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by: Mat Johnson

 

Did you know cold weather puts an added strain on your car battery? When temperatures drop into freezing levels, your vehicle must work harder upon startup and also run its cold weather functions like heating systems, wiper blades, and the defroster.  There are simple steps you can take to winterize your car battery and ensure its best performance through this chilly season:

Check the Fluid Levels:

• Pull of the cap off the battery to get to the hydraulic fluid inside.
• Using a hydrometer extract some fluid to check the level and condition
• The hydrometer tool will give you a “low”, “fair”, or “good” rating
• A “good” rating will show you that your hydraulic fluid is still in working shape
• CAUTION: This fluid is acid; make sure you do NOT come in contact with it!

Check Battery Terminals:

• Check for corrosion or build up on terminals
• IMPORTANT: Remove the negative battery terminal first to clean, and install it last.
• Using a battery terminal cleaner, twist the cleaner a few times to remove build-up on the outside of the terminals
• The cleaner will have an additional brush to clean inside the terminal connections
• Reinstall and tighten the terminals

Seasonal Voltage Test:

• Batteries should be tested every 3 months (or during a routine oil change) to ensure that they are maintaining proper voltage

 

 Tips to Ensure Battery Life:

• Check your lights! It’s easy to forget to turn off your lights, especially when the days are shorter and darker in the wintertime. Check all your lights when you exit your vehicle to make sure they are off- dome lights, accessory lights, lighted mirrors, and of course headlights.
• Do not keep your car running in auxiliary- When the engine is off, you can turn on the lights or use the radio, but in cold weather this can drain the battery extra fast.
• Check your connections- make sure the battery connections are secure.
• Carry jumper cables or a battery starter kit- Especially in cold weather, this will help you get back on the road in the event that your battery does fail and get you into a mechanic for a battery check right away.

Our highly trained technicians are available to answer all your battery questions and perform battery inspections. We can perform battery replacement for most vehicles and take pride in keeping you safe and secure through the winter. Don’t let a faulty battery leave you stranded in the cold! Stop in today for battery maintenance.

Winterize Your Car Battery - Battery Inspections - Local Battery Replacement - Tire Central and Service was written by Mat Johnson of Tire Central and Service