Car Battery Replacement

Car Battery Care and Maintenance

Understanding how to care for your automobile’s battery will increase its lifespan. Undercharging, overcharging and heat all conspire to degrade your battery, which, on average, will last about 55 months. Keeping it working at peak performance will help you avoid an expensive car battery replacement or tow charge.


A fully charged car battery with clean terminals and cables will provide reliable starting power, plus backup power to run accessories and other critical engine systems. With the battery fully charged and all electrical drains off; i.e., lights, radio, etc., the voltage across the terminals should be 12.5-12.6 volts. This is why proper maintenance is so important – it will help the battery maintain an optimum charge.

Here are a few steps you can take to help maximize the life of your battery:


  1. If you have a non-maintenance-free car battery, check the water level every 2-3 months. Add distilled water to any cells in which the level of electrolyte isn’t touching the bottom of the fill port. Use only distilled water, as the minerals in tap water will eventually reduce your battery’s capacity.
  2. Weather conditions can greatly affect your battery’s performance and life. Don’t leave a discharged battery in below-freezing conditions. Electrolyte is little more than water and if it freezes, the plates inside the battery will be damaged.
  3. Poor electrical connections make it difficult for even a good battery to do its job. Clean the corrosion from battery terminals every 6-8 months using a brush and a mixture of baking soda and water. Apply a coat of high temperatures grease to the battery terminals and replace frayed, worn or damaged cables before reinstalling the battery.
  4. Along with keeping the car battery clean, you can also avoid running it down by turning off headlights or media players when the engine is turned off. And if your vehicle is going sit for prolonged periods, you can purchase an battery charger to keep it from slowly discharging.


Car battery replacement and repair are not foreign topics to our experts. As always, if you have any concerns or questions about your vehicle’s electrical system, do not hesitate to call Coho Auto.

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