Don’t Let the Heat Drain the Power From Your Summer Travels

Tips to insure a "cool" vacation

AUTO CENTRAL - July 24, 2009: If you’re planning a car trip to escape the dog days of summer, keep in mind there’s nothing worse than being stranded on the side of the road in the heat. And one of the keys to keeping your summer vacation rolling along is making sure your car’s battery is up to speed.

Contrary to common belief, cold weather is not your car battery’s mortal enemy, it’s summer heat. When outside temperatures reach 90 F degrees or higher, the temperature under the hood can climb to 140F or more. This extreme heat causes battery fluid to evaporate, damaging the internal structure of the battery. To compensate for the loss of power, your vehicle’s voltage regulator can then overcharge the battery, leading to faster evaporation and increased internal lead corrosion.

The good news is that by taking a few easy steps you can help keep your summer travels picture perfect. To maintain car batteries during the summer months, Interstate Batteries reminds us to follow these simple maintenance tips:

• Perform a visual inspection – clean the surfaces and wipe of terminals to ensure a strong connection between posts and cables.

• Confirm fluid levels – if your battery has removable filler caps, check the water level in each cell and add distilled water if necessary.

• Pay attention to indicator lights – have your car’s battery and charging system tested by a qualified technician immediately if an indicator light comes on.

• Be proactive about maintaining the correct charge in your battery. And the easiest way to do this is to visit any one of Interstate Batteries’ 200,000 dealers for a quick check of your battery life to make sure your battery is holding up against the summer heat.

For more information about this program and to find your nearest Interstate Batteries dealer visit http://www.interstatebatteries.com/cs_estore/DealerLocator/Default.aspx