Shea Chevrolet Service Tips: Battery Service

Many people know to schedule Shea Chevrolet service at our location when their brakes start to squeal or they hear clunking sounds under the hood. But unlike other more communicative parts, car batteries often don't give any indication of when they're about to fail. That's why you should contact Shea Chevrolet if it's been a while since you had your battery tested.

Schedule Battery Inspections Regularly

If you don't know how old your battery is or if the unit is three years old or older, we advise you to schedule Chevy battery service at our Chevrolet service center. More specifically, you should bring your vehicle to our Chevy service center for a battery test every six to 12 months. The older your battery is, the more frequently you should schedule an inspection of the unit.

Look Over Your Battery Every Month

Once a month or whenever you happen to open the hood, you should take a peek at your battery. Over time, a battery's case may start to bulge, and the unit may get dislodged from its originally secured location. If the unit's case has a bulge, it's likely you'll need a new battery. A battery that isn't secured in position may have a shorter lifespan than one that is, so make sure your battery is tightly secured in its designated spot.

Clean the Terminals

As time passes, the sulfuric acid that's inside a car battery can cause corrosion to build up on the unit's terminals and cables. That buildup will cause your battery to work harder than it should have to, and it may shorten the unit's working life. Luckily, removing the corrosion safely requires only a little bit of elbow grease.

You can pick up the supplies needed to remove the foul-looking corrosion in our Chevy parts center. Alternatively, you can mix a cup of water and a tablespoon of baking soda, then dip a wire brush in this solution and use it to get the corrosion off your battery. Just be sure to disconnect the negative terminal before the positive one and avoid letting the wires touch anything metal.

Schedule Shea Chevrolet Service in Flint, MI

Arguably the easiest thing you can do to keep your battery in good shape is to drive your car at highway speeds a few times every week at least. Driving at highway speeds often will keep your battery charged at an optimal level, which is good for its well-being. Don't just drive anywhere, though. Instead, head over to our Flint, MI, Chevrolet dealership for a visit with the Chevy service team. We'll let you know exactly how much life is left in your battery.