Keep Your Car Battery Going Strong With These Tips

If you haven’t been them, you’ve seen it: the person in the parking lot with booster cables extending from under an open hood. A dead battery happens at the worst of times. It’s in the throes of winter when the snow is swirling outside your window. It’s when the sun blisters your back as you wait for a tow truck in the sweltering heat. But, there are ways to keep your car battery going strong.

Never Let Your Car Battery Drain Completely

Every time your car battery drains fully, it shaves a bit of life off. It can only stand so many cycles in the first place, and a battery’s lifespan is relatively short – just three to five years on average. If your car is going to be parked for quite some time, disconnect the battery or just pull the ignition off-draw fuse. You’ll save yourself the inconvenience of a dead battery.

Have your Battery Tested

Twice a year, you should have your battery tested to make sure it’s going to withstand the next half year. The best time to do so is the spring and fall when the weather is mild and your battery can accurately be tested. If your car battery is found to be weak or to have a bad cell, get it replaced before you’re left stranded somewhere.

Service Your Terminals

Corrosion buildup will form on your battery posts as a normal byproduct of its use. The corrosion can start to get in the way of a good connection with the battery cable and can lead to poor charging and starting. Have the Acura dealer service your battery terminals regularly when your car is in for maintenance.

Deal with Charging System Issues Right Away

Sometimes, the fault doesn’t lie with the battery itself. It can be a poorly operating alternator that causes a low charge in your car battery. If the battery light illuminates on your dashboard, have it checked out right away – a bad alternator can take out your good battery too!   If you need battery service, testing, or replacement on your Acura in Kansas City, visit Jay Wolfe Acura. Our service professionals will diagnose the problem and get your electrical system up to snuff in no time.