For those of you who are car newbies, you might be wondering what the battery is for. Well, in the old, old, old days, car batteries were unheard of. Yes, that was the time when you had to break your arm off just to crank start the engine. It’s a good thing that technology has been kind enough to improve all our motoring lives.

A car battery (of a typical car, let’s not talk about hybrids) is a rechargeable battery is an integral part of your car’s ignition system and powers all the other electrical devices in the car. With so much electronics placed inside cars these days, having a crappy battery spells disaster. Imagine you’re running late for something, you try to start your car and all you hear is one loud tick. Failed battery. So to be sure that never happens, you have to make sure that your battery’s in tip-top shape.

Here’s a quick guide to battery care and maintenance.

Checking the battery first begins with an ocular inspection. Check the cell casing and cover for any cracks. Any sign of moisture and a strong sour smell from the battery indicates that it’s leaking. Be careful when handling leaking car batteries. There are very strong chemicals inside the batteries.

Nowadays, batteries are built to be maintenance free or low-maintenance (pictured, right). They are sealed so you might not have to worry about the electrolyte levels and skip the next few lines. If happen to have one that has removable caps (pictured, left), you might want to check the electrolyte levels. To do this, unscrew the caps.

If the fluid doesn’t reach the top of the plates inside the battery, you have to top it up with some distilled water. You can get distilled water specifically for car batteries of the counter in garages and gas stations. Never use tap water for this. It contains too many minerals that would mess up the battery’s chemistry. Be sure to replace the caps and secure them tightly.

Check the battery terminals for any sign of corrosion and deposits. Sometimes, it just takes one corroded terminal to prevent your car from starting. Corrosion would often look like whitish powder around the terminals. Caked acid would often be some colorful cruds.

To clean terminals, remove the clamps and cables. Be sure to start with the negative pole (-) then the positive (+). A word of warning though, make sure that you have your keys with you all the time. Some car security systems would lock down at first sign of electricity being cut. Also, check your car’s electronics’ (audio and satnav) manuals to check if removing the battery connection will have complications.

Using some baking soda, some water, and an old toothbrush, brush of any cruds. If the darned cruds are stubborn, you can use one of those specialized terminal cleaners.

Dry everything up, making sure the terminals are squeeky clean. You might have to check the connectors too for any cruds. Coating the terminals with some petroleum jelly helps prevent corrosion.

Replace the battery clamps, making sure you place the positive (+) first then the negative (-) last.

Check the battery cables if they are damaged, frayed, or have exposed conductors. If they do, replace them or have your mechanic do it for you as soon as possible. If budget doesn’t permit it yet, patch it up with some strong electrical tape.

Car batteries often need changing at the maximum of 3.5 years or depending on the warranty claim on your battery. If there are times when you accidentally leave you headlights on while parked (modern cars have warning buzzers though) and you run out of juice, most auto electrical technicians would just recommend a good charging. Let the experts do it for you.