When it comes to cars, there’s nothing worse than being stuck with a dead battery. We’ve all been in this situation, and the problem is often made worse by the fact that modern cars have almost no warning signs to warn you in advance that the battery is about to run out.

Car batteryLike any other lead-acid battery, it has a limited lifespan and may eventually lose its ability to hold a sufficient charge to start your vehicle. On average, we can expect a lead-acid battery to last around 42 months, but this lifespan will depend on a number of factors, such as hot or cold climates, travel distance, and the overall performance of your vehicle’s charging circuit.

But no matter what conditions your car is in, here are 7 tips you can check out to get the most out of your battery:

1. It is not recommended to travel short distances frequently

Your battery “trains” every time you start your car and then begins to be charged by the engine as you drive. Therefore, if you only move a short distance, the battery will not be able to recover the amount of power lost. And if you repeat this process daily, the battery’s voltage will continually decrease until it can no longer start your car.

Maintain your vehicle’s battery through frequent and extended use. If you don’t use your car very often, consider purchasing a charger to maintain the correct voltage.

2. The battery must be tightly secured

Vibration can reduce the life of your vehicle’s battery, so it is important to use quality, branded battery clamps to ensure it is held correctly and tightly at all times. If it is not securely fastened, excessive vibration can damage the internal components of the battery, causing short circuits and overall shortening the life of the battery.

But do not over-tighten the battery clamp nuts – because there is a risk of damaging the battery! Simply tighten the nuts until you feel slight resistance, then add an extra half turn.

3. Minimize power used when the engine is off

A car battery thrives when its charge is maintained at 100%, so keeping the headlights on while the engine isn’t running is a good idea. Always make sure that all electrical appliances and vehicle lights are turned off before leaving your vehicle.

4. Keep your battery clean

Make sure the top of the battery is clean, dry and free of dirt. A dirty battery can discharge through the dirt on top of the case – creating a soft short that will eventually destroy the battery.

Battery terminals will also corrode over time, and keeping them free of gunk and dirt is a great way to extend the life of your car’s battery. Clean the terminals with an old toothbrush dipped in baking soda and water. Then, using a spray bottle, rinse off the baking soda with cold water and thoroughly clean the surface with a clean cloth.

5. Try to minimize heat exposure

A popular misconception is that cold weather kills batteries – but this is not entirely true. Car batteries have to work harder to start the engine during the cold winter months. The reason why many of them do not work in the cold season is mainly due to improper operation in the heat of the previous summer.

Heat is very hard on your battery because heat increases the rate at which water evaporates from the cells—even in closed top batteries. The cold then exposes the weaknesses of the battery’s weaker cells, as colder temperatures reduce the charge’s remaining power when it tries to start a cold engine.

What to do in this case? First, reduce the temperature that affects the battery. Secondly, park your car in the shade where possible and keep the garage at a normal temperature. There are also a lot of great ideas on how to insulate the battery from the heat generated by the motor.

6. Check battery voltage once a month

The life of a lead-acid battery will be significantly reduced if it is left partially or completely discharged for long periods of time, so checking the voltages with a voltmeter once a month is a great way to monitor the health of your battery. A healthy, fully charged lead-acid battery should have a voltage of around 12.7V or higher.

If the voltage drops below 12.5V, we recommend charging the battery as soon as possible. It is also important to remember that a lead-acid car battery is considered half charged at 12.4V and fully discharged at 12.0V.

7. Don’t leave the car unused for a long time

As you may have noticed in some of the points above, it is vital that lead acid car batteries are regularly fully charged to prevent rapid deterioration. Regardless of the brand, all lead-acid batteries naturally lose their charge over time—what’s called “self-discharge.”

A full lead-acid battery will spontaneously discharge at a rate of about 1% per day at room temperature, 0.25% per day at 10°C, and 1.5% per day at 30°C. It is important to remember that excess vehicle loads increase rate of discharge, so if your car will be sitting idle for longer than a week, it would be wise to plug in a charger for a full charge.

REMEMBER: You can always contact our car service center, where your car will be happy to receive professional technical assistance. Please familiarize yourself with our car repair and diagnostic services.