Latest news with #ClaudeTownsend
USA Today
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
How to maintain your car battery
It's early morning and you've got to get to work after a week or two away on vacation. You try to start your car, but it's slow to crank and the lights flicker or maybe they're dimmer than normal. In the best-case scenario, the car roars to life and you go on with your day. In the scenario you dread, usually when you're running behind and have too much to do, the car won't start, prompting a search for battery jumper cables or maybe a new car battery purchase that wasn't in the budget. Car batteries don't last forever (AAA puts the average life at three to five years), so it's not unusual for drivers to occasionally deal with the unexpected dead battery. But there are ways to make sure you're getting the most out of the battery for your internal combustion engine vehicle and to reduce the chance you'll be dealing with a dead battery at the least convenient time. Maintaining your car's battery starts with a few simple bits of advice, courtesy of Claude Townsend, program coordinator and master instructor in automotive service at Oakland Community College. Let's start with the easiest. Perform a visual inspection Look for cracked or frayed cables or other obvious signs of damage. If the tie-down mechanism or bracket for the battery is loose or broken, that can lead to battery damage as the battery shifts or moves as you drive. Make any necessary repairs or take your car to a mechanic you trust. More maintenance advice for your ride: How to check and refill your car's fluid levels Keep it clean 'With today's cars, it's essential that we have good clean power,' Townsend said. Dirt, corrosion and crud affect car battery performance, keeping the full voltage needed from reaching important accessories and the starter. White powder around the battery terminals or elsewhere on the battery is a good indicator that some cleaning is warranted. How to clean Put on a pair of gloves and protective eyewear before you get to work. Remove the cables (AAA recommends taking off the negative cable and then the positive cable and reversing the order, positive first, when you reattach them). A bristle brush or battery terminal cleaner brush can help with the cleaning. The best cleaning agent is as simple as baking soda and water, although Townsend said Coca-Cola, which you might have heard your father mention, can actually work in a pinch. Baking soda and water is cheaper. Townsend recommends using a tablespoon of baking soda with a gallon of water then shaking it up to dissolve before pouring over the battery. Foaming would indicate acid is present, so keep pouring until the foaming stops. You can use a garden hose to rinse off any remaining crud and to keep it from leaving a stain on a driveway, according to Townsend. Before you reattach the cables, put some petroleum jelly on the terminals. What about refilling the battery? Many of us have maintenance-free batteries, so refilling fluid isn't necessary. But some batteries have caps that can be popped off and may need to have water added if the level is low. Your battery should clearly indicate which kind it is so there's no guesswork. Townsend has a couple of rules: Don't overfill and only use distilled water. Although there are how-to guides online, Townsend said don't add acid to a battery. Misjudging can lead to trouble and a dangerous acid bath, he said. Take it easy on your battery Townsend said 68-70 degrees represents perfect conditions for batteries. Cold temperatures can reduce capacity; warmer weather can affect battery longevity. Leaving a vehicle sit for extended periods or mostly short trips can also sap your battery. One option is to purchase a battery maintainer/maintenance charger to keep the battery sufficiently charged when your car isn't in use. Also, using the radio or other accessories when the car isn't running can reduce the available charge so avoid that if possible. Townsend noted that some vehicles use additional batteries to handle extra electric demand. Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@ Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at
USA Today
3 days ago
- Automotive
- USA Today
How to diagnose common car problems
You might not know the difference between a radiator and an alternator, but that doesn't mean you don't have a role to play in figuring out whether something is wrong with your car. You're probably more familiar with your car than anyone else is, so there's a good chance you know when something's amiss. Here are some suggestions for diagnosing common car problems. Use your senses and your experience You might not know what's causing a problem, but you probably know there is a problem. Let your senses and what's been normal be a guide. Ask yourself some questions. If those kinds of questions prompt a 'yes,' you may have a problem that needs some attention. Another bit of advice: Don't ignore warning lights. Gather information Whether you feel comfortable working on your car or you always take it to a mechanic, you can smooth the process by collecting as much information as possible. Automotive expert Claude Townsend suggests making that as specific as possible. Mechanics need to be able to interpret what a customer is explaining about an issue and try to duplicate the situation where the problem occurs. 'Does the problem happen when the car goes down the road, when it stops, turning left, right, day, night, bumpy roads, smooth roads, dry conditions, wet conditions?' Townsend asked, noting that some issues seem to happen only at certain speeds, which can be critical information to pass on. Providing complete details about when the issue worsens can speed the path toward an accurate answer and resolution, says Townsend, program coordinator and master instructor in automotive service at Oakland Community College. Make it visual Pictures and videos are an easy way to take the interpretation out of your explanation. Townsend says it's a great way to clearly convey what's wrong. Mimicking a rattling noise might do the job, but if a mechanic can hear the actual noise you're concerned about, it cuts out some of the guesswork. Townsend, however, notes that you should always keep safety in mind. Don't try to take photos and videos while you're driving. You might consider asking a friend or family member to tag along and be your videographer or set up a device holder so it can record while you drive. Some issues aren't really issues If the air conditioner doesn't instantly cool down the inside of your ride, it could mean it's just a really hot day. Drivers might have expectations that the A/C will keep the inside of their car as cool on a 100-degree day as on an 80-degree day, but Townsend notes these systems have limitations, allowing them to cool to generally about 20 degrees less than the ambient temperature. But one key to a hot car is that the materials themselves absorb heat, and that heat will need to dissipate. Cooling the car is not instantaneous, Townsend says, noting that you can roll down your windows to let some of that heat escape. How much do you know? Townsend says he's torn by the tendency to check YouTube or other sources online to diagnose car problems. On one hand, it's great to see people take an active interest in their vehicles, and sometimes the information available is correct; on the other hand, sometimes that awesome tutorial online is simply wrong, he says. Professional mechanics are trained, possibly on the specific vehicle you drive. They also have access to service bulletins, recall information and details about specific problems that an automaker might know is wrong with a particular model, and they've developed tips and tricks over the years to deal with issues that crop up, Townsend says. They also have tools for the job at hand. If you're diagnosing a problem and attempting to repair it yourself, you might have the skills and the ability to do it correctly – and you might save money. Or you might create a bigger, more costly headache or a safety issue that sends you to a professional in the end. 'I want everybody to be safe on the road. If you don't have the knowledge or the tools to do it, just pay the money (and) have a professional do it. They have insurance. They have the tools to do it,' Townsend says. Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@ Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at
