How the Summer Heat Can Affect Your Car Battery

by Zeeshan Ali April 30, 2022

A long, hot summer can drain your car's battery. However, it may not be until the fall that you realise you're having difficulties starting your car. As a result, you could be inclined to blame your battery problems on the cold weather. While both heat and cold have an impact on automobile batteries, it is frequently severe heat that causes the most damage, even if the harm isn't visible right away. Are you ready to learn why and how heat affects the battery in your car? To begin, you must first comprehend batteries.

How Do Car Batteries Work?

Your car's battery is an electrochemical device made up of electrodes that store an electrical charge in an electrolyte solution in the battery casing that binds everything together. The battery contains both positive and negative electrodes. The chemical process that occurs in the battery produces electricity, which is needed to start your automobile, run the radio and lights, and operate power windows and other amenities.

Let's look at how heat interacts with your battery and degrades it now that you know how batteries work.

Heat and Batteries:

Because heat can speed up chemical reactions, the recommended operating temperature for a car battery is 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The warmth in the air around the battery can aid its performance. However, if you heat it up too much, internal corrosion will occur, resulting in irreparable damage and a reduction in the battery's life expectancy. Heat can also cause battery contents to evaporate, resulting in harm to the battery's internal structure. Hot temperatures and overheating, according to the Car Council, are the two leading causes of battery life reduction.

Prevent Summer Heat Damage:

You can help your car’s battery with some simple steps:

Park your car in a shady place whenever possible.
If you don’t have a garage, consider putting up a carport or using a tree to make sure your car gets some shade during the day.
Get your car battery checked regularly. Some older batteries need to be topped off with fluids. Make sure your check it frequently during the summer months.
Check your car battery periodically for bulging or cracks. If you seen anything out of the ordinary, ask your mechanic to look at it.
Remove corrosion that you see on your battery terminals. You can remove it by rubbing the terminals with a cloth or using a brush.
Summer heat got the best of your battery? Shop for a new one with UK Car Battery!