Battery Maintenance Tips

If you’ve owned and driven a car, you’ve probably had battery issues. No matter the make and model, all car batteries eventually run out of power. But with proper maintenance, that doesn’t have to be any time soon. Follow these car battery maintenance tips to ensure your car battery is working its best as long as possible.

1 – Park in a garage

There’s nothing more deadly to a battery than cold temperatures, and it can get pretty cold here in Washington. Park your car in a well-insulated garage to keep the battery warm over the winter. Avoid heated garages though — those will just rust your car.

2 – Clean the terminals

This is easy to do and only takes a few minutes. Remove the clamps on your car battery and clean away any dirt, grease and oxidation you see on and around the terminals. This will help improve the battery connection and keep the charge strong.

3 – Check the water levels

Batteries contain plates surrounded by water cells. After cleaning the battery, check the level in each cell and add distilled water — and only distilled water — while being careful not to overfill. You may add water to the battery more often in the summer.

4 – Use a solar charger

You can extend your car battery’s life by recharging it, and one of the best ways to do that is with an inexpensive solar charger. Get a monitor with the charger so that you don’t accidentally overcharge the battery, which can have a whole host of nasty side effects.

5 – Watch for warning signs

Car batteries can become damaged in a number of ways. When carrying out maintenance, look for corroded, loose, or damaged terminals as well as for leaks, cracks or deformations in the battery case. If you spot these, it may be time to replace it.

If you’re ever concerned about your car battery, visit Porsche of Spokane. The expert technicians at our service center will know what to do.