when should a vehicles battery be changed?

Answer 1

Dear Battery-

All batteries are a ticking time bomb just waiting for the opportune moment to leave you stranded.

The normal rule of thumb is about every three years. On a normal battery this means they have seen the best part of their service life.

Yes there are batteries that are "Warranted" for 5 years, but that is a prorated warranty, and the prorating calculation ALWAYS comes out to the benefit of the battery manufacturer. Even the batteries that we sell at our dealership are the same way.

Basically if you want to get the most out of your battery, you need to keep the terminals clean and free of corrosion. this means cleaning the battery with plain water and a soft brush. Then dry the battery, and use a battery terminal coating spray, (corrosion inhibitor), after you have cleaned and re-connected the cables.

Keep the battery tray clean and free of debris like leaves, sticks, sand , dirt and other foreign materials. This includes any corrosion from spilled acid. Which may mean that you need to use some Baking Soda and water to clean and neutralize the acid in the area. Be sure to have the battery removed and placed on a piece of wood away from your cleaning area. The Baking Soda and water mixture will also neutralize the electrolyte in the battery too. So be sure that you completely rinse and dry the area before returning the battery to its tray.

Inspect the battery for any cracks or holes. If they are present, replace the battery.

Batteries have been known to last for much longer than their warranties, provided they have been properly maintained. But anything after the warranty period, is operating on borrowed time and the battery's good graces.

For my own personal vehicles, I normally let my batteries ride for about three years, then I just replace them. Whether they need it or not. I also normally replace them with a better battery than the one that came with the car. By a better one I mean a battery with a higher CCA Value, (Cold Cranking Amps).

Most vehicles come with about 300 to 400 CCA. Since I run Manual Transmissions, I prefer a Battery that will gove me 700 to 1000 CCA. This means that if for any reason I need to "Crank" the car off the highway becuase the engine will not fire, I have that ability without worrying about my battery failing.

Increasing your CCA will not harm your vehicle either. The system only draws as much amperage as it needs at any given time. Increasing the CCA rating gives the battery some reserve overhead in order to maintain its charge in emergency situations. The only problem you may face is the size of your battery tray, Normally the higher the CCA value the larger the battery will be. In this case just measure your battery tray and obtain the largest battery Group Size that will fit and connect properly.

Just remember, there is really no milage or set time to change your battery. Just don't wait until it becomes a problem. Your first sign will more than likely be your engine turns over a little slower than usual when you come out in the morning or after work. That is normally the first sign of a battery that beginning to have trouble. You also may experience your headlights dimming while you are at idle, then when you step on the gas, they brighten up to normal.

This is because the alternator is making up for the battery becoming weak and in need of replacement. Symptoms like this can also damage your alternator. As the battery becomes unable to hold a charge, the alternator works harder and generates more heat. This extra load literally cooks the alternator.

I know this was a rather lengthly answer, but I figured it would be worth it. Good Luck!

Answer 2

When To Change Car Battery

Answer 3

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
when should a vehicles battery be changed?

Answer 4

1

Answer 5

Their are two popular methods to check for a batteries condition.First method is with the use of a hydrometer to check the specific gravity of the electrolyte in each of the batteries cells,but this method is becoming old school since most of today's batteries are sealed.The second and most popular current method is with a carbon pile resistor often called a load tester.A load tester is hooked up to the + and - terminals on the batteries and a switch is activated to apply a load to the battery's power reserve and read on a scale to determine the condition.

Answer 6

it is very unpredictable when a battery can go bad there are many things that can make a battery go bad including climate and how often you have drained the battery, you can go to any auto zone or advanced auto parts and they can do a battery test for free to let you know if the battery needs to be changed

Answer 7

it depends on the kind of weather conditions. batteries are designed to work best at around 76*F

Answer 8

when it dies or starts to leak

Answer 9

Normally it never needs to be. The vehicle has a charging system built into it. If your battery needs to be charged, it or the alternator is defective.