There’s nothing more depressing than pushing the start button or turning the ignition key on your Acura and hearing nothing but silence. It’s important to maintain your car battery to ensure prompt start of the engine. In addition to car battery maintenance, it’s important to know what to do if ever you find yourself in a situation involving a dead battery.
Read on to learn the vital tips.
Battery Maintenance
You can reduce the chances of having to jumpstart your Acura vehicle or getting it towed to the Acura service department by understanding some simple battery maintenance. Things you can do to keep your battery fully charged include:
- Removing corrosion
- Checking electrolyte level
- Checking the cell charge
- Replacing an old battery
Remove corrosion by first cleaning the top of the battery and then using a post-cleaning solution to remove gunk from the cable connectors and the posts themselves. Check the water level in each cell and add distilled water if necessary. Use a hydrometer to check the individual cell charge. If the charge is very weak, it’s time to replace the battery.
Before Jumpstarting Your Acura
You can’t just use a friend’s car battery to jumpstart your car without first following some precautionary steps. These include:
- Removing the key from the ignition
- Locating the battery terminal clips and see that they are attached
- Using a voltage meter to determine whether the battery has any charge left
Most cars have a bit of voltage drip, so it’s important to remove the key from the ignition on your vehicle as well as the vehicle you’re using to jumpstart your own. If the battery terminal clips are loose, this is probably what caused the loss of charge in the first place. Also remember to turn off all electrically-controlled devices such as the radio, air conditioning, and lights.
Jump-Starting The Car
Several simple steps will ensure prompt charge transfer. The procedure involves:
- Connecting the red jumper cable to the red post
- Connecting the black clamp to a post on the engine mount
- Connecting the clamps on the helper vehicle
- Starting the helper vehicle and letting it run for two minutes
- Starting your own car
It’s a good idea to let your car run for at least 10 minutes before driving it to the Acura service center for a complete checkup.
Periodic battery and electrical systems maintenance is important. Feel free to bring your Acura vehicle to Pohanka Acura for fast, prompt, and professional battery maintenance.
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