How Often to Replace a Car Battery

Wondering how to know if your car battery needs to be replaced or how to test a car battery? The service department at Bob Ross Buick GMC can help! In general, most experts agree that you should replace your car battery roughly every four-five years. However, this timeframe also depends on other factors. Learn more about how often to replace your car’s battery, how much a replacement battery costs, and more with the help of Bob Ross Buick GMC! We’re your go-to resource for battery services in the Kettering area.
What Factors Cause Car Battery Deterioration?
While you’ll need to replace your car battery roughly every four-five years, there are factors that can lessen that timeframe:
- Heat: If you live in a hot climate, you may need to get your battery changed more frequently. Hot weather can cause the evaporation of liquids within your car battery, potentially shortening the battery’s lifespan.
- Needing a Jump: Be careful not to leave your lights on overnight or leave your engine on for too long — if your vehicle requires a jump start, this can further shorten car battery life.
- Vibrations: If you often drive over rough terrain or your battery’s hold-down clamps are loose, you may find yourself replacing your car battery sooner than every four-five years.
- Time: Even if you properly care for your car battery, you’ll eventually need to change it. This is an unavoidable part of routine maintenance, but proper care can lengthen your battery’s life!
For more information on your vehicle’s specific battery, consult your owner’s manual. If you want further information on maintenance, explore our service tips!
How Do You Know If Your Car Battery Needs to Be Replaced?
It’s easy to forget bout routine maintenance as you go about your everyday Springboro travels. Here are some warning signs that can help you know when to get your car battery replaced:
- You find that your vehicle needs more frequent engine revving or jump starts
- Your headlights are constantly dimming
- It takes longer than usual to start your engine
- Your vehicle shows signs of unusual power fluctuations
How to Test a Car Battery
Wondering how to test your car’s battery? Our service professionals can take care of this the next time you schedule service; this task should be performed about twice a year. Curious about how to test a car battery at home? You can test your battery between services by following these steps:
- The Headlight Test:
- Start by turning on your engine and be sure to keep your car in park. Turn your headlights on.
- Next, rev your engine to see if it affects the brightness of your headlights.
- If your headlights appear to get brighter, this could possibly mean that the current is not strong enough the keep the headlights at their usual brightness when your engine is idle.
- If that’s the case, be sure to visit our Bellbrook-area service center.
- Using a Digital Multimeter:
- Own a digital multimeter? Start by setting the voltmeter to 20 DC volts.
- Open the hood and touch the negative terminal (black) with the negative meter probe, which is also black in color.
- Next, touch the positive terminal (red) with the positive meter probe, which is also red.
- Have a friend or family member turn on your headlights while you check the voltmeter reading.
- Your battery is fully charged if it reads 80℉ and 12.5 volts or higher. If it reads 12.3 volts, that means your battery is roughly 75% charged. If it reads 11.8 volts or lower, your batter has a 25% or less charge.
How Much is a Replacement Car Battery?
If your battery charge is low, you may be wondering how much a replacement car battery costs. For the average car battery, the price point is about $75 to $120. If you opt for a premium battery, it could be as much as $200. Keep in mind that if you drive a hybrid vehicle, your battery is going to cost significantly more. Hybrid car batteries cost anywhere from $1,000 to $6,000 depending on your make and model. This is offset by hybrid vehicles’ lower gas consumption, but you’ll still want to keep this cost in mind as you budget for car maintenance.
Rely on Bob Ross Buick GMC for Car Battery Service
Now that you know how often to replace your car battery, be sure to schedule service when you’re in need of a new battery! Our service team is here to help you with any type of maintenance, from knowing when to rotate your tires, brake repairs to dent and scratch repairs. We can also help you with other service and tips tricks like how to clean your leather seats. We’re your go-to resource for all things vehicle service in the Oakwood area!