or is unable to start your vehicle.
While cold temperatures can lower battery capacity, hot weather can cause different problems. High temperatures can speed up the chemical reaction inside a battery, causing overcharging, which can substantially reduce your battery’s lifespan. Additionally, heat can cause the battery fluid to evaporate, damaging the internal structure of the battery. More batteries require replacement in the warmer months, so heat is your biggest enemy.
To maintain your battery functioning and prolong its lifespan, follow these basic battery maintenance tasks.
Essential Maintenance Tasks
Regular Inspection
Frequently inspect your battery for signs of damage or wear. Look for any corrosion on the terminals, as this can hinder the electrical connection. If you notice white, powdery deposits, clean them off with a mixture of baking soda and water and a toothbrush. If you are not comfortable working with the battery, consider having it cleaned by a service specialist. There are also videos online that you can watch about cleaning your battery so that you are doing it correctly and safely.
Check the Battery Charge
Use a multimeter to check your battery’s voltage. A fully charged battery should read around 12.6 volts or higher. If it’s lower, you may need to charge or replace your battery.
Be Proactive with Battery Replacement
Our strong recommendation is to replace the battery long before the car shows any starting issues. The reason is that the battery acts as a ballast in the electrical system, maintaining the voltage stable. Computers and rotating electronics (small motors in climate controls, for example) dislike voltage fluctuations. We see all kinds of codes in the different components throughout the car once the battery is five years old. Most of the time, it is not an issue in modules but erratic changes in voltage.
Ensure Secure Connections
Make sure the battery terminals are clean and securely connected. Loose connections can cause starting problems. These cables can often become loose or disconnected due to vibrations in the engine or if they were not properly connected during previous service.
Keep Your Battery Clean
A dirty battery can leak through the grime on top of the battery housing, so keep your battery clean. Clean it with a damp cloth and mild detergent.
Professional Battery Testing
Consider having a professional battery test performed every year. This test can help determine the health of your battery and predict when it might fail. A test will help identify whether your battery is holding its charge or needs to be replaced. It is always better to be proactive about your battery than to find yourself stuck on the road, unable to start your car.
In general, batteries only last from 3-5 years, depending on several factors such as regular maintenance and climate. In the effort to make vehicles more fuel-efficient, manufacturers have reduced the size of batteries, which has affected their overall lifespan.
Battery care is an important aspect of vehicle maintenance. As the warmer weather approaches, take the time to ensure your battery is in top shape for those long, enjoyable drives.