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.
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.
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