24/03/2026
How to Make Your Car Battery Last Longer
Our battery specialist advise on how to keep your car powered up.
You try to turn on your car, and it just won’t start. Maybe the dashboard doesn’t even light up. A likely cause: The 12-volt battery is dead.
All cars lose a little battery power when parked. If you drive the car regularly, its electrical system will charge the battery back up. But if your battery dies after being parked for only a few days, you may have a serious problem that could eventually leave you stranded.
It’s an obvious red flag, and there are a couple of common causes, “The battery might be at the end of its life, or there could be something broken, like a failed control module that’s drawing electricity, and your mechanic will need to find the cause.”
A healthy battery should last between three and five years. To make sure you get there, here are a few simple steps our experts recommend to prolong its life and catch any issues before they cause trouble.
A. Don't Let the Car Sit
Driving is better than idling to top off the battery. How long you can wait between drives depends on the car, but in general, driving it at least 20 minutes roughly every two weeks should keep the battery functional. If you can’t manage that, find and disconnect the negative battery cable—the black wire. This keeps systems in the car from drawing power while it’s off.
Expert tip: Buy a trickle charger which keeps the battery charged from a wall outlet.
B. Mind the Accessories
Don’t stay in “accessory mode” for long. That’s when the radio or heater are on but the engine stays off—often activated by pushing the stop/start button without your foot on the brake. In this mode, the car is using battery power without recharging.
Expert tip: Add-ons such as a dash cam or mobile phone charger can drain the battery faster. Make sure these devices are unplugged when the car is parked. It’s not enough to just turn their power off.
C. Lock It Up
Even if your car sits in a secure garage, lock the doors. Many cars leave some systems powered when left unlocked to stay ready for someone to get in and drive away. Locking the car minimizes the power that is drawn.
Expert tip: Modern proximity keys—which automatically unlock the car when you approach—are convenient. But store them far enough away that they don’t accidentally wake up the car. A hook on your garage wall could be too close.
D. Maintenance Is Key
Check that the cable connections are tight, clean, and free of corrosion, which often looks like fuzzy, green and white buildup. (If you don’t want to do this yourself, ask your mechanic.) Periodic testing can also tell you when the battery is due for replacement before it completely fails. Test it twice a year at a minimum or every 6 months.
Expert tip: Many shops test the battery when cars come in for service, so check your paperwork for a slip with the inspection results.
E. Just in Case
Even well-maintained batteries can fail, so it’s good to have a backup plan. The easiest option is to subscribe to EXTEND TRADING AND SERVICES FREE BATTERY MAINTENANCE every 6 months and 24/7 RESCUE SERVICE. They will send a service technician to maintain your battery and rescue you wherever you are from San Pedro to Calamba Laguna. In the SLEX all gasoline stations north bound or south bound from Alabang to Canlubang.
EXTEND TRADING AND SERVICES
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