Batteries

Does your vehicle?s battery live a tough life? Lots of vibration, high under-hood temperatures or maybe sitting idle for months? Does it have to crank over a diesel engine in very cold weather. Maybe, it has to power lots of electrical accessories, lights, or a high-performance sound system. If so, you might consider an OPTIMA(R) battery.

Summer is the season for major car-battery problems. Heat, not cold, shortens battery life, says the Car Care Council. Excessive heat and overcharging are the two main reasons for shortened battery life.

Take any car with an old battery that is four years old, add worn spark plugs, a plugged fuel filter and a tad of water in the tank, then try and start this car on a cold winter morning. You see, a cold battery has far less power than a warm one. So if your car doesn't start in the first, second or third rahhh, rahhh of the starter, the battery runs out of power before the engine starts.

It has happened to most of us at sometime. You parked your car only to come back a few hours later to a dead battery. You had left your lights on. Now, you have to get a jump start.

Checking your battery before you start out on that next trip can save you lots of grief on the road. Checking here means a bit more than just peeking into the filler holes to see if there is sufficient water.

Automotive batteries more than two years old may be too weak to make it through the toughest winter weather and should be tested before cold weather arrives.

One of the best ways to protect against winter car trouble is to be certain your battery is fully charged and in proper working condition.