When it comes to car maintenance, numerous components of your vehicle need regular check-ups in order to ensure they continue working properly. Your car battery is one of them. When was the last time you popped the hood and checked it? Here are some indicators that it might be time to change your car battery.
Warning signs of a dead battery
If you’re having trouble starting your car or you see the battery warning light on, check your battery to see if its connections are clean/secure. While you’re at it, look for signs that it has been vibrating a lot. If you discover missing or loose hold-down hardware, you may need to replace your battery.
Keep in mind that your battery might not be completely dead, just “mostly dead” and need to be charged. Understand that your car battery is similar to your phone battery, though: letting it go completely dead and then charging it up is bad for it and could lead to its early death.
Average lifespan of a car battery
No matter how well you maintain your battery, eventually it will get old and need replacing. Batteries age, just like any other part of your vehicle. And while some batteries last 4 to 5 years, that isn’t usually the case here in the south. Car batteries take a beating in hot climates like Alabama’s, causing them to bite the dust at the 3-year mark. So if your battery is three years old or older, there’s a good chance it’s on its way out and needs replacing, even if it’s still working.