Be Smart With Cars

If you own a car, one of its most important components is its battery. Don't wait until you have an emergency involving your car's battery to learn vital information about this part. Read on to learn five things every driver should know about their car's battery. 

When Headlights Are a Big Drain

Most people know that if they leave their headlights on for too long with the car's engine off, their battery will become completely drained. What they don't think about, however, are the times when they are likely to accidentally leave the lights on when they leave the vehicle. Be extra attentive during the time of the "fall back" clock change, when you might not be used to driving with your lights on, as well as drives in the early morning when you start in the dark and arrive in sunlight.

Common Causes of a Dead Battery

In addition to leaving the lights on, there are numerous other common causes for a dead battery:

• a defective alternator that under- or over-charges the battery
• the wrong battery for your car's model
• an old battery (ask your mechanic or battery dealer how long it should last)
• terminal corrosion
• loose cables
• taking only short trips that don't adequately charge the battery or letting the car sit
• extreme cold weather (makes the battery run at lower capacity and the engine harder to turn over)
• extreme hot weather (saps the life of batteries and makes older batteries run poorly)

Car Elements That Run Off Your Battery

There are a number of elements in your car that operate on the battery's power. This includes your tail lights and license plate lighting, headlamps and fog lamps, interior lights, clock, radio, dashboard/instrument panel, chargers, starter motor, and alternator. Don't forget that if you plug in your smartphone or another device, that it will further drain the battery. If your battery is weak, eliminating some of these elements may help gain power temporarily.

Signs That Your Battery May Be Dying

It makes sense then that if your battery is dying, your car lights will dim. Be careful if this happens on the highway, as battery death may be imminent, which could put you in danger.

If your car is slow to start, this is another sign of a weak or dying battery. It's best to get to the mechanic, dealer, or automotive shop (such as Hub Auto Supply) before it dies completely. 

How to Jump Start Your Car

If you do wind up with a dead battery, you should know how to jump start your car, either with a portable jump pack or with traditional jumper cables. Grab an index card write now, write this down, then put it in your glove box:

• begin with both vehicles off
• red clamp to the dead battery positive (+) connection
• red clamp to the charging vehicle positive (+) connection
• black clamp to the negative (-) connection on the charging vehicle
• black clamp to bare metal on the dead battery vehicle
• start the charging (donor) vehicle
• start the dead battery vehicle
• once the engine has been started, remove the cables in the reverse order of how you applied them
• allow your vehicle to run for a while to charge the battery before shutting the engine off again

A dead battery is a pain in the you know where. Use the information above to try to keep your battery going and to get it started again if it dies. The best defense against battery problems is to purchase a high-quality battery from a reputable vendor whenever yours needs replacing.