Tuesday, January 1, 2019

How Long Should a Car Battery Last? (Batteries Guide & FAQ)

The post How Long Should a Car Battery Last? (Batteries Guide & FAQ) appeared first on Full Gleam.

How long does car battery last? Frankly, even the most experienced mechanic can’t give you a precise answer.

Typically car battery can last anywhere from 3 – 5 years depending on your usage.

Also, the different type of batteries will have varied shelf life too. Some heavy-duty vehicle battery can last up to 10 years!

Either way, you will need to test your battery regularly to keep your car driving at its very best.

After all, a dead battery isn’t of any use to you and your car, so it’s important to know how to extend your battery’s life or learn how to replace your old one.

If you are wondering which battery is right for your vehicle and the different types available, check out the following articles – Best Car Battery and Best Truck Battery.

 

Learn when you need to replace your vehicle battery

When it comes to prolonging your car battery lifespan, there are many auto services you can avail to help you achieve this.

Aside from car service, proper care and routine check-ups are a great solution to avoid any kind of vehicle trouble from occurring.

Another simple solution to extending the life of your battery and ensuring high performance from your car is to practice smart and healthy maintenance habits.

So, in this article, we’ll explore:

Guide to Car Batteries

Car Battery Maintenance Guide

Additional Car Battery Information

 

How Long Do Car Batteries Last?

how-to-check-car-battery-life

The most straightforward answer to this question is “it depends.”

There are a number of factors that can extend or shorten your battery’s life.

And, car battery life is the amount of time that your battery can perform and start your car engine.

The life of your car battery depends on how long it can hold its charge and is capable of being recharged. Once it can’t be recharged, it’s dead. – Valerie Johnston, Your Mechanic

But how long should a car battery last under normal usage?

It’s vital to know that battery will age whether you use it or not.

If you don’t consider any outside factors such as humidity and temperature, intense use of electrical and electronic devices while driving; a battery life can last up to six years.

However, from the feedback of many drivers, realistically, it can only average about two to five years.

Some expert will even recommend replacing a new car battery after four years regardless of the battery condition.

Assuming in the four years, you are driving your car daily, so it’s safe to assume the car battery is fully utilized.

 

Factors that Can Impact Battery Life

Like what was said above, many different factors that can affect your battery’s ability to perform its job better for longer.

Knowing what these things can help you understand what your battery needs and ultimately help you make the most out of it as well.

Here are a few factors you should be aware of:

Depth of Discharge

The engine isn’t the only thing that your car battery is powering up.

Many other car parts get energy from your battery as well, including your AC, the windshield wipers, your stereo, and so on.

These accessories will deplete your battery charges. The more you use them, the more energy is taken from the battery, and the more is reduced from its life cycle.

Temperature

Temperature is one of the most important (and hard to control) factors when it comes to auto batteries.

When it comes to temperatures, car batteries have an ideal working environment of about 65 to 90° Fahrenheit.

However, we cannot control the weather and climate we live in.

Sometimes our car battery will be exposed to extreme cold and extreme heat.

Both extremes can cause a significant reduction in your battery’s use cycle.

Cyclic Life

You know that there are different kinds of vehicle batteries according to the material they’re made with like AGM (Absorbed Glass Mat) and lead-acid.

All batteries also have different cyclic lives, depending on make, model, or brand.

Cyclic life is the number of use cycles a car battery can offer.

The fewer the number of use cycles your battery has, the shorter the span of its life.

Recharge Rate & Voltage

The rate of charging differs from battery to battery.

Some will take a whopping 12 hours to reach 100% while others need only half the time to get fully recharged.

Regardless, it is crucial that you do not overcharge your batteries as that can lead to its ultimate failure or leak.

As such, if your voltmeter reads between 14.4 and 14.6 volts if you have an AGM battery, then it’s fully charged.

However, if it’s reading between 11.8 and 12.0 volts, then your battery is completely discharged.

Driving Habits

Most of the factors above are all technical stuff about batteries, but one other factor that significantly impacts your battery life is the way you drive.

You might think that driving shorter trips can save battery life, but the opposite is true.

Daily short trips can drain your battery more because your car’s engine requires more energy to start than the actual driving trip itself.

Plus, shorter trips pave the way to undercharging.

Not getting fully charged can also shorten your battery’s life further.

 

Signs that Your Battery Might Fail Soon

does-listening-to-the-radio-drain-car-battery

Before your battery even dies, it might be a good idea to be observant and mindful.

What for the signs that can tell you if it might fail sooner rather than later.

Don’t get surprised! Here are a few telltale signs that your battery might fail you:

Corrosion

Corrosion is an easy sign to tell that your car battery is in bad condition.

Even though batteries require acid in order to function properly, they don’t corrode around the cables unless there’s a sign of a leak. – Mighty Auto Shop

The acid leak can mess up the metal that makes up your actual battery.

Now, think about what it can do if it comes into contact with the other parts of your car.

If you live it on its own, corrosion and acid leak will not only affect your battery but also create lots of problems for your whole car.

“Check Engine” Light is ON

Another easy sign is when you see the ‘Check Engine’ light is on in your dashboard.

It means that your system has found a problem somewhere.

While this symbol can also suggest that there is a problem with the engine, it can also signify an underlying problem.

Therefore, bring your auto to the mechanic at once. He might need to check your electrical system or another part of your car.

Slow Engine Crank

Sometimes visible signs aren’t as easy to see, so it pays to be observant in the way your car performs.

If you’re having a hard time starting your car on a typical day or your lights aren’t as bright as they should be, then the problem might be with your battery.

Regarding car battery life, a good mechanic could tell you that signs such as dimming headlights, the more frequent need for revving and jump starting, strain in cold weather and unusual power fluctuations would be indicative of a faulty or quickly draining battery. However, while these signs may appear in older battery designs, most new batteries simply fail, often unexpectedly. – Advanceautoparts

It might already be weak or dying. Make sure to check or have your battery tested by a professional as soon as possible.

Delaying the check-up might leave you with a dead battery and a car that won’t start up.

Low Battery Fluid Levels

Battery fluid is essential to your battery’s performance.

If you are using a wet-cell battery, you have to constantly remind to top up the battery water.

If you can’t see the fluid in your battery’s translucent case, then that means your battery will most likely stop working soon.

Make plans to replace your vehicle battery soon.

 

How to Check Car Battery?

Diagnostic tests are a great way to check if your car battery is still working optimally.

Want to check car battery life? There are many ways to do so.

The internet is full of articles and websites that can show you different ideas on how to do this.

Check out this article to learn 2 easy ways – How to Check A Car Battery.

Want a more interactive lesson? Watch this video instead:

 

 

How to Tell If Your Car Battery is Dead?

The easiest way to tell that you have a dead battery is that your car won’t start.

But then again, that might mean different things as well.

So, how do can you tell the difference between a dead and drained battery and a battery that needs to be recharged?

Here are a few signs that your battery is dead:

  • No chime when the key is inserted
  • No headlights
  • No radio
  • The engine won’t start, but the starter motor can be heard

 

How Long Does It Take to Charge A Car Battery?

flat-car-battery-how-long-to-recharge

The type of battery charger you use is essential to ensure that you recharge your battery safely.

So, make sure to choose the right one for your specific needs.

Now, a method you should employ when charging is the slow charging method or trickle charging.

It helps to decrease the chance of overcharging and lower the risk of permanent damage.

How long your battery needs to be charged can depend on the power your battery can provide as well as how drained your battery is.

Some batteries need up to 12 hours to recharge while other chargers can fully charge them at 4 to 6 hours.

 

How to Charge a Car Battery at Home?

To be sure, it is still recommended to have a professional look at and recharge your battery for you.

They know what they’re doing, and there is a lower risk of error.

However, going to an auto professional is costlier than and not as convenient as charging at home.

Learn more about recharging your vehicle battery at home – How to Charge a Car Battery.

See which are the best battery chargers to buy by checking out this article – Best Car Battery Charger.

 

How Often to Replace your Car Battery?

Remember that car battery replacement is inevitable during your vehicle’s life.

Car batteries just can’t last long enough for a single car, and that’s fine.

Regular replacement can ensure that your auto’s performance is always first-rate.

So, when to replace car battery?

The average time that you should replace your car battery is every 2 to 3 years.

But if you think that your battery is already showing signs of aging, then it’s never too early to get it checked out.

 

Car Battery Maintenance

Proper car battery maintenance can be the difference between a great battery and a bad one.

Keeping your battery well-maintained has all the pros, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t do it.

Most automotive batteries require regular maintenance in the form of checking the electrolyte level and specific gravity.

Electrolyte level

So, if you are using a wet-cell battery, you have to replenish the electrolyte water whenever it goes below the markings.

The Electrolyte is a solution of sulfuric acid and water, should always cover the lead plates in each cell.

Specific gravity

The specific gravity in a battery will indicate the battery condition whether it’s still good or already gone bad.

If the specific gravity is low across all the cells, the battery is typically in need of a charge. If the specific gravity remains low after charging the battery, that’s usually a good indicator that the battery should be replaced. If the specific gravity is only low in one cell, that indicates an internal fault, in which case charging the battery may actually be dangerous. – Lifewire

Even though the vehicle alternator can recharge the car battery under normal circumstances, but inevitably batteries can go dead for many reasons.

Here are a few things you can do to prolong a car battery life:

  • Clean the corrosion from your battery
  • Check electrolyte levels, add water if necessary
  • Check battery condition, test electrolyte with a hydrometer

 

How to Increase Battery Life?

how-long-does-a-car-battery-last-without-driving

To extend the lifespan of your battery, you should definitely employ proper maintenance routines.

Some of the routines are like cleaning your battery contacts and getting regular check-ups with your local auto shop.

You can also keep in mind key factors that will most likely affect your battery, like ensuring that your car is well-protected from extreme temperatures and etcetera.

Never leave your lights or air conditioning on while your vehicle is switched off, as they’ll drain the battery – Warrantywise

You should also keep your accessories turned off to when the car is not in use to avoid battery drainage.

Another thing to remember is your driving habits.

It’s okay to drive regularly to keep your battery performing well.

However, try to avoid driving short trips by planning beforehand.

Remember that each time you start your car will require a significant amount of power from your battery.

 

How Much Do Car Batteries Cost?

The cost of car batteries highly depends on the brand, the model, the type, and the power it can provide.

One of the lowest prices you can get for a good auto battery model is about $99.

But of course, prices can go up to about $200 or more.

According to CostHelper, a typical car battery costs between $50 and $120, while premium batteries cost $90 to $200. One of the most common is the lead-acid battery, which costs in the neighborhood of $125 to $135 but can run as low as $60. – Angielist

Probably, the average price of an automotive battery will be somewhere in the $125 range more or less.

If you are buying truck batteries, then it can cost higher as a truck battery is made to be tough and usually comes with higher crack power.

The average price for a truck battery is about $160 – $180 for a starter.

 

Car Battery Warranty Details

Each car battery has a warranty that goes with it.

Make sure to study your car battery warranty details and make the most of it.

Most batteries have 1, 2 or 3-year warranties depending on their quality and price. You can expect batteries with a 1-year warranty to fail much sooner than the more expensive units that have 2 or 3-year warranties – Advanceautoparts

Knowing the warranty before buying the battery is a smart move since you can avail of any of their services if anything goes wrong.

Plus, you can also choose which product to get depending on the warranty details they have.

Sometimes a seemingly good product doesn’t always have the best warranty. That can be a deal breaker for some people.

 

Battery Replacement & Recycling

When your battery needs to be replaced, you can do it yourself or have a professional do it for you.

If you want to play safe, choose the expert way.

But, what happens with your old battery then?

Well, it’s illegal for you to dispose of your old battery along with your household waste. That’s because auto batteries contain toxic waste.

In the US, federal law requires, with certain exceptions, used Nickel Cadmium (Ni-Cd) and Lead (Pb) batteries to be managed as Universal Waste (40 CFR Part 273). The Universal Waste Rule prohibits handlers (e.g., contractors) from disposing of waste Ni-Cd and Pb batteries and further indicates that these batteries must be sent for recycling. – Call 2 Recycle

However, local auto shops can take your battery from you for a small fee. They will be able to dispose of it for you properly.

Other batteries, if they are well-maintained enough, can be reconditioned.

Some parts can be taken, and others melted down for futures use.

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