Summer is the season for major vehicle battery problems.

Heat, not cold, shortens battery life, states the Car Care Council. The typical life of a battery is 3 and a half years, and even much shorter in warmer environments.

Excessive heat and overcharging are the two primary reasons for shortened battery life. Heat causes battery fluid to evaporate, which damages the internal structure of the battery. A malfunctioning part in the charging system, usually the voltage regulator, allows too high a charging rate. That’s sluggish death for a battery.

Stats from the 2005 National Car Care Month examination project show booster cable, clamps and terminals were found to need maintenance in 13 percent of lorries, and 7 percent of batteries were not properly held down.

To get the most life out of a battery, the Car Care Council recommends the following:

* Be sure the electrical system is charging at the proper rate; overcharging can damage a battery as easily as undercharging.

* If your battery is the type that requires to be topped off, examine it regularly, especially in hot weather. Add pure water when required.

* Always replace a battery with one that’s rated at least as high as the one originally specified.

* Keep the top of the battery tidy. Dirt becomes a conductor, which drains battery power. Even more, as deterioration accumulates on battery terminals it becomes an insulator, inhibiting present circulation.

The Car Care Council is the source of info for the Be Car Care Aware consumer education campaign promoting the benefits of routine lorry repair and maintenance to consumers.