The UAE’s summer season can put immense pressure on various components of a vehicle, including its battery. Proper maintenance of a car battery becomes important during the summer season as the extremely hot weather conditions can have adverse effects on the battery life of a vehicle. According to car experts, a battery and many other essential parts of a vehicle should be thoroughly checked ahead of the summer season to minimize the risk of an unexpected car breakdown.
Simple measures such as parking in the shade and checking the car batteries frequently can go a long way in improving the battery health. Other factors that car owners should consider avoiding include frequent small trips or leaving the vehicle unused for a long period of time. Following these basic maintenance tips can help improve the battery life of an old vehicle.
Given below are a few tips that can help motorists maintain good battery health for their cars during the summer season.
5 Tips for Maintaining a Car Battery in the Summer Season
A car’s battery is one of the most essential internal components that help start the vehicle and keep it running. Naturally, no driver wants to get stuck with a dead battery, so it is important to take certain measures to maintain car batteries during the summer season. Given below are 5 tips that can help in the maintenance of a car battery during the summer season:
1. Park in the Shade
Direct exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of evaporation of vital liquids in a car battery, which can weaken its charging capabilities. In addition to that, high temperatures can speed up the process of corrosion which can irreversibly damage the internal structure of the battery. Parking in the shade can help avoid these problems to quite an extent, as direct exposure to sunlight and hot temperatures can be prevented.
2. Get the Battery Checked Regularly
Regular checking of the battery would ensure that it is clean, dry, and free of any dirt or grime that may hinder its performance. Battery terminals tend to corrode over time so checking them regularly and keeping them clean can help extend the life of the battery.
3. Avoid Frequent Small Road Trips
Car batteries recharge when the vehicle is driven. On short trips, the battery does not get enough time to recharge, which can cause it to weaken sooner. Even though taking short trips occasionally would not do much harm, frequent short trips will reduce the battery voltage gradually, to a point where it can no longer start the vehicle.
4. Avoid Leaving the Car Unused for a Long Time
As mentioned previously, car batteries conserve charging when they are driven, so regular use of a vehicle can help in maintaining consistency in the battery’s performance. To prevent damage, it is always ideal to keep batteries fully charged. Car batteries tend to naturally lose their charge over time if a vehicle is kept unused for a long period. Higher temperatures during the summer season can cause the self-discharge of a battery to increase, so it becomes essential to use a vehicle regularly in order to keep its battery charged at all times.
5. Minimize Power Usage when the Engine is Off
Making sure that all electronic accessories are turned off when the engine is not running is essential to improve the battery life. When the engine is off, such appliances pull power directly from the battery. Car drivers should also ensure that all headlights, taillights, and interior lights are switched off when the engine is not running.
Keep an Eye on the Overall Maintenance of a Vehicle
Batteries are just one part of the vehicle that needs regular maintenance. In order to get the best performance of a car, it is vital to keep an eye on the overall maintenance schedule of the vehicle. Maintenance of the car becomes even more important during the summer season. Given below are a few considerations to keep in mind for regular vehicle maintenance.
Checking the car fluids: Cars have several important fluids such as the engine coolant, power steering fluid and brake fluid. These fluids play a central role in keeping the various components of the vehicle well-lubricated.
Checking the engine: The summers can take a toll on the engine of a car, causing it to overheat and hindering its performance. However, this would not be a major concern if the engine oil and coolant are at their required levels and the engine is serviced regularly.
Maintaining the AC: The summer season would require a higher usage of the air conditioning system. Therefore, it is important to inspect the major components of the system well in time and fix any potential issues that can cause trouble later.
Maintaining the tyres: High temperatures can have a damaging effect on the condition of the tyres in the summer season. Car owners should pay close attention to the regular maintenance of the tyres, specifically during the summer season. The tyres of a vehicle should be inflated properly as underinflated or overinflated tyres can be vulnerable to a sudden blowout in high temperatures. Giving attention to regular tyre maintenance can help in avoiding dangerous situations caused by sudden tyre blowouts.
Why Old Vehicles Need Regular Maintenance?
While the above car and battery maintenance tips apply on all kinds of vehicles, older vehicles generally require more maintenance. Older vehicles undergo a greater degree of depreciation over the years of their use and can be at a risk of sudden breakdowns.
It is always a good idea to calculate the cost of maintenance of a car to see if it exceeds the actual residual value of the vehicle. If that is the case, a car upgrade would be recommended, which would also save car owners the trouble of dealing with unexpected breakdowns and frequent problems with the car’s performance.
How to Sell Your Old Vehicle in the UAE at a Fair Price?
Regular maintenance can extend the life of a vehicle by several years. However, maintenance becomes expensive and difficult as the car begins to show signs of aging and weakening internal systems. Therefore, it is recommended that car owners sell their vehicles at the right time and through the right platform to get the most out of its residual value.
SellAnyCar.com, which is the largest car buying platform in the UAE, provides car sellers with an easy and quick way of selling their old vehicles at a fair price in just 30 minutes. The car buying company guarantees the purchase of every vehicle it inspects and offers a 100% hassle-free process by handling the post-sale paperwork.
If you are looking to sell your used car to buy a new one with advanced safety features and improved performance, then don’t forget that with us, you can sell any used car in just 30 minutes while all the post-sale paperwork is handled by SellAnyCar.com’s team.
