Minnesotans are used to dealing with the snow and ice that comes each winter season. Oftentimes, motorists prepare their cars with tire chains or switch tires altogether to their winter season treads. Snow brushes and ice scrapers are conveniently mounted in the trunks. But what about some preventative maintenance on your vehicle? When was the last time that you had your vehicle’s battery checked for efficiency? Cold weather has a negative effect on your vehicle’s battery, enough so that you can be stranded anywhere at any time.
Corrosion-free contacts: Cold weather tends to make various parts of your vehicle’s battery more brittle. To ensure optimum contact between the battery posts and the metal ring connectors, it is advantageous to remove any corrosion from the posts and connection points. Corrosion that is present on your posts is a sign that you are going to have to consider replacement of your battery sooner than later.
Five to drive: Batteries, even when being properly maintained, have a shelf life. Vehicle batteries are meant to be replaced every four to five years. For this reason, if your battery is older than four or five years, consider having it tested for free at your local auto parts retail store. Even if it tests okay, you should be planning for its replacement soon.
Battery charging/maintaining: Not every home has access to this type of device, but for those that do, use the charger/maintainer to keep the vehicle’s battery fully charged. This will allow your vehicle to warm up faster in the mornings and ensure you don’t get stuck in a dark parking lot with a dead battery after work!
Taking the scenic route: Frequent or short drives are the harshest on the life of the battery, shortening its lifespan considerably. If you find yourself having to take frequent or short drives, ensure that you always have access to a battery charger and a set of jumper cables in your trunk.
Battery Service Available In Blaine MN
Worried about the condition of your battery to get you through the tough winter months? To have your vehicle’s battery checked or replaced to be ready for the upcoming cold weather, contact the ASE-Certified team of mechanics at Clark Automotive. We are standing by to check the health of your vehicle’s battery, and have a selection of replacement batteries in stock, and available for you to choose from. Call us at (763) 784-7944 or contact us online to schedule an appointment.
