When To Replace Car Battery? (5 Warning Signs To Look For)

Top 5 Warning Signs To Know When to Replace a Car Battery

The following are the top failing battery signs, however sometimes these same issues are caused by a failing charging system such as a missing drive belt for your alternator or a failing alternator.

Dim headlights, insufficient power to crank the engine when starting, engine light turned on on your dash, frequent jump-starts, your battery is old, and your dash lights are on, but the engine won’t start.

Take action now before the battery is completely dead. Note that cars with automatic transmissions must be jump-started instead of pushing the car to start.

Also, check your battery connections to make sure the connections are snug and not loose. If there is a lot of corrosion around the terminals, clean the terminals off, and tighten the connections.

1. Slow starting (Weak alternator?)

A weak alternator can sometimes not produce sufficient power to charge the battery and run all of your vehicle’s electrical systems at the same time.

As a result, your battery gradually drains until it cannot longer provide sufficient power to crank the engine. As soon as you notice your engine is slow to start, have the battery and the alternator checked.

2. Check engine light

The check engine light comes on for many reasons. It is a general indicator that something is not quite right with your engine’s systems. If your lights are dim, your car is hard to start, or the starter makes a clicking sound; there is a pretty good chance the battery is not fully charged.

Have a mechanic check the error codes produced when the check engine light comes on to confirm what triggered the engine light to illuminate.

3. Electrical system failure

It is unusual for the vehicle’s electrical system to suffer a complete failure; however, individual components can fail, making it seem as if the entire system just stopped working.

Corroded and broken electrical cables can have this effect. A broken alternator belt can have the same effect causing your battery to be drained of electrical power until your car just stops running.

4. Corroded battery terminal

A heavily corroded battery terminal is an indicator that the connection is slowly building up resistance and killing your battery. Corroded terminals may also indicate your battery is nearing the end of its life cycle.

Every time you pop the hood of your vehicle, check the battery terminals for signs of corrosion. Clean the terminals off and make sure the cables are also tight for a good connection to ensure your car runs well all of the time.

5. Jump start the car battery frequently

A sure sign that there is something not quite right with your battery or charging system is having to jump-start your car frequently. Perhaps you are also connecting a battery charger frequently so you can start your car.

The battery does not have sufficient power to start the engine. Either it is not charging properly or cannot hold a charge. Have your battery and alternator checked?

What to look For When Buying a Battery Replacement?

There are several factors to consider when you replace your car’s battery. But first, always refer to your owner’s manual for recommendations regarding the proper battery for your vehicle. Most auto parts stores can provide several choices in batteries that fit your vehicle.

Factors to consider are: Physical size, battery freshness-when was it produced, reserve capacity time running on its own, power requirements, e.g., cranking amps, maintenance-free or needs regular maintenance, warranty – replacement and prorated, type and location of terminals, amp-hours of output, battery life expectancy, and your own previous experience with a particular battery or auto parts store.

1. Cranking amps

A battery must supply sufficient cranking amps to start your car at a temperature of 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Refer to your owner’s manual for this specification and ensure you purchase a battery that meets this requirement. The number of amps needed depends on the type and size of the engine in your vehicle.

2. Cold cranking amps

Similar to cranking amps, cold cranking amps is the number of amps to start your car’s engine at zero degrees Fahrenheit. Your car’s engine is more difficult to start at colder temperatures, and the battery must supply sufficient power to start the car.

Consumers living in colder climates, especially with winter driving, must consider cold cranking amps’ specifications.

3. Auto battery type

There is a multitude of battery types,. However, most cars use the standard lead-acid battery, which can be purchased requiring regular maintenance and those that are sealed, and you never need to check your batteries.

Regular maintenance consists of checking the acid levels in the battery once a month and adding distilled water if needed. Hybrid and all-electric vehicles are using lithium batteries, which cannot be serviced by consumers.

4. Warranty on the battery

Most new batteries come with a free replacement period and a prorated period. Free replacement means the supplier replaces the battery free of charge within a specified period.

After this initial period of time, the cost of replacing the battery is shared between the supplier and the customer based on a proration of the time left on the warranty and the initial purchase date.

5.  Vehicle battery size

The size of your battery can make a huge difference. Most vehicles have a designated location for the battery, which has physical size limitations.

While you could use a physically smaller vehicles battery, you cannot place a physically larger battery in this space. The battery must also be secured properly to the vehicle so that it does not move while the vehicle is being operated.