PENFIELD, N.Y. (WROC) - Rochester has entered the part of the season where we could face our coldest temperatures yet, with highs struggling to reach that 30 degree mark. Now, for those of you who may park your car outside or own older models, this could spell trouble for your car battery. However, Mark Gruba, a communications specialist with Triple A, says that there may be some ways you can help prevent these car battery problems. “Driving the car helps that battery to maintain its charge. What happens is sometimes on a bitterly cold weekend, we put it away on Friday and don’t come back until Monday. And then the battery’s dead first thing in the morning on Monday because we haven’t driven the car in 48 to 72 hours. So, try to keep driving the car. Get that engine warmed and turned over and out driving a little bit. That will go a long way toward helping maintain the charge,” Gruba said. Another important factor to keep in mind is the limited window of time when a battery could be nearing the end of its life. “In this part of the world, the rule of thumb is a battery’s life is about 3 to 5 years. So once you hit that three year mark, you should be getting your battery checked when you get your oil changed in the car or at least annually so you get an indicator of where you’re at and you’re not stuck on the side of the road with a dead battery. You can make that change to a new battery before you get to that point,” said Gruba. Recognizing the signs that your battery is struggling is crucial to avoiding unexpected breakdowns. Knowing when your battery is underperforming can help you take action before it completely fails, saving you from being left stranded. “One, if you’re having trouble turning over the car, if you’re hearing a clicking or a grinding or a buzzing sound, if the car stalls, that’s an indicator that you might have an issue. Keep an eye on the headlights as well. If they’re dim, but then they brighten as you rev the engine, that could be a sign that your battery is starting to fail. And then again, that last piece. If your battery is older than three years, you might be in the window for a replacement," Gruba said.