Don’t become so busy buying batteries for holiday gizmos that you forget what may be the most important one you own — your car battery.
Consider these strategies recommended by Jeffrey Boone, Ed Kriston, and Green, all of the Towson office of AAA Mid-Atlantic, to ensure you’re not caught with a low-voltage battery.
» If you buy a battery with the intent to install it yourself, be sure it’s the correct size and ampage. Know and follow the manufacturers’ recommendations. Ignore the advice, and you may have a battery that doesn’t fit or won’t properly work in your car.
» Think twice before you “do it yourself.” That’s especially important when people see corrosion on the battery. A fallacy is that you can pour a can of soda over a corroded battery, wipe it down, and it will be good as new. Not true.
The battery must be cleaned properly for it to function well. And, of course, the soda can get inside the battery and other delicate engine parts and damaged them.
» Have battery fluids checked regularly. The fluids need to cover the battery plates for the battery to perform properly. Best bet: Have a reliable AAA-approved service station check the fluids.
For more advice and safety tips, go to aaamidatlantic.com.
