Extreme Weatherīoth high heat and extreme cold can have a negative impact on your auto battery. Step 7: Reconnect the remaining cable, again pushing the clamp fully down on the battery terminal and tightening it until you cannot move it by hand. Do not over tighten it as you could damage the battery terminal. Tighten it until you cannot move the clamp by hand.
Ensure that the terminal clamp sits as far down on the terminal as possible, then tighten it. So, for a negative ground vehicle, reconnect the positive cable first. Step 6: Wipe any debris from the top of the battery, then reconnect whichever cable was disconnected last. Wipe it clean with an old rag and smear petroleum jelly all over the metal surfaces. Scrub each terminal clamp thoroughly using a wire brush and emery paper until it is clean and shiny. Step 5: Clean each of the battery cable clamps, one at a time. Repeat the process on the other terminal. Alternatively, you can use a combination of a wire brush and emery paper to clean the terminal until it shines. Step 4: Fit a battery terminal cleaner over one of the terminals and rotate it to remove corrosion, debris and oxidized metal.Ĭontinue rotating until the terminal is shining. Place the end somewhere safe where it cannot fall back on to the battery. When the grounding cable has been disconnected, and only when it has been disconnected, should you undo the other cable. For example, if the vehicle has a negative ground, disconnect the negative cable. Place the disconnected cable where it cannot accidentally fall back onto the battery terminal.
Use an adjustable wrench, a screwdriver or simply unscrew the plastic knob depending on the system used on your vehicle. Step 3: Disconnect the battery cable that goes to ground. If you are uncertain, consult the vehicle manufacturer's manual. Older vehicles may have a positive ground. Most modern vehicles are negatively grounded - the black (negative) wire goes from the battery to the vehicle chassis. Step 2: Determine whether the vehicle has a positive or negative grounding system. Move loose wires out of the way to gain access to the battery terminals. Wipe loose dirt and moisture from the battery using an old rag. Step 1: Remove the cover from the battery box, if one is present, and store it in a safe place. What You Can Do About ItĬlean or tighten your terminals by following the steps below. You may also experience slow cranking or notice a rapid clicking sound when attempting to start the engine. Loose or corroded battery terminals can impair your battery's ability to transmit power, preventing your vehicle from starting. While the amount of time needed will vary from vehicle to vehicle, driving your car for about fifteen minutes should be sufficient to replenish the energy used to start the engine.
What You Can Do About Itīe sure to vary your driving by taking longer, uninterrupted trips in between shorter stops. If you take a bunch of short trips in a row, however, the alternator doesn't have enough time to recharge your battery, which will continue to be drained each time you restart your vehicle. Your battery expends an enormous amount of energy starting your engine, which is then recharged by your alternator while you drive. The way you drive has a significant impact on your battery. You can also turn off every light in your vehicle and make sure that your trunk, glove box and doors are all fully closed and latched before leaving your vehicle. How do you stop a car battery from draining when not in use? You can avoid parasitic drain on your battery by unplugging optional equipment such as cell phones and chargers when you park your vehicle for the night. Issues such as faulty wiring, bad fuses or interior lights that fail to shut off will continue to drain your battery while it's idle. The problem occurs when your electrical system isn't functioning properly. Some parasitic drain is perfectly normal in order to power things like interior lighting, clocks, radio settings and alarm systems. Parasitic DrawsĪ parasitic draw is anything that uses energy from the vehicle in your car or truck. Here are six of the most common causes of a drained battery and what you can do to help prevent it from happening. Fortunately, with a little TLC, you can help keep your battery from dying unexpectedly. Finding yourself stranded isn't just inconvenient, if you find yourself in bad weather, it can be dangerous too. A dead car battery can be a real headache.
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