subject: How To Service A Car Battery On Your Own [print this page] A dead battery will leave you stranded and frustrated. In most cases, a battery will not give a lot of indication that it is about to go before it does either. You can do a few things to service your battery before it becomes a problem.
Cleaning the Terminals
If battery terminals are excessively dirty the battery may not create the arc needed to fire up the car. You can take care of this before it becomes a problem with a few tools. Start by identifying the positive and negative terminals. The positive terminal will have a + sign, and the negative should have a - symbol. Most cars also use a black cap to identify the negative, and red for the positive. Remove the plastic caps covering the terminal. Depending on the type of car and battery you have, these may not be present. Use a brush to clear away any corrosion you see around the terminals. Remove the battery cables from the terminals. Sometimes these are attached with a nut. If the brush is not enough to sweep away the corrosion, you may need to use a solution of water and baking soda. The baking soda will eat away at the corrosion. Just be sure you do not get the water inside the battery. Reattach the cables.
Keep a Charger Handy
If you invest in a portable battery charger you can save yourself money on battery services. It is also helpful if your battery dies when no one is around to offer you a jump. To use the charger you will need to remove the battery cell caps if they have them. Cover the holes with a cloth to prevent the battery fluid from splashing up. Disconnect the black (negative) cable and attach the battery charger to the terminal posts. Remember to place the positive charger cable on the positive post, and vice versa. Set the charger to the correct setting usually 12v (you can find this in the charger or car manual) and plug the charger in. A fast battery charger can give you enough juice to get home after about 30 minutes. Once you get home you may want to allow the battery to charge for several hours. Some chargers are designed to charge overnight.
Know When to Replace
If you have needed to jump your car more than twice in a few months, it is time for a new battery entirely. You can take your vehicle to any mechanic for this. Many auto parts stores will also provide battery service. If the battery is found to not have any problems then it may be an issue with the cars alternator. It is a good idea to have your old battery tested before you replace it just to be sure it is not another problem entirely.
Have Roadside Assistance
It will not always be convenient to go through all these steps if you get stranded. This is why roadside assistance is such a valuable tool. You may have roadside through your insurance company. Some credit cards and even cell phone plans offer affordable roadside assistance plans as well.
