1. Check for cracks or deformations of battery cases and covers, which may be a result of:
   • Excessive tightening of hold down attachment
   • Loose hold down attachment causing vibrations
   • Buckled battery plates
   • Battery mishandling
2. Check your vehicle's electrical system regularly. Make sure that your alternator / generator and voltage regulators are functioning properly. Charging voltage limits of the alternator should be between 13.1 volts to 14.8 volts.
3. Electrical wirings should be checked regularly. Electrical leakages or shorts will drain the power of the battery.
4. Keep battery, cables and terminal connectors clean and tight all the times.
   • Check the cable installation to the terminal posts. The positive cable should be connected to the positive terminal post and the negative cable to the negative post.
   • Check for any flayed cables as this might be a source of battery shorting.
   • Check the terminal clamp installation. Is it tight and secure? If not, tighten it accordingly.
   • Check for corrosion on the clamps and terminals. Corrosion can be removed with water. Make sure the negative terminal cable is properly "grounded" to the car's body.
   • Check the cable connection from the battery to the alternator. Loose connections will result in undercharging or non-charging of the battery Do not attempt to check the state of charge by shorting the terminals with a metal object such as a wrench. Sparks may cause the battery to explode. Use a hydrometer for batteries with vent plugs and a DC voltmeter for sealed batteries
5. Check for deformations/damage of the battery case which could result from:
   • Vibrations due to loose installation or no hold-down attachment of battery;
   • Excessive tightening of hold-down attachment;
   • Battery mishandling
6. Do not overload your battery; always use the specified battery for your car. A battery with a lower specification will neither perform as well nor last as long as an OE-specified battery. Should you add electrical devices in your vehicle, use a battery with a higher electrical capacity.
   Need help? Use the battery finder to select the most appropriate battery for your car.
7. Use only this battery for automotive use. Using this for Deep Cycle Applications (e.g. Radio, TV, Fishing, etc.) will shorten the battery's service life and void the warranty.
8. Keep sparks and flames away from the battery. The battery generates explosive gases.
9. Keep vent caps tight. Do not overfill your battery with distilled water. (For Low Maintenance Batteries only)
10. Battery acid is corrosive, please avoid contact.
11. To ensure your battery's optimum performance, visit any of Motolite's Battery World outlet or any of Motolite?s Authorized Dealer nearest you. For more information, call 370-6686 for Metro Manila or consult your local Yellow pages for your respective authorized provincial outlets.

Basic Automotive Tips:

Proper maintenance may mean the difference between getting home safely or breaking down in the middle of nowhere. Here are some vital car maintenance tips for keeping you and your car safe and healthy.

Check The Oil

Checking it and changing it often is probably the single most important thing you can do to keep your car's engine in good condition.

Check Your Lights

Having working head and tail lights is absolutely crucial to your safety. Have them fixed as soon as possible whenever one isn't working and avoid driving with one light out, if at all possible.

Check Your Tires

Check the tire pressure, but also the alignment often. Tire pressure affects many aspects of your car, including the amount of fuel it uses, the handling and performance, as well as the comfort and smoothness of the ride. Rotate your tires after every other oil change. Proper tire rotation helps your tires to wear more evenly. Also, keep a check on the tread wear of your tires and get new tires when needed.

Check Your Transmission Fluid

Check your transmission fluid according to your vehicle owner's manual recommendations. Top it up if needed, but do not over fill, as overfilling can damage your transmission.

Check The Engine Coolant

If you don't have enough coolant, you run the risk of overheating your engine and damaging it. Keep the coolant level topped up, especially if you're going on a long trip during warmer months.

Check The Belts

There are numerous belts in your vehicle. Be sure to check the rubber and the belt when you are performing your regular, under the hood maintenance.

10 Ways to Reduce the Cost of Driving

The cost of motoring has risen significantly in recent years, particularly with the rapid rise in petrol prices. There are however a number of ways in which you can reduce the cost of motoring. Try following out Top 10 Tips below and you could be driving further for less.

1. Get the best deal on petrol prices. The price of petrol can vary by liter in local areas.

2. Drive in the highest gear. Driving at high speeds in low gears can result in 45% more fuel being consumed than needed.

3. Keep your tires pumped up to the right level. Fuel economy can be improved by up to 5% by keeping your tires inflated to the correct level.

4. Don’t drive erratically. Constantly accelerating and braking consumes more fuel than smoother driving. Look ahead to foresee possible road obstruction to reduce the need for sudden breaking.

5. Save money on car insurance. One can search the World Wide Web to find the cheapest quote possible. Car insurance quotes can vary by thousands of peso so huge savings can be made.

6. Find cheaper parking. There are cheaper parking areas which you can be sure that your car is safe. Parking doesn’t have to have a valet service; safety is what we’re talking here.

7. Don’t overuse the air conditioning or heater. Overheating the car and then having to open the windows is a waste of energy and lowers your fuel economy.

8. Avoid short journeys. Driving short distances is significantly less fuel efficient than longer journeys. Set time aside to walk short distances.

9. Share a journey. Sharing a lift into work with one other person slashes your fuel bill by half by allowing you to share the cost of driving.

10. Close your windows. Having windows open at high speeds creates significant drag meaning that more fuel is used. Even if closing your windows means the air conditioning is required it is still more fuel efficient.