Knowing When to Get a Car Battery Replacement

Posted: May 21, 2014
Author: Country Town Tire & Auto Service Center

When your car won’t start, hopefully it’s just the battery. That’s usually the best possible situation, as it’s an easy fix. Other options are usually more expensive, more extensive, and probably will not get you back to driving that car as soon as you would be after a simple battery replacement.

So before your car hits this point, make sure you are attuned to your car. You should know how it runs, what it feels like, what it sounds like, and how it handles. Knowing this will help you notice when there is a problem so you can know when it’s time for a battery replacement.

Car batteries usually have a 2-3 year lifespan. If your battery has not been replaced in several years, even if it seems to be doing ok, it might be wise to look into getting a battery replacement, as it really could go out at any time, and it probably has a lot of corrosion, as well.

Watch to see if the engine is slow to start-- perhaps it has to crank a couple of times before turning over. This is one indication that your battery needs to be replaced. Also, if the lights on your dashboard or the headlights are on but are dimmer than usual, there is a good chance the battery needs to be charged. A quick fix for this is to have the car battery jump-started, but this is probably only a temporary fix, and you will still need to go get a battery replacement.

If you have a car battery charger, you could leave it to charge and then try again to start it. If the lights are brighter and it starts easier after charging, then your battery is starting to go out. If it starts one time and has troubles the next, it’s best to get a battery replacement before your battery goes completely dead and you are stranded somewhere.