The car battery is a very important component for keeping the car running smoothly.

A weak or dying battery can be one of the most frustrating and embarrassing car problems. It can cause your car to break-down suddenly in traffic.

A battery can fail to function for a number of reasons. Just a few specks of a white powdery residue on the battery terminals can prevent your car from starting.

On average, car batteries should last between 2 to 6 years, but like most car parts, that all depends on how you treat it.  However, the best way to help prevent your battery from unexpectedly dying is to make sure it is always in good shape.

Here are 10 tips on how to maintain your car battery and give them extended operational life.






During Idle State, Don’t Use Your Car's Electronics

Using your car's electronics features such as radio or air-conditioners when your car engine is not running can weaken your car battery power. Frequently turning on the car's electronics when the car is idling can damage the battery. Using electronics in the car while the engine is not on is the quickest route to a dead battery. Of course, a battery can maintain a charge while the engine is on, but once it's off electronics draw directly from the battery.




Turn Off All the Lights When You Exit the Car

Forgetting to turn off your car headlights or any other light in your car can have an adverse effect on your car battery.

Leaving the headlights on when the car engine is not running will drain a significant amount of the battery's charge. Depending on how long the headlights stay on, you might return to a vehicle with a battery that is too weak to power up the engine. When this happens frequently, permanent damage to the battery can occur.




Ensure To Go On Long Rides

Using your car only for short-distance trips can prevent your car battery from fully charging. Frequently driving long distances keeps your battery fully charged and healthy.

In case you do not use your car often, it is advised that you buy a portable car battery charger. This is necessary in case your battery runs down from staying idle for long. With a portable car battery charger, you can jump-start your battery without another vehicle’s battery.

 

Check for Electrical Leaks

If you notice that your car is hard to start one morning, and you are sure that you did not leave the headlights, any other light or electronics on, there may be a drain somewhere in the system. Find and fix the source of the drain. Doing this on time will ensure that your battery does not drain repeatedly, which can lead to permanent damage to the battery.




Minimize And Control Dirt and Corrosion

Over time, your car battery heads and terminals will corrode. To ensure extended battery life, always keep the terminals clean. Clean your battery by removing the clamps and wipe away the grease, dirt, and oxidation. A good way to keep them clean is to scrub them with a toothbrush dipped in a baking soda and water mixture. Then, using a spray bottle with cold water, rinse the mixture off and follow up with a thorough drying with a clean cloth. A dirty battery connection will weaken the charge. Clean the battery terminals at least every 4 to 6 months.




Keep Your Battery Tightly Fastened

A car battery can be damaged if the battery connection is loose or not tight. A battery that is not well fastened could vibrate, potentially resulting in internal damage and short circuits.

Make sure you check your battery regularly and ensure the connection is tight and the battery properly positioned in the mounting bracket. This is necessary especially if you frequently drive on bumpy roads or roads with many potholes.




Avoid Situations Where your Battery Drains Completely

Constant complete draining of the battery can lead to permanent damage. To avoid draining your battery to the point of damaging it is to perform regular care and maintenance. Multiple discharge/recharge cycles shorten any battery's life.




Avoid Situations Where Your Battery Water Level Goes Low

In wet-cell batteries, when the water level in a battery is low it is because water has been lost from the electrolyte and it becomes more concentrated.  When this state is sustained for long, it can make it lose strength and ultimately can damage the battery. Simply adding distilled water will bring it to the proper volume and strength.  Check the battery's water level every 2 to 3 months,




Extreme Weather/Temperature

Extremely hot weather can cause fluid in car batteries to evaporate, damaging the internal structure of the battery. That is why average battery life is shorter in warmer climates. However, extremely cold weather can also damage a car's battery.

Regardless of the temperature you drive in, properly taking care of your car battery can help keep it running.




Maintain Your battery Regularly

The best way care for your battery is to perform regular care and maintenance on it. This will often allow you to catch problems before they have a chance to snowball.  Inspect and test your battery cell voltage every 3,000 miles (4,800 km) or 3 months, whichever comes sooner, or every time you get an oil change or have your car in for maintenance

Source:

https://autojosh.com/10-ways-to-make-your-car-battery-last-longer/

Nice one. Kudos Autojosh.

Quite informative. We need more of such.

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Nice one!!
Keep them coming

Message full copied. I will start applying it when i buy my car

My car battery keeps running down. Even though no electricals are on. It's really frustrating. What I do is, whenever I park at night I remove the terminals connected to the battery head.
From the Input above, there might be electrical leaks. I guess I have to check that out.
Thanks OP for sharing.

Make sense

If u nor get car gather here ,let's advice those that have push and start

Number 4 happened to my car recently. Have to be removing the head of my battery every time.

Informative

I no get car... Gather here with likes so oga Seun can help convert the likes to a car...

AutoJoshNIG:
The car battery is a very important component for keeping the car running smoothly.

A weak or dying battery can be one of the most frustrating and embarrassing car problems. It can cause your car to break-down suddenly in traffic.

A battery can fail to function for a number of reasons. Just a few specks of a white powdery residue on the battery terminals can prevent your car from starting.

On average, car batteries should last between 2 to 6 years, but like most car parts, that all depends on how you treat it.  However, the best way to help prevent your battery from unexpectedly dying is to make sure it is always in good shape.

Here are 10 tips on how to maintain your car battery and give them extended operational life.






During Idle State, Don’t Use Your Car's Electronics

Using your car's electronics features such as radio or air-conditioners when your car engine is not running can weaken your car battery power. Frequently turning on the car's electronics when the car is idling can damage the battery. Using electronics in the car while the engine is not on is the quickest route to a dead battery. Of course, a battery can maintain a charge while the engine is on, but once it's off electronics draw directly from the battery.




Turn Off All the Lights When You Exit the Car

Forgetting to turn off your car headlights or any other light in your car can have an adverse effect on your car battery.

Leaving the headlights on when the car engine is not running will drain a significant amount of the battery's charge. Depending on how long the headlights stay on, you might return to a vehicle with a battery that is too weak to power up the engine. When this happens frequently, permanent damage to the battery can occur.




Ensure To Go On Long Rides

Using your car only for short-distance trips can prevent your car battery from fully charging. Frequently driving long distances keeps your battery fully charged and healthy.

In case you do not use your car often, it is advised that you buy a portable car battery charger. This is necessary in case your battery runs down from staying idle for long. With a portable car battery charger, you can jump-start your battery without another vehicle’s battery.

 

Check for Electrical Leaks

If you notice that your car is hard to start one morning, and you are sure that you did not leave the headlights, any other light or electronics on, there may be a drain somewhere in the system. Find and fix the source of the drain. Doing this on time will ensure that your battery does not drain repeatedly, which can lead to permanent damage to the battery.




Minimize And Control Dirt and Corrosion

Over time, your car battery heads and terminals will corrode. To ensure extended battery life, always keep the terminals clean. Clean your battery by removing the clamps and wipe away the grease, dirt, and oxidation. A good way to keep them clean is to scrub them with a toothbrush dipped in a baking soda and water mixture. Then, using a spray bottle with cold water, rinse the mixture off and follow up with a thorough drying with a clean cloth. A dirty battery connection will weaken the charge. Clean the battery terminals at least every 4 to 6 months.




Keep Your Battery Tightly Fastened

A car battery can be damaged if the battery connection is loose or not tight. A battery that is not well fastened could vibrate, potentially resulting in internal damage and short circuits.

Make sure you check your battery regularly and ensure the connection is tight and the battery properly positioned in the mounting bracket. This is necessary especially if you frequently drive on bumpy roads or roads with many potholes.




Avoid Situations Where your Battery Drains Completely

Constant complete draining of the battery can lead to permanent damage. To avoid draining your battery to the point of damaging it is to perform regular care and maintenance. Multiple discharge/recharge cycles shorten any battery's life.




Avoid Situations Where Your Battery Water Level Goes Low

In wet-cell batteries, when the water level in a battery is low it is because water has been lost from the electrolyte and it becomes more concentrated.  When this state is sustained for long, it can make it lose strength and ultimately can damage the battery. Simply adding distilled water will bring it to the proper volume and strength.  Check the battery's water level every 2 to 3 months,




Extreme Weather/Temperature

Extremely hot weather can cause fluid in car batteries to evaporate, damaging the internal structure of the battery. That is why average battery life is shorter in warmer climates. However, extremely cold weather can also damage a car's battery.

Regardless of the temperature you drive in, properly taking care of your car battery can help keep it running.




Maintain Your battery Regularly

The best way care for your battery is to perform regular care and maintenance on it. This will often allow you to catch problems before they have a chance to snowball.  Inspect and test your battery cell voltage every 3,000 miles (4,800 km) or 3 months, whichever comes sooner, or every time you get an oil change or have your car in for maintenance

Source:

https://autojosh.com/10-ways-to-make-your-car-battery-last-longer/

I've left one of my cars for like 3 months now. Hope this won't weaken the battery

Shibaraba:
I've left one of my cars for like 3 months now. Hope this won't weaken the battery

Was about to ask something close tof this question, I don't use my car often, mostly used on weekends, is this safe for my battery or should I disconnect it evrytime it will be idle for days? Thanks

Shibaraba:
I've left one of my cars for like 3 months now. Hope this won't weaken the battery

90% of batteries sold in nigeria are cheap and inferior quality. Leaving them uncharged for weeks drains them, this can be worsened if your car has slight electrical issue of drainage(hard to detect).
Best thing to do now or before u use that car is to give the battery to a battery charger at least for two good days. Another option is to lend the battery out to a transporter that does long distant journeys till your are ready to start using it. I lost two new batteries way back, despite occasional ''warming" of the cars by my friend. That thought me this lessons I am offering here.


On a side note... "All those china car USB chargers and mp3 players that connects from cigarette lighter, interferes and damages modern car electrical". ...patience Jonathan 2014. Don't quote me

dgitrader:


90% of batteries sold in nigeria are cheap and inferior quality. Leaving them uncharged for weeks drains them, this can be worsened if your car has slight electrical issue of drainage(hard to detect).
Best thing to do now or before u use that car is to give the battery to a battery charger at least for two good days. Or best option is to lend the battery out to a transporter that does long distant journey till your are ready to start using it.

Thanks. But does starting it for like five minutes everyday change anything.

Shibaraba:
Thanks. But does starting it for like five minutes everyday change anything.

It doesn't change anything, its even bad for Ur engine. Check my edited post.

dgitrader:


90% of batteries sold in nigeria are cheap and inferior quality. Leaving them uncharged for weeks drains them, this can be worsened if your car has slight electrical issue of drainage(hard to detect).
Best thing to do now or before u use that car is to give the battery to a battery charger at least for two good days. Another option is to lend the battery out to a transporter that does long distant journeys till your are ready to start using it. I lost two new batteries way back, despite occasional ''warming" of the cars by my friend. That thought me this lessons I am offering here.


On a side note... "All those china car USB chargers and mp3 players that connects from cigarette lighter, interferes and damages modern car electrical". ...patience Jonathan 2014. Don't quote me

Please stop misleading people that don't know anything with such fallacy.

Like the guy above said, you will need the car to run for long duration of time to compensate for power draw during one ignition circle.

Hence, your five munite "warming" will not be adequate to replenished the lost power during ignition.

Shibaraba:
Thanks. But does starting it for like five minutes everyday change anything.

good

Thanks Op.

I've been guilty of not adhering to the first and last on the list. Now I know, I know...

Nice work OP.
If you are not going to drive your car for a while, remove one of the terminals!
It's better to reset your gargets when needed than buying a new battery.
No battery stays charged

Why does follow come car batteries from manufacturer dies all of a sudden without any failing signs?

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Warming your car every morning without driving it is actually damaging to car engine!
Apart from the fact that your battery loses voltage every time you crank your engine which will not replenish in five minutes, your engine actually suffers fuel dump!

You don’t need your battery when in traffic or when the car is running, your car gets its power during this period from the alternator and only uses your battery as a backup.

If your car dies while in traffic, you most likely have an alternator’s problem and not battery’s...off course the battery will be drained because, as a result of the faulty alternator; it was the only source of power for the past 10-30 mins.

NigPatriot:

My car battery keeps running down. Even though no electricals are on. It's really frustrating. What I do is, whenever I park at night I remove the terminals connected to the battery head.
From the Input above, there might be electrical leaks. I guess I have to check that out.
Thanks OP for sharing.

Yea, there must be a leak or the battery is old and dying.

Shibaraba:
Thanks. But does starting it for like five minutes everyday change anything.

Yea it those but increase the time to 10mins or more.