How Often to Replace a Car Battery

Your battery is a crucial auto part that plays a number of roles in the smooth operation of your vehicle. It provides the energy needed to start the engine, serves as a power source for the short-term use of lights and other vehicle systems, and acts as a surge protector to safeguard your car’s computer system. While most batteries can be expected to last around four to five years, a number of factors can influence how often to replace a car battery. Get all the details in this guide from Gordon Chevrolet, Inc., your go-to automotive experts in the Livonia and Canton area.

How to Know If Your Car Battery Needs to Be Replaced

In most cases, your vehicle will emit some hard-to-miss signs when the battery needs replacing. Any of these red flags indicate a battery that’s nearing the end of its lifespan:

• Your headlights are dimming.
• You need to rev the engine with greater regularity to get it started.
• You need more frequent jump starts.
• Your engine struggles and takes more time to start.
• You notice new power fluctuations in your vehicle performance.

How to Test a Car Battery

Testing your car battery from time to time will help you stay one step ahead of potential issues and avoid the stress of a dead battery. We can perform a battery test as part of your routine maintenance here at the Gordon Chevrolet, Inc. service center. In between visits, you can check the battery yourself. Here’s how to test a car battery at home using two popular methods:

The Headlight Test

1. Start the vehicle, make sure it’s in Park, and switch on the headlights.
2. Rev the engine and look to see if the brightness of the headlights changes at all.
3. If they get brighter upon revving, the current battery power supply is not sufficient enough to keep the lights at normal brightness when idling.
4. Have your vehicle checked out by a professional to determine if a new battery is in order.

Using a Digital Multimeter

1. Set the voltmeter to 20 DC volts.
2. Pop the hood, and touch the negative black terminal with the negative meter probe, which is also black.
3. Touch the positive red terminal with the positive red meter probe.
4. Someone else will need to turn on the headlights and check the voltmeter reading.
5. In general, a reading of 12.5 volts or higher means your battery is fully charged. 12.3 volts indicates a 75% charge, while 11.8 volts or lower is a sign that your battery has a charge of 25% or less.

How Much is a Replacement Car Battery? 

Now that you know how often to replace a car battery, you may be wondering about cost. Battery prices can vary significantly around Plymouth. A typical battery can cost between $75 and $120, while a premium battery could be up to $200. If you own a hybrid vehicle, expect to spend more on your battery, as these batteries are much more powerful and are responsible for supplying much of the vehicle’s power. Hybrid batteries range from $1,000 to $6,000–but, remember, you’ll enjoy substantial savings on gas costs, so they essentially pay for themselves over time.

Schedule Battery Service at Gordon Chevrolet, Inc.

Whether you need a new battery or a battery check, schedule an appointment at Gordon Chevrolet, Inc. today. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us; we’d be more than happy to give you more details on how often to replace your car battery. Don’t forget to browse our latest service specials to save on your next visit!