Some Useful Tips to Keep Your Car Battery Healthy and Durable
Maintenance and periodic check-ups of car battery are very essential as it helps in improving the performance of the battery and thus helps in smooth functioning of your car. You do not need a complete knowhow to keep the battery in the best shape without any kind of disturbance. Just follow some simple tips to make sure your battery lasts long and doesn’t make you stand in the middle of the road.
Here we will discuss some important tips for improving the performance of your car battery and how you can maintain it in best possible manner.
Please click on the image below to learn from our easy Do It Yourself Guide.
Q. How do I know my car battery is failing?
Ans: There are few signs, which tell you that your car battery is getting old and need a replacement. Some useful signs that reflect the low or failing car battery are:
• Inappropriate functioning of various electrical devices of the car
• Problem in the ignition/starting
• Your headlights look dim at idle and then brighten when you rev the engine
• Improper cooling in the car cabin
Q. What are the causes of weak car battery?
Ans: There are several causes, which can cause weakening of car battery. If you know these and maintain your car battery, it can improve the battery life. Things that cause battery weakening or failure are like:
• Massive use of battery power for lightning, air-conditioning, music system can make your battery weak
• Rash driving
• Low charge and acid stratification
• Using air-conditioner, lights and music system, when car is in idle condition
• Factory/manufacturing defects
Q. How can I maintain my car battery?
Ans: Proper maintenance of your car battery can increase it’s life and performance. Just follow some simple but vey useful tips to maintain your car batteries are:
a. Clean the dust from your car battery on regular intervals, because it can cause corrosion
b. If you find any kind of corrosion in your car battery, use solution of baking soda to wipe it out
c. Clean the battery surface or case on regular intervals
d. Periodically inspect the battery for several types of damages like fluid leaks, shell cracks, etc
e. Keep you car battery always fully charged
f. Keep battery connectors like the wire clean
g. Keep terminals and cables tight to prevent entry of toxins in the battery and also ensure proper flow of electricity
h. To lubricate cables of the battery use Vaseline and petroleum jelly on regular intervals
i. Switch off music system, air-conditioner and lights, when it is in idle condition
j. Check the fluid level of the car battery on regular intervals to ensure full fluid level
However, we recommend that you take proper caution while following any of the above tips as battery is an acidic and electrical device which may cause injuries if not handled properly.
Q. Why is it important to remove the ground wire first while replacing the battery or cleaning the terminals?
Ans: Before you start replacing the battery or cleaning the terminal, your first job is to check the type of grounding system your car has. If your car has negative ground system and you remove the positive connector first, then it may result in a spark. Spark may occur if you use metal tool to remove the positive terminal connector and it touches any metal part of the car. It may also result in battery explosion. Therefore it is very vital that you remove the ground wire first.
Q. How excessive heat affects battery?
Ans: Excessive heat evaporates water from the electrolyte, which results in oxidizing and weakening of the positive grid of the battery. Thus, excessive heat reduces the life of battery.
Q. My car doesn’t start. Is it because the battery needs replacement?
Ans: In addition to the battery, there may be several other reasons behind this. The best way to know that your car needs new battery is to have your battery tested. You can also judge if your battery needs replacement from some symptoms like a clicking noise coming from the car when you try to turn on the ignition, vehicle not starting at all and/or a sluggish turn over.
Q. Do I receive charged batteries?
Ans: Yes, all the batteries you receive are already charged.
Q. Can I specify the delivery time as per my availability?
Ans: We are focused to install your battery within 24 hours. We generally provide same-day delivery to our customers who order before 4:00PM each day. After you order the battery online, our customer executive will call you to confirm the order details and your availability. Though it is not possible to deliver at an exact time because of logistic reasons, you can specify the approximate time period for delivery.
Q. Is it ok to use more powerful battery in my vehicle?
Ans: Yes, it’s completely fine. Using a more powerful battery than the specified power will improve the performance of the vehicle.
Q. What is Pro-rata Warranty?
Ans: Pro-rata warranty is a kind of partial warranty that is used for non-repairable products like tires and batteries. Under Pro-rata warranty, if a product fails before the end of the warranty cycle, the manufacturer replaces it at a cost that depends on the age of the item at the time of complaint. In this type of warranty only a part of the initial cost is covered. However, the replaced product is then covered by an equal new warranty.
If your battery fails in the pro-rata warranty cycle then depending on the value of the battery, you will get discount on the current price of the newly replaced battery. The pro-rata warranty is counted from the date of purchase to the date of complain.
For example if a battery has 12+12 (free of cost + pro-rata) months of warranty, and it fails in the 18th month, then 75% (as 75% of its duty cycle is over) value of the battery will be deducted from its current price at that point of time. And you will get 25% discount on the MRP of the newly replaced battery.
Q. Who Takes Care of the After Sales Service?
Ans: Like all other products, manufacturer of the battery takes care of the after sales service. For example, if you purchase a Nokia Mobile with 1 year warranty, for any kind of repairing you will visit the nearest Nokia Care not the retailer. This is same with the battery. If you have purchased any battery from us and it fails in its warranty period, then you are advised to contact the battery manufacturer like Amaron, SF Sonic or Exide. You can contact them on:
Amaron AMCARE number: 1800-425-4848 (toll-free)
Exide Customer Care number: 1800-103-5454 (toll-free)
SF Sonic Customer Care number: 1800-180-11111 (toll-free)
Q. Can driving habits cause battery failure?
Ans: In addition to a weak battery, driving habits is another main reason of battery failure. According to a manufacturer of luxury cars, low charge and acid stratification is the most common cause of battery failure and the problem is common in large luxury cars, which are offering power-hungry auxiliary options.
In Japan, new car owners mostly complain about battery failure. Average car in Japan is only driven 13 kms/day (8 miles) and mostly in congested cities. This causes half charged batteries and thus sulfation occurs.
If you drive your car once or twice a week this may also cause battery failure. Some other driving habits that cause battery failure are engine shut off, excessive stop, driving with heavy electrical demands (rear window defogger, AC or music system on), excessive idling with heavy electrical demands, etc.
