Six Bad Habits That Will Decrease The Lifespan Of Your Battery

Your battery is an important component of your vehicle. Without a good battery, you're going to have trouble starting up your vehicle. Many motorists wear out their battery faster than necessary because of bad driving and vehicle care habits.

The following are six bad habits that will decrease the lifespan of your battery. 

Making short trips in your vehicle frequently

Every time you start up your vehicle, it puts stress on your battery. However, your battery is able to recharge when you go on a longer ride.

Frequently starting up your vehicle, going on a short ride, and shutting off the engine will cause premature aging for your battery. It's, therefore, a good idea to plan your outings so that you're not taking too many short rides. 

Regularly leaving your headlights or other lights on

Leaving your headlights on when you get out of your car will drain your vehicle battery. It will also increase the chances that you'll end up stranded somewhere with a dead battery and a vehicle that won't start. Make sure you turn off your headlights and all electronics in your vehicle when you get out. 

Allowing battery terminals to become corroded

Corroded battery terminals weaken the connection between your battery and your engine. Fortunately, it's easy to remove any corrosion and keep your battery terminals clean. All you need to do is scrub the terminals once in a while with a mixture of water and baking soda. 

Ignoring your battery water level

Vehicle batteries need a supply of distilled water and sulfuric acid to work properly. You need to keep an adequate level of water in your battery or it could malfunction. Learn where your battery water level indicator is and make sure the level stays high enough for optimum operation.  

Neglecting to generally maintain your vehicle

There are many parts of your vehicle that rely on battery power to function. By keeping your entire vehicle in good shape, you can reduce demands on your battery and make it so your battery lasts longer. 

Using electronics in your vehicle while it's idling

When you're idling, you should try to avoid running electronics in your vehicle such as your air conditioner and radio. Your vehicle battery can't recharge well when your vehicle is idling. That's why electronics drain the battery of an idling vehicle fairly quickly. 

Avoid using electronics while idling and idling for long periods in general to keep your battery in better shape. 

For more information about car batteries, contact a local auto mechanic.