How Long Do Car Batteries Last
If you've ever been stuck on the side of the road with a dead car battery, you know how important it is to monitor the performance of your automobile's internal mechanisms. The average car battery's life depends on the following conditions and maintenance activities:
When Do You Need a New Car Battery?
While there are many different car models and battery types, a battery should last at least three years. If you work hard to monitor the condition of your battery and take the time to perform maintenance, the average life expectancy can be five years or longer.
If you've driven your vehicle for three years and never stopped to check the performance of your battery, it's time to take a look. Here are signs you need to have it replaced:
Having Routine Problems
Your battery is charged by your engine running when you drive your car. When your battery starts to go bad, it can't hold a charge for as long. This can lead to a variety of problems, but the most obvious one if your battery suddenly dying. If you have to jump your car three times or more in one week, you need to have your battery replaced, according to the AxleAddict auto information blog.
Starting Your Car
A car refusing to start when you turn your key in the ignition is an indication there's probably something wrong with the battery. Any trouble during starting up could indicate your battery is running down. Do you need to give the key a couple turns before it goes? Does your car make a sputtering sound before the engine starts? Do lights or other electronics flicker during ignition? These are all signs of a weak battery.
Problems with car batteries might also cause check engine lights to come on. If you suddenly see it lit up on your dashboard, you should perform a visual inspection of the engine.
Visually Inspecting Your Battery
The first thing to look for when you open your car hood to inspect your battery is sign of corrosion. Leaking fluids around the positive and negative posts aren't good for your battery's life. In fact, any form of dirt or grime can affect temperature and performance. You also want to check the battery for signs of swelling due to heat.
Some batteries have transparent features so you can see fluid levels. Battery fluid below the lead plate won't last for very long.
Getting Your Battery Tested
You could always go to your local mechanic and have your battery tested. A professional service should be able to evaluate your battery and charging system for about $30 to $60, according to Testing Autos. You could also do this at home if you have a battery tester device.
When the device shows there's no problem with the battery, but you feel it's not lasting as long as it should, you can perform a parasitic current draw test. This examination process will reveal if some part of your car system is stealing electricity when it shouldn't be.
What Shortens Car Battery Life?
No matter the make and model of your car, there are common factors that will decrease the life expectancy of every type of auto battery.
You have to limit the number of electronics plugged into your car.
Simple Mistakes
If your car uses electricity when the engine isn't running, it places a huge strain on your battery. You have to make sure to turn off lights and remove the ignition key before you leave your car. Some people may also turn on headlights to illuminate spaces or play the radio while the car is off; you should keep these activities to a minimum.
Nowadays, you have to limit the number of electronics plugged into your onboard outlet. For example, you should remove all phone chargers when not in use.
Temperatures
One of the major factors that dictates the life of your battery is where you live. Car batteries in cold climates could last almost twice as long as those in areas that see an abundance of hot days. When battery fluids are hot, they're more active, causing the battery plates to become ineffective faster.
If you want to add a year or two to your battery life and you live in the desert, you'll have to perform maintenance more often than vehicle owners in colder climates. However, cold climates can prove burdensome as well. It takes more electricity to start an engine when it's freezing outside. The goal should be to maintain a consistent temperature and frequent charges.
One piece of advice is to make sure your car battery is warm when you jump it. So if your battery is dead, open your hood and let it sit in the sun before attaching jumper cables.
Short Trips
It takes about 20 minutes for your engine to fully charge your battery. When you constantly take your car for short trips that last less than 20 minutes, you are using your electrical system without charging it. You could try taking different, longer routes, or could find alternative ways to charge your battery if you don't want to change your driving routine.
Engine Problems
Besides parasitic currents, which are car features that use energy when you don't want them to, there could be other problems with your engine shaving years off your battery's life. According to the Your Mechanic blog, a common culprit is a bad alternator diode, which drains the battery or causes it to charge irregularly.
Total maintenance of your engine is the best insurance against an ineffective car battery. Regular cleaning and inspection of all your car's systems ensures no single part of the unit is doing more than its fair share.
How Can You Extend Car Battery Life?
Outside of regular maintenance and avoiding common mistakes like leaving lights on or keys in the ignition, there are a few ways for people to extend the time their batteries operate at peak efficiency in their cars.
Regular Charging
You can't leave your car sitting in the driveway for long periods of time. You want to make sure your battery gets a regular charge, at least once every few months in cold climates and once a month when the weather is warm. Keep in mind these must be full charges, not short drives.
If your schedule means you won't be driving your car for long periods, you can buy a car charger that plugs into your wall. This is a good buy for any home mechanic who makes battery upkeep part of his or her regular maintenance activities.
Keeping your battery clean will prevent heat buildup.
Cleaning the Battery
Keeping your battery - and the rest of your engine - clean will help it perform better and prevent heat buildup. Start by removing corrosion around the battery terminals. This can be done with a screwdriver or other simple tool. If you find jumper cables aren't working, corrosion could be the cause.
You'll also want to wipe away grease or dirt. Any debris around the battery could cause it to get hotter than necessary when in operation. You can wipe it down with a towel or you could go to a mechanic to give your engine a full cleaning.
Monitoring Temperature
When you live in states with extreme hot or cold seasons, it's often beneficial to keep your car indoors throughout the year. Outside of a temperature-controlled garage, you can buy car accessories specifically designed to control the heat of your battery.
Provided there's enough room in your engine, you might be able to use an insulation blanket. This plastic sheet will keep the battery cool when it's warm and vice versa. This may require you to buy a smaller battery so there's space to fit the blanket in your car.
Disconnecting the Battery
When you're not using your car for long periods of time - like putting it in storage or leaving for a lengthy vacation - you could disconnect and remove the battery. Installing and removing your battery is a fairly simple task. By taking it out, you may increase its life expectancy.
One problem is that some parts of your car always use electricity from the battery. So when it's replaced or disconnected, you'll probably have to reset your clocks.
Anything you do to extend the life of your battery will help you maintain your engine, save money in the long run and obtain peace of mind when you're on the road.