A healthy battery is one of the many key components to proper vehicle operation. It helps start the engine and helps keep the electronics running. It also lets you charge your phone and play your music – even when the engine is off. As you might expect, automotive batteries gradually lose power over time, and hot weather is especially hard on them – but a few simple preventive measures will go a long way toward keeping your car battery in prime condition.
What Can I Do to Maintain My Vehicle’s Battery?
When it comes to your car’s battery, it should never be a case of ‘out of sight, out of mind’.
Maintaining a car battery is important. Like many other parts of a vehicle, it needs a degree of care and attention in order to function as it should.
Car Battery Charging and Replacement
Here are a few battery maintenance tips to help keep your car battery in tip-top condition:
- Keep the cable connections clean and tight. Corroded battery terminals and connectors will compromise the ability of the starter motor to draw current from the battery, and for the charging system to keep it topped up. You can remove corrosion from the terminals and connectors with a stiff brush, sandpaper, or a wire brush.
- If the battery has caps that let you check the water level, keep it up to the full mark, usually just under an inch from the top of the cell. You can use distilled water but tap water is also fine. Do wear eye protection – safety glasses or goggles – when doing so.
- The battery is normally held in place with a retaining strap – and this should be tightly clamped so the battery can’t slide around.
How to Tell If Your Battery is Dying?
It’s hard to truly gauge a battery’s health from the outside, but that doesn’t mean you can’t glean at least some insight into it. One of the telltale signs that something isn’t right is a slow crank. When you hear the car wheezing during ignition, especially when the weather isn’t cold, something might be amiss.
That may be caused by a weakened alternator not charging the battery fast enough, so it may not be the battery, specifically. But there are a couple of checks you can do that will help you determine whether you need a new battery soon or not. Check the list below to see the most common telltale signs:
- The Check Engine Light is On
- The Engine is Slow to Start
- The Lights Are Dim or You are Experiencing Electrical Issues
- The Battery Connectors Are Corroded
- You can smell something rotten
- Your battery case is misshapen
- Your battery is old
If you notice any of these signs apply to you, call our service center today to schedule a battery check as soon as you can!
How To Jump-Start a Car Battery
Even if your car battery isn’t old, has no corrosion, and is securely connected and fastened, it may still die on you from time to time. There could be a number of reasons for this. Maybe you left the lights or car stereo on for too long while the engine was off. Or maybe the car sat inactive for too long.
If your battery problem isn’t actually a malfunctioning alternator, there are a few things you can do to jolt your car back to life. One option is a jumpstart with booster cables. You’ll need booster cables to complete this process. You’ll also need a friend or helpful passerby to volunteer their car for your battery-boosting cause.
- Make sure to park the functioning car close enough to the dead one so the cables can reach.
- Connect the red or positive cable to the positive terminal on the dead battery, and then do the same on the other end with the working car’s battery
- Connect the black or negative cable to the negative terminal on the working car’s battery, and then clamp the other end onto an unpainted metal surface, like the metal strut holding the hood open, or another exposed strut under the hood.
- Start the working car’s engine and let it run for a few minutes. After that, try starting your car.
- If the engine turns on, keep it running or drive around for about 15 minutes to let the alternator recharge it.
- If your battery repeatedly dies on you, and there’s nothing wrong with your alternator, you might need to replace your battery.
Battery Maintenance and Replacement in Asheville, NC
When was the last time you checked your car’s battery? Regardless of your car’s age and condition, there’s never a wrong time to test your battery’s health for a battery replacement. Replacing your vehicle’s battery every two to three years will keep your car running at its best. It will also help you avoid potential breakdowns and other costly repairs.
Our experienced service technicians at Asheville Ford have the knowledge and tools to keep your vehicle running in pristine condition. Schedule an appointment online today for your vehicle’s battery maintenance and replacement is easy with Asheville Ford. Whether you’re a new or existing customer, we’ve got you covered!
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