We don’t usually get hotter than the low 80s in Willoughby Hills, OH, but with the summers getting hotter and hotter every year, we thought it would be a good idea to talk about summer heat and your vehicle’s battery. Willoughby Hills Auto Repair tests and replaces car, truck, and SUV batteries for our customers. Here’s how your vehicle’s battery works and how heat can affect its performance.
Automobile Battery 101
Your vehicle’s battery isn’t that much different from other batteries. It is “electrochemical,” which means it has electrodes to store the electrical charge. It also has an electrolyte solution – battery acid – to create the chemical reaction needed to generate power. The electrodes in your car, truck, or SUV’s battery are both positive and negative, just like the positive and negative ends of household batteries.
Hot Weather and Batteries
Again, we don’t get so hot that you need to worry about this if you’re sticking around town, but if you plan to vacation this summer in a hot area, such as Las Vegas, make certain your vehicle’s battery can take the heat if you plan to drive rather than fly. When your vehicle’s battery gets hot, the chemical activity or reaction inside accelerates, which is why batteries don’t work well in frigid weather.
The ideal outdoor temperature for vehicle batteries is 80 degrees Fahrenheit, our average summer weather. As the mercury rises above 80, however, the chemical reaction inside the battery goes faster and faster and, eventually, evaporates battery fluid and causes corrosion. Low battery fluid and/or corrosion can damage your vehicle’s battery. In fact, the life of your battery is reduced in hot weather.
Avoiding Summer Heat-Related Battery Damage
If it is unusually hot here in Willoughby Hills or you’re headed out of town to a hot location, have your battery inspected first. If it’s okay, plan to prevent heat-related damage by keeping your vehicle as cool as possible. Ways to avoid overheating your car, truck, or SUV’s battery include
- Parking in the shade or in garages whenever possible
- Covering your vehicle with a sun protection car cover
- Driving after the sun goes down
- Checking your vehicle’s battery frequently
The latter includes checking for corrosion on the battery terminals, bulging or cracks on the battery case, and making sure the battery’s fluid level is always topped off.
If you would like a battery inspection, call Willoughby Hills Auto Repair in Willoughby Hills, OH. We’ll inspect and test your battery and replace it if necessary.