You may not think of your car's battery very often, but you may start to notice it's having trouble during the winter. To ensure it makes it through the winter, use these simple tips.

Simple Battery Care Tips for the Winter

Your battery can have a hard time doing its basic job during the winter. After a long and hot summer, it may already be feeling weak. Add the strain of the winter cold to this and you may have a dying battery on your hands. To prevent this from ruining your winter, use these tips to care for your battery.

Get Your Battery Tested

Most batteries don't last much longer than five years, so it's important that you remember how long you've had yours. If your battery is nearing five years, the summer may have weakened it further, leaving it in danger of not making it through the winter. In some cases, your battery will give a sign that it's near its end, but this doesn't always happen. If you notice that your battery is having trouble starting, don't ignore this. Take your battery to the shop and have it tested. A volt test will let you know just how much life is left in it and if it will make it through the season.

Keep It Warm

The cold temperatures your car will come up against during the winter can add more strain to your battery. This can cause it to have trouble starting or it may not want to start at all. An easy way to prevent this from turning into an issue is by keeping your car out of the cold. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't take your car out on a cold day, but instead do your best to keep out of the freezing temperatures when it's resting. Overnight, park your car in the garage or in a covered space where it will be protected from the elements. If you park your car outdoors while at work, do your best to find a parking spot where your car will get some sunshine, helping to keep it warm.

Clean Things Up

Since your battery has to send power to different parts of your car, there shouldn't be anything impeding this from happening. If your battery's connections are dirty or not connected tightly, this can make it harder for your battery to do its job. Open up your hood and visually inspect the connections. If there is rust, corrosion, or other debris on them, then it's definitely time to clean them up. Once they're clean, it's also important that you tighten the connections so your battery is able to power your car. Make this winter a great one by preparing your engine for it with a synthetic oil change in San Diego. Click here to buy  AMSOIL's Signature Series 0W-20 Synthetic Motor Oil which can keep your car running at its best no matter how cold it gets. You can find even more great products like this by contacting Synthetic Oil Inc. Give them a call at (800) 653-0323 or stop by their online shop to find even more products or to place your order.

Carry the Right Tools

Since the winter cold can cause your battery to struggle, it's best to be prepared for the worst. If your battery dies while you're out, this can mean calling roadside assistance and waiting in the cold until they show up to help you. This can be avoided by simply carrying jumper cables in your car. It's not enough to just carry jumper cables either. You want to make sure that your cables still work and that you know how to use them. You may come across another driver who is willing to help, but who also doesn't know how to use the cables. Don't risk making things worse and instead prepare yourself to use them properly.

Don't Overwork It

When you first turn your car on in the morning, you may not think about your battery at all if it doesn't struggle to turn on. As soon as your car is on, you may start turning on your lights, the radio, and anything else you need to make your commute comfortable. This can add some strain on your battery which is just starting and charging. Give it some seconds before doing all this so it has a chance to charge a bit.

It's Time for a Synthetic Oil Change in San Diego, CA

Give your car a synthetic oil change in San Diego this winter to keep it running strong. Contact the friendly oil pros at Synthetic Oil Inc for the personalized assistance you need. Give them a call at (800) 653-0323 to learn more or to place your order!