If you have ever gone to start your car and realized the battery was dead, you know how frustrating it can be. Luckily, it is possible to reduce how often this happens by working to prolong the battery life. Here are some different methods that work for helping that car battery last a little longer.
Keep the Lights Turned Off
This might seem obvious, as many people know that keeping headlights on can kill the battery, but this also applies to brief moments of time when you are not driving the vehicle. For example, many people like to open all of the doors of the vehicle when cleaning it out, but do you have a dome light? If you do, this light is remaining on the entire time you are cleaning out your car, even though it isn't turned on. Try to remember to turn off the interior lights whenever you don't need to use them. This can help to prolong your battery life a little more.
Don't Operate Electrical Accessories Too Much
Another thing that can quickly drain the car battery is when you are operating electrical accessories inside the car when it isn't turned on. Try to make it a habit where you turn on the car and let it run for a few minutes before turning on the radio or using the power locks and windows. If there is a GPS in the car, try not to operate it until the car has been turned on and running for several minutes. This allows the battery to continue charging while using these components.
Clean the Battery Terminals
The battery terminals should be inspected on a routine basis and cleaned as needed. If you have a lot of buildup and rust of the terminals, it can lead to the battery not operating properly and replacing it prematurely. The battery terminals are easy to clean with nothing more than water and a cloth. To prevent rust, try spraying them with a rust inhibitor spray after each time you clean them. You should also check the terminals every time you check the fluids under the hood.
Disconnect It While the Car Is Non-Operational
There may be times when you are going to be traveling and not using your car, or when you have more than one car, so your older one doesn't get used as much. In these cases, just don't park the car and let the battery slowly die. When you go to use the car, the battery is probably going to be dead. Instead of doing that, take a few minutes to disconnect the batter. This is going to keep it from dying when the car isn't being used, helping to prolong it even during non-operational periods.
Share12 January 2017
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