Best Driving Practices for Improving Car Battery Life

Who doesn’t want their car to live long? It is a precious utility that fulfils all our commuting needs. But ask yourself, when was the last time you checked your car’s internal mechanisms like its battery?

Unlike other internal systems, the car’s battery performance affects how it is going to perform in the long run. Here, we’ll show you how simple and healthy driving habits can grant your car’s battery a long and functional life. Let’s hop on the ride, shall we? 

Drive Your Car Frequently

A car left unused will have a battery that’s about to corrode and die. Turns out that the battery damages the most because of isolation as it begins to lose charge rapidly and dies eventually. It’s advisable to take the car out on a drive at least twice a month to prevent the battery from draining in an idle state.

Prefer Long Drives over Short Drives

Did you know that the battery charges while you’re driving your car? The car’s alternator charges the battery when the engine is on, but the catch is that it takes a good amount of time to charge the battery. This isn’t possible when you drive on shorter routes and it’s worse if you don’t drive on a regular basis.

As the car’s battery doesn’t get enough charge, its capacity reduces over time and leads to gradual damage; the same is true even for a new car battery.

Reduce Battery Usage when the Ignition is off

Admit it, whenever we are in tedious traffic jams, we turn our ignition off believing that we are saving fuel and doing our bit for the environment. This isn’t wrong, but the problem starts to arise when we use electric mechanisms such as the sound system, air-conditioning or heating systems, lights, etc.

Having your car’s electrical components in an active state while the engine is dormant will cause the battery to lose charge rapidly. Hence, it is advisable to restrict battery usage when the engine is in off mode.

Keep Your Battery Clean

People hate to see any dust on their cars, but very few care about the dirt that’s present inside, the battery case, to be precise. Dirt in an around the battery bracket may find its way into the cell and damage it.

But, fret not! You can clean the battery without being a pro in electric circuits. All you need is a cleaning spray/liquid and a clean dust-cloth to give your battery the appearance of new car battery. Make sure the wires and terminals are clean at the end. 

Ensure Proper Maintenance of Battery Terminals

A battery’s life never reduces on its own. It’s the terminals that discharge the battery. Considering this fact, the terminals should be maintained in the best way possible. Apart from dirt, corrosion is the biggest enemy of battery terminals as it acts as an insulation. This insulation disrupts the connection between terminals and their cables, preventing the car from functioning properly.

As a solution to terminal corrosion, you can use baking soda and distilled water to clean the terminals from the sides. You should also get your battery terminals checked by a professional if you sense something fishy.

Get Your Battery Inspected More Often

Many car owners don’t prioritise battery inspection as they feel like it’s an insignificant hassle and expense. However, the truth is that they are most likely to face issues like battery discharge and failure in the future, and perhaps, at the worst of times.

Since we don’t know when or how these emergencies may befall, getting your car’s battery inspected by a professional car-care service like Car Fit Experts is a wise move. Our team of experts uses top-of-the-line equipment and observes all international safety standards during battery check and replacement. Get a new car battery from us as we house high-performance batteries, exclusively sourced from reputable brands like Exide, Amaron, 3M, and Bosch.

Visit one of our service centres or call us at +91 9555305044 and we will meet you wherever you are! Get in touch today.