Maintain Car Batteries
A car battery is what helps the vehicle start up and continue running. The electrical energy necessary to make the car work is stored in the battery. Most batteries will continue working well for 5 to 7 years. Keeping your car on a regular maintenance and testing schedule with your mechanic will ensure your battery works properly, and there are things you can do yourself to help. Maintain car batteries by checking them and cleaning them on a regular basis, and charging them when necessary.
Steps
- Locate the battery in your car.
- Most car batteries have a heavy-duty plastic case with two terminals to connect the positive and negative (ground) wires to the car. The terminals are usually made of lead or brass and can look like two thimbles. The terminals can also be two threaded screws or two threaded holes on the front of the battery. Take a picture before removing the cables to make sure the positive and negative cables do not get reversed.
- Check the battery's water level every 2 to 3 months, only if it's a non-maintenance-free wet-cell battery. You will likely have either a wet-cell battery or an Absorbed Glass Matt (AGM) battery. With an AGM battery, never attempt to open the battery. It is a good idea to only have a battery expert check the water levels in a maintenance-free battery-they rarely ever need water. For non-maintenance-free wet-cell batteries you can check the battery's water level every 2 or 3 months. The water should just touch the bottom of the battery's refill hole.
- Pull up the fill caps on the battery to inspect the fluid level. Some batteries do not have fill caps because they are made so they do not need any water.
- Refill the battery only with distilled water, if the level is low. Pour the water into the cell using a funnel. Do not overfill. Wait for the water to reach the bottom of the refill hole. Never overfill into the fill holes.
- Clean the battery terminals with a wire brush every 6 to 8 months.
- Remove the connectors from the battery terminal by moving them from side to side and gently pulling them up.
- Rub the wire brush into a paste of baking soda mixed with distilled water. Gently scrub the terminal to achieve a shine and remove dried acid build-up.
- Never use a rubber mallet to put terminals on a battery. Always use terminal spreaders to widen the terminal connectors opening to fit over the battery terminals.
- Coat the battery with grease made for high temperatures. Applying the grease will protect the battery from rust and corrosion.
- Inspect cell voltage every time you get an oil change or have your car in for maintenance. Your mechanic will have a reliable method for testing your voltage. A fully charged battery will have a charge of 12.5 to 12.6 volts.
- Take your car to an auto parts store for battery testing between visits to your regular mechanic. They can check the voltage and the charge for you, and offer you products that may help with your battery maintenance plan. Remember that a battery under 12.5 volts should never be tested until it reaches a fully charged level. A battery tester will often show "Bad Battery" if the battery is not fully charged even though the battery is perfectly good!
- Check the battery insulator, if your car has one. Some cars include an insulator to protect the battery against very high temperatures, which can dry out its fluid quickly. The insulator should be in place and undamaged.
- Take your car in to your mechanic or shop for regular servicing and tune-ups. The best way to maintain your battery and your entire car is to have it inspected and tested every {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} or 3 months, whichever comes sooner.
Tips
- Talk to your mechanic about other things you might be able to do to protect the life of your car battery. There may be other steps you can take depending on your car's make and model, the climate you live in and the battery you use.
Warnings
- Use only distilled water when filling the cells. Tap water contains minerals that will compromise a battery's capacity.
- Wear safety goggles and gloves any time you work on your car to prevent injury.
Things You'll Need
- Distilled water
- Funnel
- Wire brush
- Baking soda
- Rubber mallet
- High temperature automotive grease
- Safety goggles
- Gloves
