FAQs - Cross Country Battery

  • Using the wrong size battery (not enough power)
  • Corrosion
  • Significant discharging (lights on)
  • Excessive heat under the hood or overcharging
  • Alternator Belts that are loose
  • Batteries that are loose causing excessive vibration
  • Corrosion
  • Freezing

  • Meets or Exceeds CCA (Cold Cranking Amps) and RC (Reserve Capacity) ratings for your vehicle
  • Make sure the battery is the right size for your vehicle (don’t substitute)
  • Strong and committed National Warranty Program (free and pro-rated)
  • An experienced battery specialist that can examine your entire charging system

** In colder climates, higher CCA ratings are more important, whereas, in a hot climate, higher RC ratings are more important.

Cold Cranking Amps is a rating that is used to define the battery’s ability to start an engine under low-temperature conditions. Reserve Capacity rates the time the battery will continue to operate essential accessories in the event of a charging system failure.

The following is recommended:

Check the water level and make sure the water level is maintained:

Pry off the vent caps and examine each cell to make sure that the water is covering the lead plates and is at the correct level. Add distilled water (important to use distilled water to prevent contamination) to cover the lead plates and fill to the proper levels. Too much water may result in damage around the battery. We also recommend that battery terminals be cleaned with a mixture of baking soda and water. Once cleaned they can be rinsed with water and coated with a sealant or high temperature grease.

In most instances it takes several hours to properly recharge a battery properly. Usually it takes several hours to effectively recharge a battery. Slow charging is the very best way to charge the battery and the rates vary depending on the battery type and capacity. A 10 amp or less charge would be considered slow on automotive batteries. Fast charging batteries may result in a loss of service life.

The four major factors that affect an alternators battery charging ability are:

  1. How much current (amps) from the alternator is diverted to the battery to charge
  2. How long the current is available (drive time)
  3. Battery temperature
  4. Battery age

Generally speaking, running the engine at idle, short stop and go, at night will not recharge the battery effectively.

Codes can usually be found on a sticker or on the battery near one of the corners of the battery. The code tells when the battery was shipped from the factory to the distributor.

The first digit from the left side is a letter which stands for the month of the year. A = January; B = February; C = March, etc. The second digit from the left is the year that the battery was shipped from the factory. 4 = 2004, 5 = 2005, 6 = 2006, 7 = 2007, 8 = 2008, 9 = 2009, etc.