Maintenance is key to ensuring smooth car rides. Check out these tips on when to replace your car battery now!
Learning when to replace the car battery in vehicles is not an exact science. Manufacturers will tell you approximate times or mileage in which replacement is necessary, but so much depends on how you use your automobile that this can vary.
In this article, we’ll be discussing eight tips that can help you know when the time is right and keep you from getting stranded. First, however, let’s examine some common misconceptions that drivers have about their car batteries.
It Starts So the Battery Must Be Fine
Many times, motorists fail to properly diagnose the state of their batteries. The alarm bells aren’t ringing soon enough because they think if their car is getting some power, the issue must be someplace else.
That’s not the case. Your car battery can function while still being in a critical state. Not paying attention to the warning signs, which we’re about to get in to, is a sure way to end up stranded in a parking lot or on the roadside.
Any Battery Will Do
In many cases, you can buy a cheaper car battery to keep your vehicle on the road but that doesn’t make it the best battery for the job. Newer cars, in particular, need more power, and ignoring the recommended brand and model of the battery you buy comes at your own risk.
Vehicle Warning Lights Can Be Ignored or Delayed
Many motorists make the mistake of testing the limits of the electronic indicators on their dash. They take them as suggestions that can be “got around to eventually.”
Meanwhile, the days pile up. Before long, they’re left with a real problem. The lesson: if the battery light comes on, pay attention to it.
Now that we’ve explored a few myths about your car battery, it’s time to look at the steps you can take to ensure you don’t run out of luck. Let’s continue!
1. Be Familiar With When You Installed It
As you ponder the question of how long do car batteries last, pause for a moment to reflect on your personal history with the current battery in your car. When did you install it? How many miles have you placed on it?
We suggest keeping a file of the major purchases pertaining to your car. Store receipts in there to tell you when the date of the purchase was, and write the mileage from your odometer on the ticket at the time of installation.
2. Pay Attention to Your Radio and Other Electronics
Another helpful tip for untangling the mystery of how often to replace a car battery is how your car’s on-board electronics are functioning. As we’ve previously noted, a car battery won’t necessarily go out all at once.
It will give you warning signs. Some of these warning signs include the following:
- Strange radio malfunctions
- CD player going out
- Dash lights indicating there’s a problem
- Interior lights not working properly
One or all of these things may be happening while your car continues to start. They’re telling you that you’re getting closer to the day when your car won’t start.
3. Check It Often
Car batteries often go out at the worst possible times. To keep that from happening, you have to know when to change the car battery so there’s a little bit of life left rather than nothing at all.
Beating your bad luck to the punch means checking your battery often with a power meter, examining the connectors to ensure they’re properly secured, and cleaning terminals of rust and corrosion.
4. Choose the Type of Battery Your Car Needs
Forget the question of how often to change your car battery for a moment. Instead, ask what kind of battery is in your car and whether it’s the recommended battery or something that was purchased previously with cost-savings in mind.
Cars with more powerful engines and electronics require more powerful batteries to maintain the electronics within the machine. Installing a lesser battery will put more of a strain on it and ensure that you’re replacing your car battery way more often than you should be.
5. Keep a Vehicle Maintenance Schedule
Never lose sight of your car maintenance schedule. That can be easy to do if you take your car to a quick stop that isn’t the best about changing stickers on the windshield that tell you when your next service is due.
The rougher you are on your car maintenance-wise, the greater of a strain it puts on your car’s battery life. Make sure you’re not missing maintenance visits by pausing a moment to jot down the mileage of your last service. Furthermore, each time you do a service, ask them to check the health of your battery.
6. Turn Off Lights and AC
Another serious step you should take in preserving the life of your battery is ensuring the car’s dome lights, exterior lights, and air conditioner are off before shutting down the vehicle. Some cars may have an automatic shut-off function.
However, malfunctions or diminished battery life can cause malfunctions in these features that will only accelerate the demise of your battery. Making the effort to shut off these operations before switching off your engine will extend the overall life of your battery.
7. Drive Regularly
The act of driving your car charges your battery and keeps it from getting stagnant. Most working people have no problem driving their car once per week to keep their batteries in healthy shape.
Working from home during the pandemic, however, may change the dynamic enough to be concerned about it. The lesson here is to make sure your car and battery are getting the “exercise” needed.
8. Be Prepared in the Event It Will Not Start
Finally, assume that at some point in your car battery’s life, you’ll run out of luck. For those times, make sure you have a survival kit handy. This should include the following:
- Jumper cables
- Charger
- Power meter
Being prepared will help you get back on the road in minutes. This enables you to replace your battery right away.
Knowing When to Replace Car Battery Will Save You from Being Stranded
While it’s true that figuring out when to replace car battery units has no clear date, you can guess correctly by knowing the warranty, listening to your car, and taking care of business before it becomes a bigger issue. Good luck!
For more automotive tips and tricks, check out some of our other posts below.
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