Pssst… Here are a Few Things No One Told You about Your Car Batteries

As a car owner, you must be familiar with all the nagging your car does from time to time. While most of them are easily ignorable, you should not overlook the symptoms of a dying battery. The last thing you want is to get stranded in the middle of nowhere in a car which would not start.

Now, car batteries are expensive, and changing it every few years is not practical at all. Fortunately, there are a few things which you can do to extend its service life. So before you head out to a service garage to buy a new car battery Harrogate or anywhere else in the UK, give these things a try.

1. Make sure both the terminals are sludge and rust free

Like an ordinary AA or AAA battery, the car battery will not give proper output if its terminals are caked with rust or dried acid build up. You can take professional help to get them cleaned. However, there is an easy method you can try yourself.

Make a paste with baking soda and distilled water. Now, remove the clamps from the terminals and use a brush to apply the paste and scrub clean the contacts. Make sure to remove all the rust and acid build up before you reconnect the clamps.

Pro tip – Always loosen the connectors first, and then pull them straight up to remove them from the terminals. While re-attaching them, do not put excessive pressure. Use a rubber spacer if you have to.

2. Check the water level every 2 or 3 months

Remember to check the water level if your car comes with a wet-cell. Ideally, water should reach the bottom of the refill plug.

Newer cars may come with an AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) battery. These do not need any water.

Pro tip – Wet-cells work with only distilled water. Do not use any other type of liquid on it. If your car comes with an AGM unit, bring it to HG Motors for inspection. We also offer services like tyre repair, wheel balancing and MOT in Harrogate.

3. Use plenty of battery grease

Battery grease protects the terminals from overheating, rusting, and acid formation. Make sure you use plenty of temperature resistant grease before reapplying the connectors.

Pro tip – While disconnecting the cables, always start with the negative terminal. It will ensure that you won’t get a surprise jolt from the unit.

4. Check on the electrolyte

This one is a bit different and requires a Hydrometer to do it. However, testing the state of electrolytes can prevent you from getting a nasty surprise while driving.

To do this, take a sample with the Hydrometer from each cell of the battery, and measure the value shown on the Hydrometer. An ideal reading should be 1.265 or more. If the reading is low in every cell, take your car to a service garage.

Pro tip – The metre is calibrated assuming the battery’s temperature is 80°F. For each 10°F drop in temperature, subtract 0.04 from the value; if it is hotter than 80°F, add 0.04 for each 10°F. Remember to use rubber gloves and eye protection while handling the battery.

And that’s about it. This entire process takes only about an hour and will make your car battery last for a lot longer. However, if you are not comfortable doing it yourself, head over to our service garage and get it inspected every 3,000 miles or 3 months, whichever comes first.