It is important to take care of your car’s battery just like you take care of the rest of your automobile. This means inspecting the battery on a regular basis to make sure everything looks okay. If you have the proper equipment, you can also test the voltage of the battery to make sure it is holding a charge. If you do not have the proper equipment, we can do this for you.
Inspect the Battery Every Six Months
Plan to inspect your battery every six months. Do this when the engine is cold and when you have plenty of light so you can see the battery clearly. Pop the hood and remove the battery cover. Take a good long look at the battery to see if you notice anything strange. Also, use your nose to detect odors. If you smell rotten eggs, you have a battery leak.
Check for Corrosion on the Terminals
Another sign that you have a battery leak is corrosion on the battery terminals. Unfortunately, the battery must be replaced if it is leaking. You can clean away the corrosion with baking soda and distilled water, but you will end up with corroded terminals again because the battery is still leaking. As such, bring your vehicle to our shop so we can replace the battery.
Check for a Misshapen Battery Case
This is particularly important if there is a problem with the shape of the battery case. This is a sign that the battery has a problem with the chemical reaction inside it. If the chemical reaction is bad, the battery case may warp or bubble. It may also crack. There’s no way to replace the battery case. You need to get a new battery if there is a problem with the case.
Add Distilled Water if Necessary
You should also check to see if your battery needs water added to it. To be honest, most batteries these days do not require additional water. If you have an older battery, however, and it needs water, add distilled water to it very carefully. Do this slowly so you don’t overfill the battery.
Finally, plan to replace your car battery every four years to ensure you always have a battery that works. Batteries tend to die after three to four years. If your battery is this old or older, bring your vehicle to our shop so we can remove and dispose of the old battery and replace it with a new one.
