When it comes to safe, reliable car travel, few things are more important than your battery. To stay on the road and get where you’re going, you absolutely have to monitor the condition of your battery, do the necessary maintenance, and perform car battery replacement when necessary.
This article will give you an overview of how it all fits together—the way your battery works, what elements of the battery to be aware of, and you when you need to replace it. And when you do need to replace your car battery, there’s no better choice in Alexandria, Virginia than Wiygul Automotive.
The Battery Basics
There are three basic factors that determine how quickly your battery ages and when you’ll need to replace it—time and travel patterns, heat and vibration. The time factor is relatively basic. Most car batteries are designed to last for six years, but that period can be shortened or lengthened by several important factors. Travel patterns play a significant role in battery wear and tear. Short trips prevent a battery from fully recharging while being driven, and batteries will also naturally begin to discharge if the vehicle they’re charging is parked for too long.
- Using a maintenance charger can help lengthen this period and extend the life of your battery, but it's important to know the ins and outs of charging your battery. Overcharging or undercharging the battery can significantly lower its lifespan, and that will also happen if your battery goes dead for any period of time.
- Heat is another factor that can lead to early battery replacement. In hot weather, the temperature under the hood can easily get higher than 200 degrees (F). Moreover, in areas where heat is relatively constant, the battery life will often be cut to three years, despite the fact that manufacturers use heat shields and separate compartments to lower the effects of heat.
- Vibration is the final factor that may affect battery life to the point where you need a replacement. Vehicle vibration can lead to a breakdown of the parts inside the battery; to counteract this manufacturers include special clamps to hold batteries in place. If these clamps are missing or loose, though, it will shorten the life of your battery and make a replacement necessary.
Looking beyond those three factors, you also need to know the warning signs that a replacement is coming. The most obvious one is the warning light on your dashboard, but if your engine cranks slowly that may be another indicator that a replacement is coming. In addition, incandescent lights may not be as bright when you’re idling, too, so its important to have your battery inspected every time you change your oil, especially if it's more than three years old.
If you do need a battery replacement in Alexandria Virginia, Wiygul Automotive is your best bet. Wiygul stocks fresh batteries with comprehensive warranties, and their staff is trained to analyze your battery and do whatever it takes to get you back on the road.
Our standards are among the highest in Alexandria, Virginia, and you’ll get the best battery replacement service every time!
