Car Battery Myths: Don’t Follow This Bad Advice

While people do generally mean well, it’s unrealistic to expect that the average person understands all the dynamics between a car and its battery. You will probably recognize some of the assumptions and advice repeated below, but you very well may be surprised by the accuracy of these claims. If you’re interested in preserving the life of your battery and taking proper care of your vehicle, don’t forget these myths:

Myth #1: My maintenance-free car battery doesn’t need any maintenance.

The package might say maintenance-free, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re off the hook. While it’s true that you won’t have to worry about maintaining or replenishing fluid or electrolyte levels because the battery is sealed, it is still a good idea to regularly check for loose terminals and connections, as well as for any physical signs of wear and tear on the battery.

Myth #2: Driving or idling my car is guaranteed to fully recharge the battery.

The extent to which your battery recharges is dependent upon a variety of factors, including the amount of power the alternator transfers within a given amount of time. Many people assume that an alternator is basically an oversized battery charger, but this simply isn’t the case. Alternators are better defined as battery maintainers and are not designed to transfer large amounts of power to your car battery quickly.

If you severely discharge your car battery (say by starting your car on a -10?F day), you are much better off recharging your car battery through the use of an auxiliary charger than by keeping your car running for extended periods of time. If nothing else, you’ll save on gas.

Myth #3: Disconnecting the battery for extended periods while not in operation is a good idea.

Scenario: You’re headed for a 2-week long vacation, so you decide to disconnect the battery from your car because you’ve heard that’s the best thing to do. Well, don’t do it! The computer and electronic control systems in modern cars are sensitive, and don’t like being deprived of power for extended durations, even if the vehicle is not in use. Moral of the story - Invest in a quality maintenance charger instead of disconnecting the battery.

Myth #4: I can replace the car battery myself … there’s no need to pay someone to do it.

Most people think that replacing a car battery is a simple matter, but that assumption may not be as safe as it once seemed. Many modern vehicles require the use of a ‘memory minder’ to maintain power to the system while the car battery is in process of being replaced, in order to lessen the chance of problems or other complications. If you aren’t sure what the best practices are for your specific vehicle, we recommend you take your vehicle in to get the battery replaced.

Protect your car and your car’s battery by not falling for these four car battery myths. Make sure that you heed the experts above the masses, because the results may not be what you want if you don’t! Remember, if you’re ever in need of a replacement car battery, Powerstride Battery offers a variety of affordable options - and EVERYTHING we sell INCLUDES FREE GROUND SHIPPING!