At What Percentage Should A Car Battery Be Replaced? BatteryHacker

Every car owner must keep a close eye on when to replace a car battery. If you delay the process of replacing the battery, it will also negatively affect your car’s functioning. Many people have asked this question what percentage of a car battery needs to be replaced?

Remember, when the battery capacity actually drops close to or very below the safety level, you should get a new one. Furthermore, expert auto-techs have advised to must buy a new battery after a time span of five to six years. Any vehicle’s battery life is six years and not more than that. Below you can explore more about this topic, and if you have any questions, you can contact us. So, let us jump onto the discussion:

At what percentage to replace a car battery?

Suppose you have got a 12-volt battery for your car. It needs to be immediately replaced when you notice that its capacity drops extremely close or reaches very below the safety level. Higher the battery capacity, the more charge it can hold and vice versa. Generally, most car owners replace the battery after seven years.

Use a Digital Multimeter to determine when to replace the car battery

1. The first step is setting the voltmeter at exactly 20 DC volts.
2. Access the hood and make sure to touch the negative terminal with the negative meter probe. And the positive terminal with the positive meter probe.
3. Turn on the headlights and keep a close eye on the voltmeter reading.
4. It is commonly seen that at 80 degrees Fahrenheit and 12.5 volts, the car battery shows a full charge.
5. When it reaches 12.3 volts, the car battery signals that it is 75% charged. On the other hand, if the vehicle’s battery shows 11.8 volts or lower, it means that it is less than 25% charged.

What causes car battery replacement?

Many factors are there that explain to us what causes car battery replacement. Your battery starts to deteriorate due to factors like excessive heat and humidity, extreme temperatures and driving on rugged terrains.

• Excessive heat affects the functioning of the battery at its worst. Hot weather conditions evaporate the liquid present inside the car battery and shorten its life span ultimately. If you are living in a place which often gets a hot climate, there is a huge probability that your car’s battery will ruin quickly.
• A car which is frequently taken on rugged terrains has a short battery life. It is generally seen that rough and rugged roads produce a lot of vibrations and thus push the battery to wear out faster. In addition, vibrations loosen the battery clamps, and the internal parts tend to break down so much fast.
• Whenever a car needs a jump start, it negatively impacts the battery’s performance. Many people make the blunder of leaving their car lights on overnight. This makes the engine idle, and the car needs a jump when starting it.
• With time, your car battery will become dead. The average life span is five to six years. Taking proper care of the battery might prevent the battery from getting damaged or dying prematurely.

Testing the car battery- How to do that?

You can check out the below-mentioned way, which helps you test the car battery. The results of this test will give you a general idea of how long the battery shall last:

The Headlight Test

1. The first step is to turn on the engine and turn the headlights on.
2. Note down whether the brightness of the headlights changes in any manner or not.
3. When you notice that the headlights have become too dimmer or too brighter, this is an important indication that the current is weak, preventing the lights from remaining at their normal brightness range.
4. The recommended solution is to bring your car to a professional service center. These signs tell that your battery needs a replacement.

Estimated cost to replace a car battery

The estimated and approximate cost to replace a car battery ranges between $70 to $110. In addition, the cost may go up if you wish to get a premium battery for your car. Like, it can reach up to $200. Remember that hybrid batteries cost much more and range between $1,000 to $5,000.

The life span of car batteries

It is assumed that medium-size 12-volt batteries last for seven years. Furthermore, small batteries have an average life span of five years. And large size batteries last for 8 to 10 years.

You can prolong the life span of your vehicle’s battery if you drive it on a daily basis. Keep the battery properly and fully charged. The battery will deteriorate quickly, and its parts will wear out fast if you do not drive the vehicle for extended periods and keep it parked in the garage.

Other signs that tell the Car Battery Needs a Replacement

• The vehicle will show very strange and unusual power fluctuations.
• The engine takes very long to start.
• The car needs frequent jump starts.
• You get the dimming headlights.

Conclusion

The bottom line is that you should replace the car battery when it fails to function properly and shows signs of wear and tear. The general rule of thumb is to check the voltmeter reading; its stats will tell you when to buy a new battery.

At 12.5 volts, the battery remains at the fully charged status. It is 75% charged when it reaches 12.3 volts and less than 25% charged when it reads out at 11.8 volts. So far, this is the basic information we have shared with you. For more explanation, you can contact us anytime, and we will guide you accordingly.