Sometimes the internal skeleton of our vehicles seem like a mysterious abyss. We just trust that the inner workings of our cars will go on as they should and keep everything running… but it is important to understand how the inside actually works. One of the most important inside components to understand is the battery.
The battery in your car is responsible for a multitude of important responsibilities. It helps start the engine and supplies energy throughout your car. On average, car batteries last about two to six years. If you drive a hybrid or electric car, you could expect on average around eight years until even having to think about replacing your battery. But like everything in life, there’s a catch: how well you take care of it. Depending on your care and other outside factors, you can hinder or help prolong your battery’s life.
The life of your battery is dependent on how long it can hold its charge and its capability of being recharged. When it gets to the point where it will not recharge anymore, it has died. But, don’t worry, there are some ways you can help avoid this and make your battery last longer!
The best way to help enhance the lifespan of your car battery is to try and always keep it fully charged. Are you one to forget to turn your interior lights or headlights off? Do you always keep accessories plugged in? Well, this is harming your battery. Help keep your battery charged by staying conscious of your lights and accessories plugged in, and always having your battery looked at during routine maintenance checks. If you’ve ever left that mirror light on by accident over night and woken up the next morning with the fear of your car not starting–it’s because of your battery. However, the amount of damage lights and accessories can actually do to your battery is dependant upon the type and age of your battery and how much draw the different components of your car have.
The lifespan of your battery mainly depends on two factors: where you live, and, like I mentioned above, how well you take care of your battery. Aside from being conscious of taking good care of your battery, the environment in which you drive and live in also greatly affects the life of your battery. Temperature, humidity, and other environmental factors greatly affect the life your battery can live. Car batteries like colder weather, so if you live more north, you’ve lucked out, your battery will live longer in colder weather. Warmer climates tend to increase damage because of different factors such as sulfation. But, if you take care of your battery, you can help prolong its life regardless of the climate you live in… it just takes a little more work for those in warmer environments.
Take care of your battery, treat it well, and you will reap what you sow. Keep in mind that over-charging, under-charging, and charging with defective systems can all also harm your battery, so you want to get it just right. Regardless of where you live or what you drive, stay conscious of the importance of your car’s battery and properly care for it.
Trust me, you’ll thank me later.
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