How to prolong the life of your car battery

This is something you can quickly do every time you open your bonnet.

If you use your vehicle regularly, a few simple checks will suffice. Without removing the battery from your car, have a look around and check that it isn’t damaged and that it’s looking clean. If it has an open vent or pipe, make sure this is free from blockages. Also, make sure the terminals and the hold-down clamp are tight.

If your vehicle isn’t used a lot, or only for short journeys, you’ll want to carry out more frequent checks on the battery. This is because batteries naturally discharge and your vehicle still uses the battery even when the ignition is off, for example, to power the alarm. If your battery level gets too low, you’ll need to charge it before it becomes impossible to do so.

Over time dirt and debris can collect on your battery and corrode metal elements such as the battery terminals. Therefore, it’s important to clean your car battery every few months to avoid long-term damage.

You can either create your own cleaning solution by using baking soda and water or use our Electrical Contact Cleaner with a wire brush to remove any crust and corrosion left on the battery. Remember to wipe off any cleaning fluid residue on the battery so it doesn’t go through the battery ports and cause any damage.

A car battery that is constantly undercharged or dwells at a charge below 80%, often called acid stratification, can pose a huge risk to your battery health as the electrolytes will concentrate at the bottom and leave the upper half starved.

This will affect the acid level of your battery, so make sure to check your battery’s acid levels every six months and ensure all the cells are filled equally, otherwise, a lot of damage may be caused to the battery.

Another simple tip that can help you maintain your battery for longer is to check the battery’s water levels. If the battery plates are fully covered, it means that your water level is where it should be.

However, when the battery plates are exposed, it means that the battery fluid level is low. You should immediately fill the battery with distilled water until the plates are fully covered again. It’s important to use distilled water rather than tap water, as the latter contains dissolved minerals that can affect battery performance.

It is recommended to check the battery fluid level every time your car needs an oil change or after every six months.

If you know that your car isn’t going to be used for an extended period (in excess of a month) then you should consider removing the battery from the vehicle to prevent excessive draining.

When the battery is removed you should fully charge it every three months. This will ensure optimum performance when you do come to use it again. Feel free to check out our guide on how long car batteries normally last.

To keep your battery charged you’ll need a battery charger. Just make sure that you find one that’s compatible with your vehicle’s battery.

We’d recommend a smart charger; these devices can repair and protect your battery while it charges, to keep it healthy for longer. Using an advanced, multi-step system, smart chargers re-fill your battery in stages to stop any excess current. Not only does this prevent damage, but it also makes for more efficient charging. You can find out more about smart chargers here.

Car Battery Chargers

A flat battery on a cold winter morning is an unwelcome but very common vehicle fault. The cold affects the power output of the battery as well as the battery's ability to accept a charge (the battery normally recharges itself as you drive). Couple this with the fact that winter driving increases the general demands on the battery through having to power lights, wipers, heaters etc., it's easy to see why this is one of the most common causes of vehicle breakdown.

If you have a garage, it's best to use it. The difference in temperature may only be a few degrees but it can make a difference. Your car will also benefit by being protected from the rain and wind which will cause damage in other ways.

If your car is left unused for a few days, such as over the Christmas holidays, the battery may not have enough charge to start itself when you next try and start the engine. So to avoid the hassle of a flat battery on your first day back at work, take a few trips over the break.

Additionally, if most of your journeys are short (less than around 20 miles), your battery isn't getting a chance to fully recharge. To combat this, undertake a long journey once in a while.

Consider the load you are putting on the battery. Modern habits are putting an ever-increasing demand on batteries what with sat navs, heated seats, DVD players etc. all requiring electricity to power them. If you do have lots of appliances to power it's worth choosing a more powerful battery such as the Yuasa Black range which comes with a lifetime guarantee.

Needless to say, always check that everything electrical is turned off when you leave your vehicle. Double-check that all doors are properly closed as even a small boot light left on overnight can lead to a flat battery in the morning.