A charged battery is a happy battery. Keeping your car’s battery properly charged is essential to long life and reliability. When you drive, your car’s charging system keeps your battery topped up.

Sure, you could grab your cell phone and call a mechanic at the first sign of car trouble, or you could become self-reliant by buying a couple of things that can get you up and running almost as ...

️ Editor's note: This article was updated with new information in December 2025. Dead batteries are a predictable reality for any car that spends more time parked than driven. Battery discharge does ...