As the seasons change and warmer weather approaches, take steps to ensure your vehicle is ready for spring and summer driving. One crucial aspect of this preparation is seasonal battery care. Your vehicle’s battery is key to starting the vehicle and powering the various electrical components of your vehicle. In this month’s blog post, we discuss potential battery issues after a cold winter, how warmer temperatures may affect your battery, and essential maintenance tasks for optimal performance.
Understanding How Temperature Affects Your Vehicle Battery
Cold winter months can be tough on your vehicle’s battery. The cold can slow the chemical reactions within the battery, making it harder for it to hold a charge. Come spring, you might find your battery has weakened or is unable to start your vehicle.
While cold temperatures can reduce battery capacity, hot weather can cause different issues. High temperatures can speed up the chemical reaction inside a battery, leading to overcharging, which can significantly reduce your battery’s lifespan. Furthermore, heat can cause the battery fluid to evaporate, damaging the internal structure of the battery. More batteries need replacement in the warmer months, so heat is your biggest enemy.
To keep your battery functioning and extend its lifespan, follow these basic battery maintenance tasks.
Essential Maintenance Tasks
Regular Inspection
Regularly inspect your battery for signs of damage or wear. Check for any corrosion on the terminals, as this can impede the electrical connection. If you notice white, powdery deposits, clean them off with a mixture of baking soda and water and a toothbrush. If you are not comfortable working with the battery, consider having it cleaned by a service professional. There are also videos online that you can watch about cleaning your battery, so that you are doing it properly and safely.
Check the Battery Charge
Use a multimeter to check your battery’s voltage. A fully charged battery should read around 12.6 volts or higher. If it’s lower, you may need to recharge or replace your battery.
Be Proactive with Battery Replacement
Our strong recommendation is to replace the battery long before the car manifests any starting problems. The logic is the battery acts as a ballast in the electrical system keeping the voltage stable. Computers and rotating electronics (small motors in climate controls as an example) hate voltage fluctuations. We see all sorts of codes in the various modules throughout the car once the battery is five-years old. Most of the time it is not a problem in modules but erratic changes in voltage.
Ensure Secure Connections
Ensure the battery terminals are clean and tightly connected. Loose connections can cause starting problems. These cables can sometimes become loose or disconnected from the vibrations in the engine, or if they were not properly connected by previous service.
Keep Your Battery Clean
A dirty battery can discharge across the grime on top of the battery casing, so keep your battery clean. Wipe it with a damp rag and mild detergent.
Professional Battery Testing
Consider having a professional battery test performed annually. This test can help determine the health of your battery and predict when it might fail. A test will help determine if your battery is holding its charge or needs to be replaced. It’s always better to be proactive about your battery, rather than find yourself stuck on the road somewhere, unable to start your vehicle.
For the most part, batteries only last from 3-5 years, depending on many factors like ongoing care and climate. In the pursuit of making vehicles more fuel efficient, they have reduced the size of batteries and that has impacted the overall lifespan.
Battery care is an essential aspect of vehicle maintenance. As the warmer weather approaches, take the time to ensure your battery is in top shape for those long, enjoyable drives. If you would like to have your battery checked, contact the service professionals at Shade Tree Garage to schedule an appointment.