With a global shortage of new cars and ongoing concerns over the increased cost of living, we are seeing motorists hanging onto their vehicles for longer. For these older vehicles, additional care needs to be taken to keep the vehicle’s battery in peak condition. 

CTEK has the following tips for drivers of older cars, to keep their vehicle batteries in the best of health, extend battery life by up to three times and avoid the cost and inconvenience of vehicle breakdown.  

1. Battery re-conditioning 

We all need regular health checks as we get older, and your car battery, being the heart of your car, is no different. A battery will tend to degrade as it ages, and if your battery isn’t working correctly, it won’t matter how often you charge it. A smart battery charger like the CTEK MXS 5.0  has dedicated re-conditioning stages within its automatic charging curve to troubleshoot any issues with the inner workings of the battery. Especially as in many parts of the world we are approaching the colder winter months, we suggest now is the time to give you battery an overnight charge.  

2. Regular maintenance charging 

CTEK recommends that you charge your battery at least once a month to maintain the ideal battery health. This is particularly important if you are not using your car regularly, or if you usually go for short trips. It takes a lot of battery power just to start the car and if you are out on lots of shorter trips it will drain the battery. The alternator won’t have the time or capability to replace this charge. Driving around in your car will only ever charge your battery to 80% capacity so, to top it up to 100%, you will always need a battery charger. 

3. Adapting to the weather 

A hot summer can take its toll on your battery without you even knowing it, and this may not become apparent until the cooler weather kicks in, when you will need more power to get the vehicle started. Then, in cold conditions when the temperature reaches freezing, the battery can lose as much as 35% of its performance, and up to 50% if the conditions are even colder. This is something you need to be aware of, but with the MXS 5.0 it’s not something you need to worry about too much, as this smart charger has automatic temperature compensation for the best charging performance, even in extreme conditions. 

4.  Safe starting 

If you follow CTEK’s advice for maintaining a healthy battery, then you will reduce your chances of battery failure, which is the number one cause of vehicle breakdown. However, sometimes we find ourselves in unexpected situations. If you find yourself stranded with a flat battery, miles away from a power source, CTEK has a solution. The CS FREE portable ‘4 in 1’ unit uses patented adaptive boost technology to get a flat battery safely and gently charged in around 15 minutes, without needing to jump-start the battery which can seriously damage the battery and your vehicle’s electronics. If you use the CS FREE your car will start in a safe and smooth way, and you can happily continue your journey.  

You can find out more about the CTEK MXS 5.0 and the CS FREE  below