Make sure your car battery is ready for the spring season
This winter has been especially challenging with freezing temperatures, rain and flooding and snowstorms. Your vehicles have probably been stored in a garage or storage facility and need some extra love before that first ride. CTEK has some tips on how to make your vehicle ready for the new season!
You will probably check the oil, the washer fluid and your tires but what about the battery? Since it is the heart of your car, it will need some maintenance as well. Here are some tips to make sure your vehicle is in top condition to hit the road again.
Importance of battery charging
When you understand what strains your battery, you’ll appreciate the importance of battery charging. New car technology, changes in weather and short journeys are all things that strain your battery. Battery failure is the number one reason for car breakdowns. When you charge your battery regularly, you can ensure the performance of the battery and an increased lifespan, while you at the same time help to reduce emissions and save money.
Battery reconditioning
As our vehicles are being stored during the winter season, kept for longer and driven short distances, CTEK recommends reconditioning your battery before your first spring drive. When you recondition your battery, you allow it recover quickly and last longer and it can also help to restore dead batteries.
Recharge don’t jump start
If you find yourself in a situation where the battery won’t start the vehicle, you should recharge it instead of jumpstart it. When you jumpstart a deeply drained battery it can cause structural damage inside the battery. After several months of storage, the acid, which together with distilled water makes up the electrolyte of the battery, will have sunk to the bottom which leads to numerous problems – sulphation, poor performance and a reduced service life.
Spring routine
Did you know that regularly charge your car battery at least once a month can prolong its lifespan up to three times? That’s why CTEK recommends getting into a spring routine of regular charging and maintenance of your vehicle’s battery. Battery failure can damage your vehicle’s sensitive electronics and can quickly become very costly if you need to do any replacements.
A charger like the CTEK MXS 5.0 is the smart choice for drivers. It’s a multifunctional charger and maintainer with a unique combination of charging modes and can even recondition your battery and remove sulphation to restore battery health. It also has built-in temperature control, short circuit proof, reverse polarity protection and is compatible with all types of 12V lead-acid batteries.