Many people stay on top of their car's regular maintenance, which includes periodically checking and changing the oil, checking the tire pressure and fixing visual problems such as a blown headlights and polishing nicks and scratches.However, these same people who meticulously keep their car in pristine operating condition often overlook one of the most integral components of a vehicle - the battery.Your car battery can easily be taken for granted.If your car starts easily, you probably never give it a second thought.However, it's when your battery is drained and your car is rendered immobile - sometimes when you least expect it, in a snowstorm or when you need to get somewhere in a hurry - that you realize you've neglected an important aspect of your car.You may need to enlist the help of a passer-by who can help you jump-start the battery, or your battery may be completely drained.You can, however, avoid these situations with some preventative maintenance.Because automotive batteries are rechargeable, maintaining the fullest charge possible will help you prolong the life of your car battery.Often times, a battery is drained up to 10% of its charge, only to be fully recharged the next time the car is started.This slight discharge and recharge process can happen thousands of times during the life of the battery.As the battery ages, the discharge percentage will grow, therefore making the recharge percentage grow.Once the battery is drained completely, either through old age or by accidentally leaving the lights or radio on, it will never be able to hold a completely full charge again.It is also a wise decision to use a car battery charger if your vehicle sits for long periods of time without being started.A charger can be hooked up to your vehicle's battery while it sits and will ensure it keeps a full charge, thereby making it possible for your car to start up with no problems after a long period of immobility.Battery chargers can be programmed to charge at specific intervals so your battery is consistently maintaining a full charge.If you ever need to perform maintenance on your car battery, you should wear protective eye goggles and gloves.Battery acid can be harmful to your skin and can be extremely corrosive.You may have to clean corrosion from around the battery connection terminals and check the battery's electrolyte solution.If you don't know the proper procedure for unscrewing your car battery's terminals, you're better off having a professional automotive service technician do it for you to avoid any hazards and added cost.Car battery replacements can be very expensive, but taking the time to make sure you battery is clean and maintaining a charge can save you this expense in the long run.Whenever you pop the hood of your vehicle, take a look at the battery and make sure it is free of corrosion and the wires are clean and unobstructed.If you do this, you won't have to worry about finding a jump in the middle of a snowstorm.
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