How Heat Affects Your Car Battery

Although we all love summer, extreme temperatures in July and August can take a major toll on our cars. Pretty much every aspect of your vehicle can be negatively impacted by summer’s hot and seemingly endless days. One of the parts that’s affected the most by summer temperatures is your car’s battery. Keep reading to learn more about summer’s impact on your battery, and what you can do to prevent your battery’s demise this year with help from an auto repair shop in Gary, IN:

• Fluid evaporation: Even though it can take some serious heat to happen, at some point, every liquid will evaporate. The same holds true for the fluid inside of your battery. Extreme temperatures under your hood and the sun’s rays beating down on your car expedite the evaporation process during the summer and can cause the battery to die quicker. Low fluid levels cause other aspects of the battery to fail, which will leave you with a vehicle that’s as dead as a doornail. To prevent this from happening, try to park your car in your garage or in a shady spot as often as possible this summer. You can’t do much to get away from the inevitable summer heat, but at least you can try to hide your car from direct sun!
• Summer driving habits: Road trips are a part of a lot of people’s summer plans. Even if it’s just for the weekend, taking the family on an adventure is a great way to bond with one another and see fun parts of the country. Unfortunately, those summer road trips can wreak havoc on our vehicles. Driving in high temperatures and putting additional miles on your car can lead to its demise, especially if you’re stuck in stop-and-go traffic for a long time. Bring your car to an auto repair shop in Gary, IN to mitigate the chance of killing your battery (or other parts of your car) during your trip this summer. One of our professionals will pore over your car to ensure everything looks the way it should.
• Constant usage: One could argue that air conditioning is one of the best additions to cars. Without it, we’d all be sweating while driving down the road. While it’s a great feature, your AC can really drain your battery. Try to avoid blasting your AC every time you’re in your car this summer. Roll your windows down and enjoy the fresh air when you can. You might be surprised by how cool you can stay without AC!
• Old age: Just like every part of your car, batteries aren’t meant to last forever. Most have a lifespan of about five to seven years before they start failing and need to be replaced. If your battery is getting up there in years, you should bring your vehicle to an auto repair shop in Gary, IN. A mechanic can test your battery to ensure that it has the proper level of fluid, and that it is securely fastened under your hood. The last thing you want is a dead battery—have it replaced before you’re stuck in a parking lot or in your garage with a dead car.

If you’d like to learn more about ways to prolong your battery’s lifespan, or if it’s time to have your battery replaced, give Miller Brakes & Mufflers, Inc. a call or stop by our shop. We’re proud to sell and install batteries for all makes and models.

Categorised in: Auto Repair Shop

This post was written by Writer