Performing a Battery Health Check: 4 Tips for Maintaining your Car Battery from Carr Chevrolet in Beaverton

 

4. Maintain a Battery on a Car That's Sitting

You may not realize it, but your car has an alternator that uses power from the engine to recharge the battery -- the battery is used to start the engine, or to run the stereo and climate controls when the engine is off.

What this means is, if you have a second car that doesn't see much use, or maybe isn't suitable for winter driving, the battery can die from sitting too long without being driven. On a daily driver, the alternator is constantly recharging the battery. But, if your car sits for days or weeks at a time, the battery may discharge while it sits. The battery itself is still good, but it'll need to be recharged before the engine will start up. If you have a vehicle that doesn't get driven much, investing in a battery tender that will keep the battery charged up while it sits will make sure your car will always start up when it's time to go for a drive.

 

3. Find and Fix Battery Draining Components

Using an electrical current measurement device called a multimeter, you can test how much current is being drawn from the battery at any given time. Most cars will draw a small amount of current from the battery when it sits parked, but an electronic component that's not been installed properly or that's shorting out can draw too much current, and cause your battery to run out of juice very quickly. Find out how much battery draw is normal for your car by checking the owner's manual, then check the draw your battery is actually experiencing using a voltmeter. Don't have or don't know how to use a voltmeter? No problem! Swing by the Carr Chevrolet service center and we can test your battery draw for you. If it's excessively high, we'll help you find the faulty component and get it fixed.

2. Test the Charge Level and Alternator

Using that same tool, you can also check the health of your battery and your alternator. You can check the current level of charge in the battery, as well as how well the alternator is recharging the battery, if you know what to look for. If not, give us a call and our technicians would be more than happy to help you out.

 

We'll measure the charge going from the alternator to the battery and, if it's not sufficient, it means your battery could run dry. A bad alternator will make it appear as though any battery installed in your car won't be able to hold a charge. If your alternator needs to be repaired or replaced, get that fixed before addressing any battery issues.

1. Clean the Corrosion

Of course, even if the alternator is working well and your battery is charged up and healthy, you might experience problems if the battery connection isn't strong. Corrosion can build up on the battery terminals, creating resistance in the circuit and maybe even preventing your car from starting up correctly. From time to time, it's a good idea to pop the hood and visually inspect the terminals on your battery. If you notice a white or blue-ish powder building up, disconnect the battery leads and, using a wire brush, remove as much of the corrosion as you can. This ensures a strong battery connection, and it's something you can easily do yourself at home!