A dead battery is easily one of the most common problems with any vehicle. The longer you go without replacing it, the quicker the battery will drain when in use. This could leave you stranded when you go to crank up your truck. An auto battery can last anywhere from 3 years to well over 5 years depending on your vehicle's care, usage, and temperature outside. Because car batteries can be costly to replace, you want to make sure you are able to get as much out of it as possible. Here are some tips on how to preserve your truck's battery.

Disconnect Your Battery

If you don't plan on driving your truck for at least two weeks, you want to make sure you disconnect the battery. Even when the truck is not running, the juice will drain from your battery. By disconnecting it, you can stop it from happening and extend your battery's life as a result. Your vehicle is not meant to sit there. The longer it sits, rust can accumulate on the battery and other parts of the truck. The best thing to do is to drive it every so often to keep it properly maintained. 

Don't Drain Your Battery

When your truck is running, it recharges the battery. Using your lights, radio, and other features on the truck while it is not running will only drain your battery down without giving it a chance to recharge. It is much tougher on the truck to have to recharge completely than if you use these features when the truck is already running. Instead of waiting until you turn the engine off to turn the lights off, do this before you shut the truck off. Additionally, turn off the radio when the truck is not running. Doing these things can help preserve the life of your battery over time. 

Clean Your Battery

Your battery will develop dirt and rust on it over time. You don't want it to accumulate too much that is poses a problem with the battery functioning. In order to keep it maintained, you want to loosen the connectors and clean the terminals with a wire brush to remove any rust on the battery. You should do this every 3 to 4 months in order to keep the debris off the battery and ensure it is functioning optimally. 

When you do need your battery replaced, make sure to find the battery that is specific to your truck. Should you decide to have it replaced, you want to work with an ASE certified technician to ensure it is installed properly. Click here for information on truck repair.

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