Car Battery Giving Trouble? Here are Some Tips for You!
A flat battery can be really annoying for the car owners. A car battery has limited life span or calendar life. It will become unusable when it completes it calendar life. Normally, a new battery should last 3 to 5 years, but many people kill their battery well before its calendar life. This article provides a basic guide and few tips to prolong your car-battery life.
- Corrosion around the terminals is an important reason for decreasing the lifespan of a car battery. It can destroy the connection between vehicle and battery. A simple yet important solution to this problem is the regular cleaning of terminals. A mixture of baking powder and water can be used to scrub the terminals using a toothbrush. Experts also suggest using petroleum jelly around the terminals to avoid further corrosion.
- A battery which is not properly fixed or fastened is more likely to expire earlier. Batteries that can vibrate or shake while driving are a serious safety risk. Moreover, poor quality cables can also decrease the battery’s life.
- Another reason, which we often ignore, is short rides. Car battery doesn’t get completely charged during a short ride. Frequent short rides can result in a dead flat battery. Although it is not common in Pakistan but using a good car charger can also help, especially when you don’t drive your car very often or take frequent short trips.
- External temperature can also impact battery’s performance. Insulating the battery can also prolong its life.
- A basic mistake, which destroys the battery is using electronics when the engine isn’t running. When the car’s engine is running, the car alternator generates the electricity and charges the battery. If the car is not on, and you are using any electronic accessories, you are relying only on the car battery, which isn’t meant for such usage.
- Keep checking the water (electrolyte) level regularly. It is highly recommended to use only distilled water. Moreover, it is also important to avoid overfilling or spillage.
- Last but not the least, take care of your car as a whole. Poor engine or defective alternator can cause the poor performance of the battery. So, proper and regular overall car maintenance are necessary for the long lifetime of a car’s battery.
A flat battery can be very inconvenient and annoying but we hope that these suggestions will help you in extending the life of your car battery.
Also Read: How to Prevent Your Car Battery from Giving Up On You