The battery is the heart of your car, not the engine, because it’s the battery that provides the spark to get your motor running.
That's why a healthy battery is vtal to your car's ability to go from here to there and back again. If your car's battery is getting tired, then not only will it likely cause starting problems, but it will also cause electrical issues. Nobody needs that, so here’s what you have to do to check your battery’s health.
Car batteries: how long do they last?
A car battery's lifespan depends largely on how you treat and drive your car. Do you tend to use your car for local journeys, perhaps using it once or twice a week, with the car sitting unused for days at a time? Your battery may give up the ghost in as little as three years.
If you use your car for commuting or business, and take it on regular journeys where the battery can be recharged fully, it should last at least five years and maybe more.
There's another thing to consider here, though, and that's how many times the battery goes flat during its life. Hopefully it'll always stay charged until the day it dies, but if you leave the lights on a few times and it goes completely flat, there's a good chance its life will be drastically reduced because lead acid batteries react badly to being fully depleted.
What does a battery symbol mean?
Has a battery symbol appeared on your dash? This doesn’t always mean the battery is at fault, it actually means there is a fault in the charging system. So it means the car is now relying on the power in the battery and nothing more, and it will run out quickly.
It could something as innocuous as a loose terminal or bad earth, or it could be something more serious, such as a snapped auxiliary belt or failing alternator.
Green, black or red battery indicator
Some modern batteries have a visual indicator. If you look at the top of the battery there will be a round shaft you can look down. If it’s green, the battery has at least 75% charge, if it’s black, it needs charging, if it’s red, it’s dead.
Car battery worse in cold weather?
One of the first warnings that your car battery is on its way out is how it performs on a seasonal basis. In warmer weather, the battery doesn’t have to work as hard as it does on a cold winter’s morning. So if your car is letting you down in winter, this could well be it.
Use a multimeter to test your car battery
The easiest way to check a battery’s health is to run a multimeter on it. You can get one for a tenner online, and then you just need to set it to volts and put the connectors on the battery terminals.
You should be seeing 12.7 volts for excellent health, 12.4 is okay, whereas anything less than 12v is a battery running out of life. Remember, the car runs on a 12v system.
What car battery do I need?
If you drive a 2.5-litre V6 car, but it has a dinky battery, something is awry. You need to check your Haynes manual or owner’s handbook to make sure your battery is the right size.
A small battery will have fewer CCAs (cold cranking amps) and a lower AmpHour rating, meaning it will struggle with a bigger engine, or a diesel engine.
Terminal failure
Your battery could be perfect, but if the terminal clamps on your car are covered in filth, old or battered, the battery’s power is a moot point – it can’t get past the connectors to the car. Your terminals need to be bright, clean and free from grease, dirt or any other detritus.