Blog

When car batteries fail prematurely, it's typically due to battery-harming driving habits and neglected service. You can keep your battery at optimal power and capacity with sensible Chrysler battery maintenance. The following tips are a great place to start. more Have Your Battery Inspected There's no need to wonder how your battery's doing. A technician can examine it, test it, check the battery's fluid levels, and tell you how much longer it's likely to last. Have your battery inspected routinely once a year, ideally before winter, and also before long trips that will put more strain on your car's electronic system. Keep Your Battery Warm During winter, low temperatures slow down the chemical processes inside a car battery. This forces it to work harder and drains it faster. A battery heater or blanket can protect a car battery from the cold. It's also wise to keep your car parked under the cover of a garage or insulating car cover throughout winter. Clean the Battery's Terminals Once a month, check up on your battery. Make sure it looks clean, undamaged, and free from corrosion. It's also important to clean the terminals because the grease in accumulated dirt or grime can accelerate corrosion. After cleaning the terminals and cables, apply a terminal spray to add a layer of protection against corrosion. Secure the Clamps and Cables It's important to keep your battery firmly secured in place at all times. If the hold-down clamps are loose, the battery will shake and vibrate as you drive, which causes internal damage. Each month, tighten the bolts and clamps of the hold-down, and also make sure the battery's cables are fixed in place. Keep Your Battery Charged When a car battery discharges completely, lead sulfate starts to form on the plates inside it. These sulfate crystals can rapidly harden in a process called sulfation, which reduces the battery's capacity and shortens its lifespan. With this in mind, always try to keep your battery charged and never let it fully deplete. Avoid Short Daily Trips Some drivers only use their cars for short distances of just a handful of miles every day. The thing is, these short trips use more electricity than the alternator can generate, which means the battery is left with less charge after each drive. As a result, the battery deteriorates without the driver knowing it and may fail to start the car one day. You can avoid this by taking longer drives generally or at least one longer trip each week, which can fully recharge the battery and keep it healthy. The lifespan of a car battery will usually range from three to five years. If your battery is getting old, come to Ed Martin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Anderson, IN.

It's sometimes easy to forget the importance of the battery in our cars until they stop working. Without a fully functioning battery, your vehicle's electrical accessories will rapidly fail along with the engine's starter and even the spark plugs and the engine itself. With all this in mind, here are some of the most common early indications that a new car battery is required. You can quickly pick one up at your local RAM dealership. more Your Starter Clicks But Won't Start When settling behind the wheel one day, if you turn the key or press the starter button but all you hear is a quiet clicking, then your battery may be dead. If a worn-out battery can't deliver a powerful enough surge of voltage, the starter can't start and the spark plugs can't fire. Unless you can easily jump-start your car, this might leave you stranded somewhere inconvenient. Fortunately, when a battery is dying, you should notice it getting harder and harder to start your car long before the starter fails altogether. This gives you time to rectify the problem. Your Headlights Lose Brightness One dangerous result of a failing battery is headlights starting to flicker and fade. This may leave you without proper visibility after dark. Your Electrical Accessories Falter Without a strong battery, all the other electrical accessories in your car will also stop working properly. This would include your stereo, cabin lights, air-con, heated seats, dashboard displays, phone charger, and more. Your Battery Looks Corroded Over time, the terminals at the top of a car battery can sometimes begin to corrode. This corrosion is often white or green in color and can prevent the battery from conducting electricity. Your Battery Looks Misshapen Car batteries should have perfectly flat and straight sides. If your battery's casing ever develops a bulge or becomes in any way warped out of shape, you'll need to have it replaced. Your Battery Emits a Bad Smell If a battery becomes so misshapen or damaged that it cracks open, you may smell the battery acid leaking out. This highly corrosive substance smells strongly of sulfur or rotten eggs. Your Technician Suggests a New Battery While periodically inspecting and testing your vehicle's electrical system, the technicians at your local dealership are likely to notice any signs of a failing or aging battery. They can then let you know how much longer your battery is likely to last or replace it at once if needed. Have your battery tested and replaced today by qualified technicians at Ed Martin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram. We're a local family-owned and run dealership dedicated to providing the region's best vehicles and customer service.