When you purchase a car you know that you will be required to perform some maintenance on it in order to keep it working properly. Car maintenance includes all sorts of different things throughout the years. You have to replace your brakes pads, change your oil, replace tires, and fix any parts that break over time. In addition you have to replace your battery when necessary. There are things that you can do to extend the life of different parts of your car that will at least lengthen the life of the part. Today Speedway Towing & Roadside Assistance is going to talk about different ways that you can extend the life of your car battery.
Make Sure Car Battery is Secured in Car
First you will want to make sure that your car battery is mounted properly on the base. There are plates inside your battery that are made up of brittle asbestos. As you drive these plates vibrate. If your battery is not properly mounted on its base then it will shorten the lifespan of your battery.
Keep Car Battery Terminals Clean
The second thing that we suggest is making sure that you keep the cables clean. The cables and the post on your battery can get clogged over time. A white powder is produced as a result of the chemical reaction of the sulfuric acid that is inside the battery, the electrical charge of the battery, and the lead post of your battery. Over time this powder will build up. As it does it will cut your supply circuit and your battery will not operate properly. To keep these cables clean slowly pour hot water on each post of your battery.
Grease Battery Terminal Posts
Our last tip is to make sure that your regularly lubricate the post on your car battery. As we talked about before, a white powder is produced as a result of a chemical reaction whenever you drive. In addition to needing to clean the white powder off you will also want to lubricate the post. Lubricating the post will help minimize the building up of the white powder. It can also make your battery connections easy to pull.
How Long Does a Car Battery Last?
As you take these steps you will help ensure that your car battery will last as long as possible. Even with the best care though your battery will eventually need to be replaced. The length of your battery is determined by how well you take care of it and where you live. Gasoline and diesel fueled vehicles cannot expect to have their batteries last as long as a hybrid or electric car. Hybrid and electric car batteries last up to eight years.
Jumpstart, Roadside Assistance & Towing in Irving, Fort Worth, Arlington, Carrollton & Plano Texas
If your battery does die you will want to make sure you are prepared. You should make sure you have a roadside emergency kit in your car. This way if you end up on the side of the road with a dead battery you will have the supplies you need to stay safe until you can get your car running properly again. If you need help with your battery give Speedway Towing & Roadside Assistance a call for an emergency jumpstart and/or other roadside services.