Safety Glasses
Nitrile Gloves
Wrenches
Battery Terminal Cleaner & Protective Spray
Terminal Protection Washers
Terminal Cleaning Brush
Battery Maintainer
Car batteries help to start and run your vehicle, and regular maintenance and cleaning can help you avoid a dead battery or a breakdown on the road. The battery’s role is to supply power to the starter, which starts your engine, as well as powering any electrical accessories when the car’s not running, like your radio, courtesy lights, anti-theft system, and door locks. Maintaining your battery before problems arise can help your vehicle’s battery last longer and perform at its peak, while giving you peace-of-mind knowing that your engine will start no matter the conditions.
Most car batteries are located under the hood in a visible, accessible place. But sometimes, you’ll find them in the trunk under the spare tire, or even under the back seat. If you can’t find your battery, consult your owner’s manual for its location.
Before You Begin
To avoid injury, it’s best to remove the cables before performing any battery maintenance. If your cables aren’t color coded (usually they’re red for positive and black for negative), pay attention to how the cables are attached before you remove them.
It’s recommended you check these terminals at oil change intervals and clean them as needed. This helps ensure strong electrical connections to help your battery deliver power to the rest of the vehicle. With a few simple steps, you can keep your vehicle’s battery charging better for longer.
Remove the Negative Battery Terminal
Using a wrench, loosen and remove the negative terminal first, being careful not to let it contact any metal surfaces.
Remove the Positive Terminal
Remove the positive terminal from the battery.
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Do It Right: You may have to gently move the cables side-to-side and pull up to free them from the battery posts. |
Clean the Battery Posts
To clean the posts, apply terminal cleaner to your brush and lightly scrub the terminal and battery post to remove corrosion and chalky buildup.
Add No-Corrode Washers to the Battery Terminals
No-corrode washers are available that are specifically designed to prevent battery corrosion at the terminal connections.
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Do It Right: To purchase no-corrode washers, visit your local O’Reilly Auto Parts store or click here to buy online. |
Reconnect Battery Terminals and Spray with Protectant
First, reconnect the positive battery terminal and cable. Then, reconnect the negative battery cable to its post. Once the cables have been reconnected, you can coat the terminals and battery posts with terminal protection spray.
Clean the Battery’s Plastic Casing
Cleaning your battery’s plastic casing with a wet cloth can be helpful. Since dirt or traces of battery acid on the outside can create a pathway between positive and negative terminals, which could drain your battery’s power.
If you’ve done some basic maintenance and you’re still having problems with your battery, or you notice any issues at all, head to an O’Reilly Auto Parts store near you to have your battery tested for free. We can check it in or out of the vehicle and help you find a replacement battery if you need one.
When Should I Get My Car Battery Tested?
It’s a good idea to have your battery tested every spring and fall when temperatures start to change so you’ll know its condition. Knowing whether or not you need a replacement before harsher conditions come along will help keep you from getting stranded with a dead battery.
How to Care for Batteries in Stored Vehicles
If you have a vehicle that you store for periods of time, it’s important to take precautions to protect the life of the battery.
You may not ever store your daily driver, but batteries in vehicles that are stored are susceptible to discharge and damage, and may never be able to hold a full charge after sitting discharged for long periods of time. To protect the batteries in your classic cars, lawnmowers, boats, motorcycles, and other stored vehicles, it’s important to follow the steps for general battery maintenance, and you might also consider removing the battery and storing it indoors. Storing your battery inside will reduce the chances of it being affected by extreme temperatures or parasitic drain that goes undetected, although you can store it in the vehicle if you prefer.
Connecting stored batteries to a battery maintainer will supply your battery with a small trickle of electricity—without overcharging it—to ensure it stays alive over long periods of time.
The automotive repair work depicted in this series is performed under the direction of the manufacturer of the product featured. Prior to undertaking any of the demonstrated repairs on your vehicle, we suggest you consult with a certified mechanic or another professional who can adequately advise you of the proper repair or remedy required. O’Reilly Automotive Stores, Inc. and its affiliates (“O’Reilly”) disclaims any responsibility for injury or damage resulting from a viewer’s attempt to recreate the repairs shown in this series.