One of the most important parts of your car is the battery.If it doesn't work, your car doesn't start. And, in thewinter that is even more true than in the summer.

The electrical power produced by the battery is used by thecars ignition system for cranking the engine. The car'sbattery also may power the lights and other accessories.

Have the battery tested on a regular basis, including whenthe car is serviced, before long trips and after it's beenrecharged.

Here are some things you can do yourself to prevent beingstranded on a cold winter day.

Know how old your battery is. To see how old your batteryis look for a small decal on the battery. A letter with anumber should be there. The letter indicates the month,starting with "A" for January, "B" for February, and so on.I is skipped so December is "M". The number represents theyear with "9" standing for 1999, "0" for 2000, etc. so D2,would be April, 2002. F5 would be June, 2005. Expertsusually advise getting a new battery when a battery is fouryears old.

Watch for corroded terminals or battery posts, loose clamps,loose cables, or a leaking or damaged battery case.Look for dirty, wet, corroded or swollen cables and batterytop.

Look for a loose or broken alternator belt. If thealternator fails the battery might also need to power thevehicle's entire electrical system until repairs can bemade.

Keep jumper cables in the trunk of your car for emergencystart up. Make sure the cables are free of rust andcorrosion and that there are no exposed wires before usingthem.

Park your car in a garage whenever possible.

If you must leave your car outside all day, go out and startthe car two or three times a day and let the car run for afew minutes to warm up. This will help the car to startmore easily when you are ready to go.

When temperatures are below zero Fahrenheit avoid leavingthe car out for extended periods of time.

For more tips on keeping your battery in excellent workingcondition visit: http://www.apluswriting.net/gasmiles/batterycare.htm

Copyright: 2006 Marilyn Pokorney

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