What is the Average Life of a Car Battery?

That little black box under the hood is like the heart of your vehicle--if it is starting to wear out, your car doesn't have the power to start, move, or power any of the electrical accessories.  Did you know that one of the most common reasons for road-side assistance calls is a dead battery?

So you ask, “What is the average life of a car battery?”  With usual driving conditions, car batteries will become worn down and inefficient around the 3-year mark.  Car batteries work just like a cell-phone battery--with every charge, it becomes less efficient.   If your battery is four or five years old, it may be almost totally unreliable.

Weak batteries will have a negative effect on the auto electrical system, such as headlights, power windows, etc.  The stop-start technology in newer vehicles could also be negatively affected as engines that are designed to automatically switch off when at a standstill place a greater strain on batteries than standard vehicles. 

It’s possibly time for a car battery replacement if you are noticing any of the signs below:

1. The engine won’t start even though you hear it cranking. 
2. You turn the key in the starter but nothing happens.
3. Your vehicle may start randomly one day and not the next.  

The car battery should be on your maintenance checklist, just like changing the oil, air filter, tires rotation, and windshield wipers.  Many new vehicles have powerful computers that are operating all the time, even when the vehicle is parked and switched off, drawing energy from the battery at a slow, steady rate. 

Here are a few things to inspect if you are having starting issues:  

1. Battery terminals and cables may be loose, broken, corroded, or calcified, 
2. The fluid level in the terminals may be too low,
3. An electrical current is drawing power from the battery even when the car is turned off,
4. The starter is going bad,
5. The alternator is going bad.

If you are starting to wonder if it’s time for a car battery replacement, contact our ASE Certified Technicians at Gary’s Quality Automotive for more information about a car battery replacement and to make an appointment.  Our auto repair shop proudly serves vehicle owners in Grand Island, NE, Wood River, NE, and Doniphan, NE.