Car Batteries in Hot Summers and Cold Winters
Weather can take a toll on your battery. Learn more about how you can make sure your battery is ready for any season.
Care for your Car Battery in Hot Weather:
- Tip 1: Heat Affects Your Battery Life Most people think about their car battery in the winter, but warm temperatures are your battery’s worst enemy. Hot weather means high temperatures under the hood, which accelerates corrosion inside the battery. It can also cause water to evaporate out of the battery’s liquid electrolyte. The result? Decreased battery capacity, a weakened ability to start an engine and, ultimately, shorter battery life.
- Tip 2: Get Your Battery Tested Make sure your battery is ready for the hot summer months. Get a free simple five-minute battery test to make sure your battery will beat the heat. Use our Find a Retailer to find a location near you for a free battery test.
Care for your Car Battery in Mild Weather:
- Tip 1: Test or Replace Your Battery Now It is important to prepare your battery for the winter season during autumn. If there's any sign of the battery struggling now, the likelihood is that it'll let you down at some time during the winter, particularly if you have an older battery. It makes sense to test or replace your battery now to avoid the hassle of an unplanned failure in the winter.
- Tip 2: Check the Battery & Charging System Cold weather during autumn is hard on batteries, so it’s wise to check the battery and charging system. Keep the battery connections clean, tight, and corrosion-free. Batteries don’t always give warning signs before they fail; it is advisable to get a battery test before winter. Use our Find a Retailer to find a location near you for a free battery test.
- Tip 3: Keep Battery Connections Clean, Tight, and Corrosion-Free During autumn, weather temperatures can be unpredictable with unexpected high heat, flooding, and early snowfall. Battery preparation for the unexpected is the best thing you can do. Check your battery before the winter season starts. Keep the battery connections clean, tight, and corrosion-free. Also, when handling a battery, it is important to follow safety precautions.
Care for your Vehicle Battery in Cold Weather:
- Tip 1: Prepare Your Battery for Winter Your battery has a tough job during the cold winter months. Your vehicle’s engine requires more power to start when the temperatures are colder, and those temperatures make it harder for your battery to provide power. Before winter gets an icy grip on your battery, have your electrical system tested, including your battery and alternator. Also, check the battery using a voltmeter to make sure it’s in good condition. Your voltmeter should read 12.4 volts or higher. Keep the battery fully charged throughout the winter using a battery charger or maintainer, especially if you make frequent short drives (less than a mile). Use our Find a Retailer to find a location near you for a free battery test.
- Tip 2: Check Car Battery Connections It’s important to properly maintain the components around your battery too. Make sure cables, posts and fasteners are in good shape, and check battery connections to confirm they are clean and tight. Use a stiff wire brush to clean off any corrosion and secure the battery to the battery tray to prevent excessive vibration.