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The Kitchen Table

Car Battery Question

6 years ago

We're playing the 'Home Alone' game and only driving a few miles per week (CVS, Groceries). Our battery is two years old. Please tell me how fast, how far, and how often the car should be driven to keep the battery charged?

Featured Answer

Elmer J Fudd

6 years ago

last modified: 6 years ago

A battery exists only to start the engine. Once running, the alternator supplies all the electricity needed and has a surplus that recharges the battery for the next start.

Such short jaunts are more a problem for the engine than the battery because the engine needs time to get to normal temperature to heat and circulate the oil. Water accumulates in oil and it needs to get hot enough to evaporate it off.

Go on a 20 minutes long drive (not two 10s) after running errands once a month, include some freeway time when it's warmed up if you can. Otherwise, with winter gone and a 2 year old battery, you should be fine.

Do not run an engine at idle for more than a few minutes. It's not good for many reasons.

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Comments (8)

Rose Pekelnicky
6 years ago
I'm not an expert but I have an Explorer and a car just for myself. One vehicle may sit for 2 months but when I get in it it starts right up. I think you are fine and 2 years isn't that old for a battery. My Explorer battery has to be at least 7 yrs old because that's about how long my husband has been gone.
jim_1 (Zone 5B)
6 years ago
My next door neighbor has a corvette he keeps in the garage. I takes it out once every 6 months and that is the end of that. He just leaves it alone.

We have gone on extended cruises and returned home to have zero problems with our car.
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morz8 - Washington Coast
6 years ago
I would think you should be fine with the few miles you are driving. When DH's sisters can be gone a couple of months at a time, he will start their cars once a month or so, let them idle until oil has warmed. Or he'll move one to a different position in the driveway if not a vehicle kept locked in the garage. The only car out of half dozen or more where it seems critical it be started and driven is a BMW one them owns. Maybe so loaded with electronics it draws on the battery when parked for lengths of time? I remember problems with that car battery if not taken out and driven, left parked and not started for too many weeks.
chisue
Original Author
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Thanks, all! So...we did the right thing (driving 20 minutes on the highway), although it was in aid of the engine, not the battery! lol
Elmer J Fudd
6 years ago
It helped both.
User
6 years ago
It depends on what kind of car you have.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/long-term-parking-can-kill-your-battery-heres-the-solution-1505426532
Elmer J Fudd
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Fair enough, raye smith, you're right to a point.

In responding, I considered that chisue has previously described her car. A luxury European model that's more than 10 years old (maybe more than 15) and unlikely to have much in the way of a phantom load. For other cars, it's true and a function of the phantom load and age of the battery.

I myself have never had a problem with long idle periods of up to a few months with cars I know are constantly sending and receiving messages. Fortunately, a battery that's dead from disuse but otherwise okay can be immediately fixed using jumper cables (or calling a service to do same).

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