It’s easy to think of your Clermont Toyota vehicle as a few pedals and a set of wheels, but there’s a large network of machinery at work under the hood that most people don’t understand. But, out of all the complex parts in your car’s engine bay, your car battery is a simple part that every driver should know how to care for. The battery in your car is responsible for supplying the right amount of electricity needed to start your Clermont Toyota vehicle and maintain a charge throughout your drive. If you’re not sure how to care for your car battery, don’t worry! Toyota of Clermont is here with an easy guide on how to care for this essential auto part.
How to care for your car battery
While your car battery may be a simple part in your Clermont Toyota vehicle, caring for it is absolutely essential. Here are a few things to consider to effectively care for your vehicle’s battery:
While your car battery may be a simple part in your Clermont Toyota vehicle, caring for it is absolutely essential. Here are a few things to consider to effectively care for your vehicle’s battery:
- Keep the cables and terminals clean. One of the most common issues that can affect your car battery is a build-up of corrosion on the cables and terminals. This can happen because of an electrolyte or hydrogen gas leak over a prolonged period of time. Cleaning this off your battery is easy! Make sure to turn your Clermont Toyota vehicle off, remove the battery terminal cables (always remember to remove the negative cable first), and use a brush with a mixture of baking soda and bottled water to clean the terminals.
- Check the electrolyte level. Depending on the car battery model installed in your Clermont Toyota vehicle, you may have to consider having one of our auto service techs doing an electrolyte refill. However, most modern batteries won’t require this, but you can still check the current level to gauge when you’ll need a replacement. To check the electrolyte level on an older battery, pry off the cell over using a screwdriver (the cell cover is usually on top of the battery), and look down the gauge hole. If the electrolyte level is low, make sure to add distilled or purified water to the battery. For modern/no-fill batteries, simply check the exposed electrolyte gauge. If the color is green then you have a sufficient charge and if the color is dark then it’s time to consider getting your car battery recharged or replaced.
What to do if your car battery needs a jump
In the event that your battery is having trouble getting started, you may need to jump start it. Make sure you have a set of jumper cables in your Clermont Toyota vehicle and another car with a charged battery. Clip the red (positive) cable clamp to the positive terminal on your battery first, then the black (negative) cable to the negative terminal. Turn on the working car and let it run for a few minutes, then attempt to start your vehicle.
If you’re having trouble starting your vehicle, it may be time to get a replacement car battery. Our auto service experts at Toyota of Clermont can help with that! Come visit us at 16851 State Road 50 seven days a week!
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