4 Winter Battery Care Tips
Key Auto Group’s Top 4 Battery Care Tips to Preserve Your Charge This Winter
Whether you’re driving gas, hybrid, or electric, your car’s battery is vital to kick-starting your engine and keeping your heater, headlights, and heated seats working. Keep reading as our service experts at Key Auto Group share 4 top tips for keeping your battery topped up and healthy this winter, and drive with confidence that it won’t quit on you unexpectedly while you’re out driving around Yorkton, SK and Swan River, MB:
- Park Inside & Use a Block Heater
- Keep Your Battery Charged & Drive Frequently
- Inspect Your Battery for Corrosion and Rust
- Replace Your Battery After 3-5 Years (But Have it Tested Every 6 Months)
Worried about your battery health? Book it in for an inspection with our service experts at your preferred Key Auto Group location!
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1. Park Inside & Use a Block Heater
Freezing cold winters in Yorkton, SK and Swan River, MB will sap your battery in no time, so make sure you park your vehicle in a warm, indoor parking lot or garage. If those options aren’t available to you, then you’ll want to invest in a good quality car cover and a block heater to take some strain off your battery on startup.
2. Keep Your Battery Charged & Drive Frequently
It might sound obvious, but two important ways to keep your battery healthy and working at its best in winter is to keep it fully charged, and drive your vehicle regularly. Try to avoid short or infrequent trips where possible, as these won’t give your alternator time to fully recharge your battery. If you don’t feel comfortable driving in the snow, then install a battery trickle charger to keep your battery topped up a healthy amount over the cold months.
3. Inspect Your Battery Regularly
To ensure your battery charges properly, holds its charge, and doesn’t suffer damage that could lead to performance and safety issues, you’ll want to inspect it thoroughly for debris, rust, and corrosion on its connections and terminals. If in doubt, book your vehicle in for a battery inspection and cleaning service at one of our Key Auto Group locations and drive with peace of mind that your battery will get you through the winter.
4. Replace Your Battery After 3-5 Years
Finally, you’ll want to test your battery at least twice a year (around every 6 months or 9,600 kms, depending which comes first and the instructions detailed in the owner’s manual for your specific model) to ensure it’s working properly. By keeping up with your maintenance schedule, you’ll know if it’s struggling to hold a charge, and can book an appointment to switch it out for a new one before it fails unexpectedly.
Winter Battery Service & Replacements at Key Auto Group
All our Key Auto Group locations are equipped to perform quick and easy battery services and replacements, so you can book your winter service at your preferred Key Auto dealership in Yorkton, SK and Swan River, MB. For further automotive services and advice, get in touch with our certified service technicians and let us know how we can help.