Summer's high temperatures are extremely dangerous for your car's battery. The car's engine and batteries are put under a lot of strain as the temperature rises. Therefore, you may find yourself in a situation where your car's battery isn't at its best. Also, keep an eye on your car's battery in hot weather since temperatures are rising yearly.
Charging the Battery Properly
Correctly charging the battery is the single most important step for increasing its life span. Use a battery charger that charges the battery in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, if required, to recharge the battery to full capacity.
Park in the Shade
Simple steps like parking in a garage or shade might help preserve your battery. When left in direct sunlight, your car's hood warms up rapidly, causing heat damage. Avoiding direct sunlight can significantly reduce the temperature, which may extend the life of your car's battery.
Always Keep the Battery Clean
Summer heat causes higher temperatures in your vehicle's engine. These high temperatures might cause corrosion within your battery, resulting in reduced current flow. Inspect your batteries on a regular basis for signs of corrosion, and remove any corrosion using a copper brush or scouring pad.
Reduce Battery Usage
Modern cars include Bluetooth speakers, smartphone chargers, GPS systems, MP3 players, etc. All these devices connect to the car's battery. These devices deplete power fast, so use them carefully and don't use them when the car is parked. Before leaving the car, ensure that no lights are on.
Avoid Many Starts and Stops
Short trips might deplete the battery fast. The more you drive, the better the alternator works. When you start your car, the battery uses all the power. Therefore, if you don't let the alternator recharge it properly, the battery's life is decreased. If you only travel a mile once a week, extend your driving duration to let your battery recharge properly.
Keep an Eye on the Water Levels
Most batteries nowadays are encapsulated and do not need water level monitoring. If your battery is not "maintenance-free," add water as needed. Even with proper care and maintenance, a car battery has a life span of three to five years. Your battery life may be even lower if you reside in a region with high temperatures.
Conclusion
Proper car battery maintenance is essential in both winter and summer since a dead battery might happen at any inconvenient time. Summer heat depletes the battery's power in the same way as winter snow does. So, instead of waiting for the summer temperatures to increase, start working on the above tips to keep your vehicle's battery in excellent condition. If you need your vehicle's battery serviced, we invite you to bring your vehicle to Austin's Automotive Specialists today!