Is your engine cranking endlessly when you try to start your car?
Sounds like it’s time to replace your battery.
A car’s battery is one of those parts that’s easy to forget until your vehicle struggles to start or your headlights start flickering. But like any other component, it has a limited lifespan and eventually needs replacing.
So, how long does a car battery last, and how do you know when it’s time for a new one?
We’ll discuss the typical car battery lifespan, when to replace it, and how you can make yours last longer.
This Article Contains:
- How Long Does a Car Battery Last?
- What Are the Symptoms of a Failing Battery?
- What Affects the Car Battery Lifespan?
- How Often Should You Inspect and Replace the Battery?
- How Much Does a Car Battery Replacement Cost?
- How Do You Test and Replace a Car Battery?
- 3 FAQs About Car Batteries
How Long Does a Car Battery Last?
The average vehicle battery life is between three and five years. However, this varies based on the battery type:
- Lead-acid Battery: Conventional lead-acid batteries typically last three to five years in a modern vehicle.
- Gel and Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) Batteries: An AGM battery lasts about seven years, and gel lead-acid batteries last 10-20 years.
- Lithium-ion Batteries: Common in electric cars, lithium batteries have a relatively long lifespan of 10-20 years.
- Nickel-Metal Hydride Battery (NiMH): Found in many hybrid cars, nickel-metal hydride batteries generally last around 10 years.
- Enhanced Flooded Battery (EFB): These batteries support the electrical requirements of vehicles with start-stop systems and typically last around six years.
While all of these batteries last for a long period, regular charging is essential to retain battery power. A new, healthy battery can last about two weeks without driving, depending on the number of accessories that drain its energy.
If you disconnect a fully-charged battery from the car and store it in a well-ventilated space, it’ll hold its charge for around six months. However, if you skip proper maintenance, it will lose charge faster.
Wondering if there are any warning signs?
You’ll find them below.
What Are the Symptoms of a Failing Battery?
Here are some red flags that indicate a battery problem:
- Longer engine cranking times: If your engine takes longer than usual to start, it could be due to a malfunctioning battery. In many cases, a car battery change may be the only solution.
- Dim headlights and electrical problems: A weak battery with limited charge will struggle to power your vehicle’s electrical system, causing dim or flickering headlights.
- The engine won’t start: This battery problem is usually caused by a severely depleted cell. When you turn on the ignition, you’ll hear a clicking or buzzing sound, but the engine won’t crank. You may have to use jumper cables or a portable starter to start your car in such situations.
- Illuminated warning light: If the cell is weak, the battery warning light will illuminate. Later, when this weak battery affects critical sensors, the check engine light may also turn on.
- Unpleasant smell: The lead-acid battery contains sulfuric acid between the lead plates. If the battery is damaged, it can give off a rotten egg smell due to hydrogen sulfide gas. Driving with leaking battery acid is unsafe — it damages your vehicle’s components, causes electrical issues, and even poses a small risk of fire or explosion.
- Corroded battery terminal: Moisture, overcharging, and hydrogen gas leakage can trigger a chemical reaction between the battery acid and the metal terminals. This reaction forms white or bluish corrosion, which can damage the battery terminals and interfere with the battery’s ability to deliver power, often making it harder to start your car.
TIP: You can clean the corrosion with baking soda and get regular battery service to prevent further buildup.
- Warped battery case: Exposure to extreme temperatures can swell and crack the battery casing. If the case looks misshapen, get a new car battery ASAP.
Now that you know the signs of a dying battery, we’ll discuss what affects your battery’s condition.
What Affects the Car Battery Lifespan?
Several factors determine how long lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries last:
1. Driving Habits
Leaving your vehicle stationary for an extended period or taking frequent short trips will deplete your battery’s charge.
That’s because the engine must run at 1,000 rpm for 10-20 minutes for the alternator to charge the battery properly. If your battery fails to retain a charge, you’ll have to jump-start it with jumper cables.
TIP: Drive one or two loops around the block instead of one short trip to give the alternator enough time to recharge the battery. Moreover, if you’re planning to store your vehicle for an extended period, use a battery maintainer to keep it charged. These simple habits will extend your car battery life.
2. Extreme Temperatures
Heat accelerates degradation by evaporating the battery fluid between the lead plates, damaging internal cells. That’s why the average car battery life in cold regions is about five years, but only around three years in extreme heat.
In addition, if individual cells are exposed to more heat than others, it creates imbalances, causing some cells to be overcharged or over-discharged. This imbalance reduces overall battery performance and lifespan.
3. Electrical Load
A modern vehicle has several accessories like the stereo, AC, and power windows, which drain the battery, especially when used repeatedly. In addition, incorrectly installing accessories can cause battery drain and also affect its lifespan.
4. Vehicle Maintenance
A lack of routine maintenance leads to issues such as corroded terminals and a loose battery. These problems could affect the battery’s health, reducing its ability to hold power.
5. Over- or Undercharging
A car battery needs regular charging to function smoothly. However, both under- and overcharging can adversely affect its lifespan. Here’s how:
- Undercharging, often due to frequent short trips, accelerates sulfate buildup on the battery plates, leading to poor energy storage.
- Overcharging generates excessive battery heat, which deteriorates the plates and causes electrolyte loss, decreasing the battery’s ability to hold a charge.
TIP: If you regularly experience overcharging issues, purchase a trickle charger to reduce the likelihood of overcharging.
6. Car Vibrations
Vehicle movement creates vibrations that can affect internal battery parts and break them down over time. Secure your battery firmly in its mounting to minimize unnecessary shaking.
7. Vehicle Type
The new inventory of electric and hybrid vehicles has lithium batteries, which last longer than gas-powered vehicles (around 100,000 miles). This is because they store more energy than lead-acid batteries, making them more efficient.
In addition, because lithium-ion batteries contain individual cells, you often don’t need to replace the entire battery if only a few cells have a problem.
8. Low Cold Cranking Amps
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) define how much battery power (or amps) it delivers for 30 seconds at 0°F (-18°C).
Batteries with a higher Cold Cranking Amps rating are more capable of starting your car despite losing power over time. Meanwhile, lower CCA batteries will deteriorate more quickly.
9. Number of Charge Cycles
Every battery has a finite number of charge-discharge cycles before it begins to degrade (cycle life). This cycle life depends on the battery type and how well you care for it.
For example, a lead-acid battery averages 200-1,500 charge-discharge cycles before dropping to 80% of its original capacity (80% is the typical limit defining battery cycle life).
Sometimes, a cell may continue to function even after 1,000 complete cycles. But once its capacity drops below 60%, your car may start experiencing electrical issues, signaling you need a new battery.
10. Depth of Discharge (DoD)
The depth of discharge refers to how much of the battery’s capacity is used before recharging. Consistently discharging beyond 80% reduces the number of charge cycles and overall lifespan.
Maintaining a shallower DoD can significantly extend battery life.
11. Charge Rate
Charging lithium-ion batteries too quickly can increase internal temperatures and stress on battery components, accelerating degradation. A slower, controlled charge rate allows ions to properly intercalate into the electrode materials, preserving battery integrity and extending its lifespan.
12. Battery Age Before Purchase
If you purchase a battery stored for six months or longer, it’ll likely not have the same capacity as a factory-fresh battery. This is because car batteries naturally lose their charge over time, especially when you don’t charge them.
Several factors contribute to a battery issue. To avoid getting stuck, you must inspect your battery regularly.
Read on to find out more.
How Often Should You Inspect and Replace the Battery?
You should check your vehicle’s battery at every oil change or twice a year to catch any issues early before they become bigger problems.
A good battery needs changing between 3 and 5 years. However, replacing it earlier helps avoid a severe battery issue, catch a failing starter motor, and prevent damage to electrical components.
If you notice any damage to the battery case, get it replaced ASAP.
Let’s see how much this will cost you.
How Much Does a Car Battery Replacement Cost?
The cost of a car battery change varies based on the vehicle make, service center location, and supplier.
On average, installing a new car battery ranges between $100 for ICEs (Internal Combustion Engine vehicles) and $6850+ for EVs (Electric Vehicles).
To ensure you buy a compatible unit, ask a mechanic to recommend the correct replacement car battery for your vehicle. They’ll check the battery type, group number, Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) rating, and Amp-Hour (AH) rating to find the right battery.
NOTE: Installing the wrong battery can damage your vehicle’s electrical system and may void your warranty.
Before completing the purchase, the mechanic will test the battery’s condition to ensure it can’t be fixed. If it has deteriorated beyond repair, they’ll begin the replacement procedure.
How Do You Test and Replace a Car Battery?
Installing a new battery involves working with dangerous electrical wiring. If you connect or disconnect any of the battery cables incorrectly, it can cause an electrical shock. So, it’s best to have a mechanic perform the testing and replacement.
First, they’ll test battery performance by connecting it to a multimeter and checking the readings. A healthy battery should read around 12.6 volts when the engine is off.
If it’s lower, the mechanic will replace the weak battery using the following steps:
- Park the car, turn off the engine, and allow it to cool completely.
- Use a wrench to disconnect the cable attached to the negative terminal, and clean off excessive corrosion. Repeat for the positive terminal.
- Unscrew the clamp that’s securing the bad battery, move the side arms up and down to release it from the tray.
- Lift the dead battery and place it on a dry surface.
- Use a cleaning solution to remove excessive corrosion or residue from the battery tray.
- Secure the battery to the tray with the clamp.
- Attach the positive battery cable to the corresponding terminal and tighten the connection. Then, they’ll do the same for the negative battery cable.
- Conduct a full battery check to ensure all the connections are secure.
- After the replacement, they’ll take the dead battery to an authorized recycling center.
Still, have some unanswered questions about your vehicle’s battery?
Check out the answers below.
3 FAQs About Car Batteries
Here’s everything else you need to know about car battery replacement:
1. Do Replacement Batteries Last as Long as the Original Battery?
Yes, a replacement car battery generally lasts as long as the original, provided that:
- The new battery is compatible with your vehicle and is of similar quality to the old one
- There aren’t any additional problems with the charging system (like a faulty alternator)
- You follow recommended car maintenance protocols
2. How Do You Maximize Your Battery’s Lifespan?
Here are a few good driving habits and routine maintenance tips to help prolong your battery’s life:
- Drive your car regularly to maintain your battery’s charge.
- Use a car battery maintainer (battery tender) if your vehicle will sit unused for a long period.
- Get a trickle charger to help prevent overcharging an idle battery.
- Avoid removing the battery heat shield, as this reduces protection against high temperatures.
- Inspect the battery case regularly for damage.
- Don’t leave car accessories on for long, as they drain power.
- Book a regular battery service to catch potential issues early and keep your electrical system running efficiently.
- Check your car battery after an off-road trip for loose cable connections.
- Ensure the battery is secured properly using specialized hold-down hardware to prevent movement during driving.
3. Can a Well-Maintained Car Battery Last 10 Years?
Yes. With proper care, a good battery could last 10+ years, as long as it doesn’t take any damage from impact, extreme temperatures, and poor charging habits.
However, this lifespan isn’t guaranteed. Even if your battery is still working, driving with an old unit is risky. It may strain or prematurely damage other electrical components and systems (e.g., the ECU), resulting in a costly auto repair.
Replace Your Bad Battery with AutoNation Mobile Service
Poor driving habits, extreme weather, and improper charging can slowly affect a car battery’s lifespan. However, if you notice slow engine cranking, electrical issues, and a lit check engine light, take your car to a mechanic ASAP.
Don’t want to risk driving with a dying battery?
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We’re a mobile auto repair and maintenance service offering transparent pricing, easy online bookings, and a 12-month, 12,000-mile warranty.
Contact us for any battery trouble and other car maintenance needs.