As a new driver, you need to learn more about your car than just knowing how to operate it. Regular maintenance is necessary to keep your vehicle running and prevent unexpected breakdowns. Your car battery is an essential component that typically lasts four to six years. However, if you don’t treat it right, you might end up calling roadside assistance for an avoidable jump-start.

How to Extend the Life of Your Auto Battery

1. Plan for Longer Trips

When you go for a drive, your battery supplies electricity, but the alternator also recharges it. Usually, a battery requires eight hours of use to receive a full charge.

Short but frequent trips tend to drain more energy than the component can recoup in the time frame. Crystalline deposits can form on the negative plates, preventing the battery from reaching a full charge in the future. Try to take longer trips and avoid shutting your car on and off too often.

2. Protect Against Extreme Temperatures

Extreme heat and cold can cause serious damage to your battery. If you have to leave your car during peak seasons, park it in a garage or other covered space. 

The ideal environment should maintain a stable temperature between 50 and 70 degrees with 40 to 60 percent humidity. This will prevent the battery fluid from evaporating in summer and protect against discharging and freezing electrolytes in the winter. 

3. Inspect for Corrosion

When performing your monthly auto maintenance checks, inspect for any corrosion, which appears as a white powder around the clamps on the battery. Corrosion will appear as a result of normal wear and tear, but if left to accumulate, it can stop the battery from accepting or delivering a charge.

Fortunately, if there are no cracks or tears on the cables, the powder can be cleaned away with a mixture of baking soda and water. However, if you are not comfortable with disconnecting the battery, head to your local auto shop for assistance.

Sometimes a dead car battery can come as a surprise. If it happens to you, contact Cogswell Towing for roadside assistance. Since 1949, they’ve provided emergency towing services to drivers in Russellville, Danville, and Morrilton, AR. They can also tow more serious breakdowns to their collision center for immediate repairs. Call (479) 968-4665 at any time of the day for emergency roadside assistance. Visit their website to learn more about their services.