The Importance of Checking and Servicing Your Car Battery

by | Sep 10, 2020 | Preventative Maintenance

Corroded Battery Terminal

All car batteries come with a warranty of 3 to 4 years and many car owners follow a policy of install it and forget it. However, with the onset of COVID and many cars sitting idle for longer periods of time, corrosion can build up on battery terminals and prevent your battery from receiving a proper charge while you are driving. With cold weather just around the corner, it is important to ensure that your battery is properly prepared for the winter months.

Recently, one of our customers ignored our recommendation to perform a battery service. Six months later, he brought in his car for another checkup and it was too late. Built up corrosion had migrated to the cable, forcing us to replace the entire cable, a service costing nearly $500. If our customer had heeded our intial advice for battery service (which runs $35 to $70 depending on the extent of the corrosion), he could have saved considerable dollars. Our battery service removes corrosion from the terminals, the surrounding area and terminal seals followed by the charging and retesting of the battery. That’s a small price to pay to have a reliable vehicle and an important piece of “preventive maintenance”.

About the Author

About Brian England

Brian England, the current president of BA Auto Care (formerly British American Auto Care), got his start with an auto apprenticeship in a small town in northwest of London. He came to the U.S. in 1972 to work for a Land Rover dealer in Rockville, MD. A few years later, he started British American Auto Care with his wife, Jennifer. Brian is a big believe in preventative maintenance, and his philosophy is to encourage and educate drivers on the benefits of a regular maintenance plan.