How To Prolong The Life Of Your Battery

By David Sholicar

There are a number of reasons that your car’s battery can run down quickly or go completely flat. However, there are also some things that you can do yourself to ensure that you get the most out of a battery.

Battery Life

Remember, if there is a fault in the battery itself then it may need to be changed. This can be done yourself using our simple how to guide.

We’ve come up with some tips to keep your battery going for as long as possible.

1. Drive your vehicle regularly. Leaving your vehicle for extended amounts of time without it being used at all will affect the battery’s charge. If you’re going on holiday for more than a couple of weeks then ask a friend of neighbour to start the car and take it for a 5 minute spin. Even just reversing out of the drive and back into it can make a huge difference.

2. Have your car serviced regularly. Poor car and engine conditions can run the battery down and reduce its life span astronomically. Make sure your vehicle is serviced on a regular basis to ensure issues like this do not happen.

3. Check the charging rate of your battery. When you do go for a car service, ask that they check the charging rate of the battery. Under as well as over-charging can run batteries down which can lead to problems. This may also affect your vehicle’s warranty.

4. Ensure your battery is secure. Check the battery is secure in its place under the bonnet. Even if it is secure when you install it, vibrations can cause the battery to come loose. Check regularly to avoid loose connections with the battery posts and clips.

5. If you battery is flat, don’t attempt to start your car. In newer models this can severely damage your radio, headlights and other vehicle components that run off the power from the battery.

6. Avoid draining power. Avoid leaving vehicle accessories on for a prolonged period of time. Remember, constant recharging can also damage the life of a battery.

7. Keep it clean! Moisture and dirt particles can get into the battery case and cause it to lose charge. Make sure that all posts and clips are checked and cleaned at a car service or by yourself every once in a while.

Following the simple tips above should prolong the life of your battery.

Get a little help from the experts

If you believe that you may have a fault in your battery, take your vehicle to a specialist. The garage will pick up on any faults an inform you of the next steps. Protyre offer Free Battery Checks to all of our customers. Click the button below to book your vehicle in today.

Free Battery Check

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About the author

Article Author Photo
By David Sholicar
David is the National Retail Operations Manager for Protyre. One of David’s areas of responsibility and expertise is dealing with the DVSA and MOT’s for Protyre. As the Authorised Examiner Designate Manager ( AEDM ) David deals with applications for changes to the many Vehicle Testing Stations ( VTS’s) including managing the growth of the Number of MOT testing stations that Protyre operate, allocating MOT tester roles, and monitoring the MOT Test logs to ensure that Protyre MOT standards are maintained as the best in the industry.
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