It’s never fun to have to replace your battery, especially if you can still remember having done so recently. The best option is to know what to do to keep your car’s battery lasting for a long, long time and L&D Automotive has some tips to help you do just that.
Start the Car Regularly if You Don’t Drive Everyday
If you drive your car every day, you are already doing a lot to help protect your car’s battery, especially if each trip is longer than around 15 minutes or so. The real danger for your battery is if your car tends to sit for a few days or even longer at a time. That’s because the battery loses small amounts of charge as it sits. The best way to keep it charged up and ready to go is for the alternator to run and to send a charge back to the battery.
Watch What You Leave On
Some cars have built-in breakers that make sure that if you leave the lights on, that doesn’t kill off the battery. But there are still some that don’t have that kind of feature. And believe it or not, there may be other things that are plugged in while the car is off that drain the battery, too. Things like a car charger left plugged in could be a problem.
Stick to Your Car’s Maintenance Schedule
When you’re sticking to your car’s maintenance schedule, that ensures that every piece of the car from the engine to the fuel system, the exhaust system, and the electrical system are all serviced as they should be. The goal of the maintenance schedule is to tackle issues before they become problems, so skipping maintenance is just inviting trouble.
Visually Inspect the Battery
It’s also a good idea to visually inspect the battery on a regular basis. The physical appearance of the battery can tell you a great deal about its health. You’re looking for problems like a bulging or cracked case or corrosion on the posts on top of the battery. Signs like this can be an indication that there’s something wrong with the battery.
Get the Battery and Electrical System Tested
When you have other services done, it’s a good idea to have the battery and the rest of the electrical system tested. It doesn’t take long to do, and it can give you some valuable information. This can also help you to spot trouble well before you experience any failure in the battery or the alternator.
L&D Automotive in Lavon, TX can help you to keep your battery working in tip-top condition. Contact us today and we can test the battery and let you know what it needs, if anything.