Your car's battery may be one of the least visible parts of the vehicle, but it remains one of the most important parts fitted. The car battery must operate effectively regardless of the terrain, temperature, and weather conditions, which means that it is vital to ensure that your car battery is effectively maintained throughout the year.
The condition and performance of your car battery will vary considerably according to a number of factors. The number of miles that you drive annually will greatly affect the life and performance of your battery, as will your location for driving and how you drive your vehicle. When your car fails to start the first time in the morning, it can an indication that your car battery is not up to the job, but drivers very often get few warning signs that the battery is on its way out.
Generally speaking, a car battery will last for around four years, based on average annual mileage and driving habits. If you drive in a particularly cold climate, cover particularly high mileage, or do lots of short bursts of driving, the lifespan of your battery can vary, however. Some drivers may find that the battery lasts longer, whereas others will find that the battery needs replacing more frequently. Remember that in modern cars, batteries have to provide power for more and more accessories, so the lifespan will also depend greatly on the specification and equipment fitted to your car. GPS receivers, MP3 players, and other electronic devices can place considerable demands on your battery.
The chemical reaction inside a typical lead-acid battery is easily affected by external factors. Vibrations through the car can shake loose or damage the plates inside your battery. Extreme heat will speed up the chemical reaction inside the battery, generally shortening its lifespan. Very cold temperatures can extend the life of a battery, but can present other issues in terms of reliability and starting first thing in the morning.
Ensuring that you battery is checked regularly should be an important part of your general auto maintenance schedule. It isn’t the simplest part of the car to check, and the sort of tests that can be conducted by the average driver are only indicative rather than an absolute measurement of performance. This is because the sort of battery testers that are available to consumers largely only check the battery as a snapshot of that moment in time. It is therefore worthwhile asking Cutter Automotive Galleries to routinely inspect the battery as part of a regular service. Additional checks should also be considered if you are going to undertake a long journey, particularly if you intend to take the car into unusual or extreme territory, or if the car hasn’t been driven for a long time.
When making a decision to get your battery checked (or indeed replaced) look for signs of a performance problem. A dead battery may seem like an obvious clue, but this could actually be attributable to other electrical problems. A visual inspection of the battery is a better indicator of problems. Ask a technician for help if you are unsure, but corrosion or stains can indicate a problem with a leak, while build-up around the terminals can also be a problem. A bad smell could point to trouble too.
While your car battery remains relatively innocuous, its condition remains intrinsic to the performance of your car. Maintain regular checks, and ask for your technician’s help to ensure that you get the best from your battery life.
