As we continue to endure an almost endless scorching summer we could probably pay more attention to our poor cars. Forced to drive around outside, sit in parking lots all day and wait in endless traffic snarls the heat can really do a number on them.
Auto maintenance should include your car’s battery.
Take your car battery. The extreme heat of summer can actually destroy it. Excessive heat and overcharging will shorten your battery’s life. Your battery fluid will actually begin to evaporate and this damages the inside structure of your battery. The voltage regulator is particularly vulnerable and if this is damaged it allows too high a charging rate and this is a battery killer.
Summer’s heat damage may not even be apparent until winter and we find ourselves stranded at home or worse at 11pm after a really nice dinner and a movie.
So what can you do to keep your battery happy now and avoid the potential replacement cost in the future?
The Car Care Council suggests the following:
- If your battery is the type that needs to be topped off check the fluid level often, especially during extended days of hot weather. Add distilled water when necessary.
- If you do need to replace your battery be sure and replace with one rated at least as high as the original.
- Keep the top of your battery clean as dirt can act as a conductor and drain battery power. To make it worse as corrosion collects on battery terminals it becomes an insulator and inhibits current flow.
- Have your battery checked by a qualified service technician to be sure your electrical system is charging at the correct rate; overcharging can damage a battery just as quickly as undercharging.
Electronic devices such as satellite radios, GPS systems or portable DVD players increase demand on your battery so follow these tips to keep you and your family on the go this summer. The always friendly, always professional service technicians at Sallas Auto Repair can check out your battery, your air conditioning and coolant systems, and everything else that needs attention during this excessive hot weather. Don’t neglect your car and it will be there when you need it