If your car has a “maintenance-free battery” then the car manufacturer is telling you that the battery is sealed and you should not manipulate it. A more direct message would be the flat top of the battery with no openings. Still, most car manufacturers utilize traditional battery design, with six cells that need refilling every now and then. Access to these cells is through the six screw caps or two rows of plastic caps that each pressure-fit over three cells.
It is always better to refill battery cells with distilled water, since it lacks contaminants and trace elements that can cause a corrosive buildup around the battery terminals. When it comes to battery refilling, the battery cells should be filled to the bottom of the fill hole, no further. And as your safety is the number one priority, always remember that battery acid has sulfuric acid in it. Sulfuric acid is highly caustic to skin and eyes. It is advisable to wear eye protection and gloves whenever you deal with car batteries.
You, as a driver, can perform some simple steps to ensure a prolonged battery life. The following steps are intended to be a reminder of the easy steps that anyone can perform, but are not a substitute for the car service.
- Check the water level every couple of months and make sure it is just touching the bottom of the refill hole.
- Refill the battery, when needed, with distilled water. Don’t use tap water, which produces rust on the terminals.
- Clean the terminals periodically with a wire brush to ensure good connectivity.
- Refrain from excessive tugging when removing a connector from a terminal; twist it from side to side and pull gently upward.
- When reconnecting a connector to a terminal, seat it down firmly on the post.
- After securing the connector, coat the whole post with high-temperature oil to reduce corrosion and rust.
- The battery is not always the problem if you keep having electrical problems. Normally the problem is either a bad alternator or voltage regulator. A mechanic can test the electrical systems to isolate the problem and solve it.
Finally, some news indicates that we might be witnessing in the coming years more advanced electrical systems. It is said that car manufacturers are conducting some experiments on 36 volt batteries as a replacement for the 12 volt ones. Of course this is a result of the more advanced technologies and luxurious equipment that are being incorporated in new cars.
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