How to Maintain Your Subaru’s Battery for Optimal Performance

Car batteries tend to be pretty low maintenance, but there are still some things you should do to keep yours in the best condition possible. Visiting your San Jose Subaru dealer for car battery service regularly is essential, and there are also things you can do at home.

 

Visit Your Bay Area Subaru Dealer for Car Battery Service

The key to keeping your battery working well is getting regular battery service, so visit your Bay Area dealer approximately every six months. The mechanics at the dealership can perform several essential checks to see how your battery is doing. For example, they need to check your battery for acid stratification. If the battery is stratified, then it can’t charge above 80 percent.

The mechanics at your local dealer also need to do a battery load test to check whether or not the battery can charge up properly. If your battery can’t charge properly, then the mechanics will run an engine diagnostic to figure out what’s causing the problem. Once they know what the problem is, they can work on fixing it.

Keep the Battery in Place

The vibrations caused by driving can sometimes damage your battery’s internal connection. You can minimize the effects of vibration by using a hold-down system to stop the battery from shaking while your car is running. It’s important to check this hold-down often to make sure it’s still keeping your battery secure.

Take Long Trips

Aim to drive at least 10 miles every time you drive. Understandably, this isn’t always possible, but limiting trips that are shorter than 10 miles can help your battery work better for longer. Short trips don’t give your battery enough time to fully recharge, and that has a negative impact on your battery’s health.

Don’t Let the Battery Get Too Hot or Cold

Extreme weather can wreak havoc on your battery. When it’s very hot outside, aim to park in the shade, such as under a tree. A car cover may also be helpful if there’s no shade around that you could park in. When it’s particularly cold outside, aim to park in a garage. A battery blanket can also help keep your battery warm when it’s freezing outside.

Drive Regularly

Drive for at least 30 minutes every week so your battery has enough time to fully charge up. If you don’t drive, then the battery will only last a month or two before it dies. If you’ll be away for more than a month, then it’d be wise to have a friend drive your car for 30 minutes every week so you don’t have to jumpstart the battery when you get home.

Stop by Stevens Creek Subaru in Santa Clara, CA for battery service today. We’ll perform a battery health check and replace your battery when needed.

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