How Often to Replace a Car Battery

The general recommendation for how often to replace a car battery is every 4 – 5 years. However, there are several affecting factors that could cause your battery to wear out prematurely, such as extensive exposure to the heat and humidity brought on by Henrico summers. Get to know your battery in this guide from the service center at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Buick GMC Richmond; we’ll cover how to test a car battery, the average new battery cost, and more!

How to Know If Your Car Battery Needs to Be Replaced

Typically, the warning signs of a car battery that is on its way out cannot be mistaken. Take a look at some of the most common signs, below:

• Your headlights are losing their brightness
• You’re experiencing an increased need for engine revving or jump-starts
• When you turn your key or push your push-start button, it takes longer for the engine to start
• You’re experiencing out of the ordinary power fluctuations

Why Do Batteries Deteriorate?

If you feel that your car battery is deteriorating too quickly, there could be several reasons why:

• Heat: Your car battery has liquid inside of it that is essential to its operation. During hot weather, the liquid can evaporate and cause damage.
• Vibrations: If your car battery’s hold-down clamps are slack, road vibrations as you travel through Glen Allen can cause internal battery components to break down.
• Strain Following a Jump-Start: If you accidentally leave your lights on all day while at work in Goochland and need to jump-start your car, your battery life may be shortened as a result.
• Time: How old is your car battery? A certain amount of deterioration is natural as the years pass by, eventually leading to the need for a replacement. If you’re mindful of battery maintenance, however, you at least shouldn’t have to shell out for a brand-new car battery prematurely.

How to Test a Car Battery

You should have your car’s battery tested twice per year. For your convenience, you can work it into your regularly scheduled maintenance visits at our service center in Richmond. There are a couple of ways you can test the battery at home in your driveway, too:

The Headlight Test

1. Turn on the engine, leaving your car in Park. Make sure your headlights are on.
2. Rev the engine.
3. If you can see your headlights brighten when you rev the engine, it could indicate that the current is too weak to maintain the headlights’ normal brightness when your car is idling.
4. If this is the case, you’ll want to get your car in for an inspection as soon as possible.

The Digital Multimeter Test

You will, of course, need a voltmeter for this test, but you’ll want to have a friend or family member on hand to help out, too:

1. Your voltmeter should be set to 20 DC volts.
2. Pop the hood of your car. Touch the negative terminal (black) with the negative meter probe, which is also black.
3. Touch the positive terminal (red) with the positive meter probe, which is also red.
4. Have your partner turn the headlights on, at which point you will check the voltmeter reading.
5. At 80℉, 12.5 volts or higher means your battery is fully charged. 12.3 volts indicates about a 75% charge, while 11.8 volts or lower signals a charge of 25% or less.

How Much is a Replacement Car Battery?

The average cost of a new battery runs anywhere from $75 to $120, or up to $200 for a premium battery. If you drive a hybrid vehicle, expect the battery to be significantly costlier, ranging between $1,000 to $6,000. For most hybrid drivers, this cost is justified by the long-term gas savings they enjoy.

Schedule Car Battery Service at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Buick GMC Richmond!

When you need help with your car battery, the service pros at Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Buick GMC Richmond are here for you. We’re glad to offer the convenience of online appointment scheduling, as well as a fantastic selection of service specials designed to help you save on routine maintenance and more! Sometimes, car owners mistake a dying battery as an issue with the alternator. Learn more about alternators to help diagnose the problem correctly. With any additional questions you may have about how to know if your car battery needs to be replaced, you can contact us online or give us a ring at (844) 415-1110. Wondering how long car batteries last in Virginia? Rick Hendrick Chevrolet Buick GMC Richmond has the details!