How Often to Replace a Car Battery

When a battery starts to fade, there are some telltale signs to look for. If you notice any of the following, it could be time for a battery replacement:

• Frequent need for engine revving or jump-starts
• Dimming headlights
• Vehicle takes longer to start the engine when you turn the key/push the button
• Unusual power fluctuations

Your regular scheduled maintenance appointments are excellent times to get your battery tested. However, if you’re wondering how to test a car battery at home, these methods can have you back on Cape Coral streets in no time.

The Headlight Test:

1. Turn on the engine, keep the car in park, and make sure the headlights are on.

2. Rev the engine and see if the headlight brightness changes.

3. If the headlights get brighter, that means the current is not strong enough to keep the lights at normal brightness while the car is idling.

4. Take your car to a service center at this point for further assessment.

The Headlight Test:

1. Set the voltmeter to 20 DC volts.

2. Under the hood, touch the negative terminal (black) with the negative meter probe (also black).

3. Touch the positive terminal (red) with the positive meter probe (also red)

4. Have a friend turn on the headlights and check the voltmeter reading.

5. At 80?, 12.5 volts or higher means your battery is fully charged. 12.3 volts means it’s at about 75% charged.11.8 volts or lower means you have 25% or less charge.

When thinking about how often to replace a car battery, the cost is a major factor. So just how much is a replacement car battery? Typically, you can expect to spend somewhere between $75 and $120, and the cost rises up to $200 for premium batteries. Hybrid car batteries are much more expensive, costing between $1,000 and $6,000, but is offset by much lower gas consumption.

• Vibrations: Vibrations caused by loose clamps or rough roads will cause internal battery parts to break down faster.
• Heat: When the temperature rises in a vehicle, it causes the evaporation of liquid inside a car battery. If you live in a more consistently hot climate, your battery life will be noticeably shorter.
• Time: Since a car battery can only go through so many charge cycles, it will eventually die out. However, proper care can prevent the battery from dying on you early.
• Needing a Jump: If you leave your lights on overnight or let your engine idle for too long, a jumpstart could be required. Jumpstarts can shorten battery life significantly.

Be sure to consult your owner’s manual or maintenance schedule for the best idea of how long your car battery should last with proper care. Keeping your car on Naples streets is much easier with proper battery maintenance.