Autozone Battery Hold Down (2024)

FAQs

Is a battery hold down necessary? ›

The addition of car battery hold downs can prevent batteries from causing a short circuit. These accessories can also protect the batteries from failing prematurely. They can likewise keep the terminal clean, ensuring that they can establish optimal contact with the cables.

Maybe you have a different name for it — base clamp, brace, “that thing that keeps my battery secure.” Whatever you call it, the battery hold-down keeps your battery from moving as your car goes up and down hills, around corners and through quick starts and panic stops.

Hit a pothole or go over some rough railroad tracks and an unsecured battery can literally bounce into the air and hit the underside of your hood or the inside of a fender. It only takes a very brief contact with those terminals for significant and expensive damage to occur.

If the battery is found defective during the free replacement period on your receipt, bring the battery to any AutoZone store and you will receive a free replacement.

Your battery could be 75% charged or 100% charged and still be at death's door, the same way a cracked glass can be full of water. A fully charged battery could also be so aged, so sulfated and so weak that it can only hold a little bit of power for a brief period of time.

If you know your car battery is relatively new and has been kept in good condition, it can probably sit unused for about two weeks before it goes flat, however in other cases a car battery can last between two weeks to four months.

A hold-down or toggling clamp is a piece of equipment that is often used to hold items together or to keep them stable by exerting set pressure. It's a highly flexible piece of equipment, whether it's the common manual form or a motorized variant for heavy-duty tasks.

You may find you're able to temporarily recharge a battery this old, however it's likely to lose its charge again very soon. Older batteries do deteriorate over time and naturally lose their ability to hold a charge. Even old batteries in need of replacement can provide enough power to start a car when they're charged.

Using Epsom salt is another way to recondition a battery that won't hold charge. Epsom salt or magnesium sulfate can help dissolve solid salts that have formed around the battery plates over time. Simply mix one part Epsom salt with three parts distilled water, and pour the solution over the battery cells.

Those small points of contact often end up becoming super-heated by the electrical current and melt out. An even more dangerous and potentially catastrophic situation is possible if the terminals of an unsecured battery both come in contact with a metal surface, like the underside of the hood of a vehicle.

How long can I not drive my car before the battery dies? ›

Typically, your car can sit about four weeks to two months without driving before the battery dies. The reason your car can sit only for so long before it dies is the fact that your car battery is in use even when you're not behind the wheel.

How long does a sitting car battery last? A car battery can last about four weeks to two months before it dies. Your car battery can only last so long before it fails when you're not driving because of key-off drain.

Put in your vehicle on AutoZone.com to order a battery for pick up, or stop by your local AutoZone to get help with selecting and installation your new battery. If the job is too big for you, seek out one of our Preferred Shops to help you do the job.

If you don't have a charger, the experts at AutoZone can assist you in selecting one. If you prefer not to work under the hood, you can bring your dead battery to an AutoZone store, where they will test and recharge it free of charge.

If you're having car battery trouble, it's time to head to your local AutoZone for free battery testing. It's easy! An AutoZoner will test your battery while it's still in your vehicle. If the battery is discharged but still technically sound, we can charge up the battery so you can be on your way.

Ensure the Battery Is Secure and Properly Seated

A loose battery can cause vibrations that lead to internal damage and reduced lifespan. Make sure your battery is securely fastened in its tray. Check the brackets and clamps holding the battery in place.

This is not only for the performance of the battery pack, but also for optimal life cycles. The use of cell balancing enables us to design a battery with larger capacity for an application because balancing allows the battery to achieve a higher state of charge (SOC).

It's also important to stay vigilant so that you don't let the battery drain consistently. This will weaken it and shorten its overall life. If you follow the tips mentioned, your battery should have a healthy and long lifespan.

Safely store the batteries upright

Preventing the electrolyte from leaking is key, and so is eliminating the chance of arcing across posts. Not only should the batteries be stored upright, but there should be no opportunity for them to fall over.