Car Batteries are the silent, strong member of the automotive team. They work regardless of heat, cold weather, and drivers who demand so much of them. A car that starts the first time you turn the key is a joy, but it doesn’t last forever.
The average car battery lasts about four years, depending on where you live, how you drive, the state of your charging system, and several other factors. If it dies, there is no sign of trouble – your car just dies.
In the last 100 years, the lead-acid car battery hasn’t changed much, but testing has gotten easier. At present, simple battery testers cannot handle the chemical complexity of a battery. Instead, they provide a kind of snapshot of the battery at the moment it is being tested – without the context of the battery’s chemical composition before or after the test. Thanks to this snapshot, you can keep an eye on what is happening.
A simple rule of thumb for battery replacement is: you have approximately four years before the battery goes from chemical powerhouse to chemical paperweight. After four years, begin watching for symptoms (which we will discuss shortly) and be prepared to take action.
But due to the chemical cocktail inside any battery, it may give out before you think, or maybe it will last for several more years.
You should keep in mind as you read this article that batteries for hybrid and electric cars are a little different, and this article will discuss batteries primarily for cars with gasoline engines.