Knowing how long a car battery lasts and is due for replacement can be a challenge after all there are no specific numbers.
A good quality car battery can last in a car for about 30,000 – 50,000 miles on average.
In this post, I explain how long you can expect a car battery can last, causes of battery failure, the signs, and finally tips to keep the battery lasting as long as possible.
The Miles a Car Battery Should Last
A good quality car battery may last on average between 30,000 – 50,000 miles of driving before the battery is due for replacement.
This is a rough estimate though and assumes that the car is driven for about 9,000 – 10,000 miles a year on average.
That said, there are some batteries that last for less mileage while others last for longer.
The technology of the battery you use is an important factor.
For example, thin plate pure lead batteries like the odyssey brand generally last longer, will give you more mileage compared to the ordinary AGM batteries that use lead-calcium.
It is more common to find the life expectancy of the battery specified in years instead.
A good quality car battery (AGM) usually lasts for 3-5 years.
Consult the manufacture for indicative information of how long your battery can last for
How many Miles does a Car Battery Last?
While on average you can expect a car battery to last for 30,000 -50,000 miles, there are other important factors described below that come into play that affects how long the car battery actually lasts.
Causes of Car Battery Failure
The more common reasons why your car’s battery can fail prematurely are:
- leaving it in a discharged state and not promptly charging the battery fully when its voltage drops to below 12.4 VDC
- Installing and using it in extreme hot and cold weather beyond the limits it is designed for.
- Both desert and winter weather put extra stress on the batteries and increase the likelihood of failure.
- You can also have a bad batch of batteries from the manufacturer.
If your battery lasts for less than a year or considerably less than what the manufacturer specifies with good maintenance and an electrical system that works well then you probably have a bad batch of batteries.
Signs that a Car Battery Needs replacement
There are signs that can point to a possible battery problem but are not in themselves confirmatory.
Additional tests such as testing the car’s electrical system, the car’s alternator, or battery need to be performed to confirm the source of the problem.
- Your car battery is drained flat whenever the car is parked for several hours and needs to be jumpstarted. Jumpstarting can help for a while may be several hours or a day or so before the battery is drained again.
- Slower than usual cranking of the car engine before it eventually starts
- Dim car lights
- Weak horn
All can point to a likely battery problem but this still needs to be verified with additional testing.
Knowing how long a car battery lasts and is due for replacement can be a challenge after all there are no specific numbers.
A good quality car battery can last in a car for about 30,000 – 50,000 miles on average.
In this post, I explain how long you can expect a car battery can last, causes of battery failure, the signs, and finally tips to keep the battery lasting as long as possible.
How to Make your Car Battery Last Longer
Much as battery manufacturers can specify the expected lifespan of a car battery, the actual time the battery lasts depends on several factors that are in your control.
By taking these actions, you can get the maximum life from your battery.
- Connect your car battery to a good quality maintenance charger if your car is going to be parked for an extended period, usually example 2 weeks or more.
This protects your car battery from being deeply discharged which can reduce its life. - When using an external charge, make sure the right battery type is selected so that your battery can be charged appropriately.
By selecting the correct battery type, you automatically select the right charge settings most suited to your battery type.
When you use the wrong battery settings for the charger can affect its ability to charge fully. - Always fully charge your car batteries when you put them into storage. Should the battery voltage drop to about 12.4 V, charge it again.
- Routinely inspect the cleanliness of the car’s battery posts.
These can build up corrosion and affect your car’s battery to charge fully.
How to Test a Car Battery
While you can rely on the mileage provided as a very rough guide on how long a battery lasts, when you notice signs of car battery failure, you can also proceed to conduct tests using a <multimeter and or a conductance tester>.
Related questions
How Many Miles Should an Electric Car Battery Last?
The range of an electric car battery can be anywhere from 75,000 miles to 150,000 miles and depends on the year of manufacture of the vehicle and the model.
With the early generation of electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf and Toyota, you could get about 75,000 miles on the battery compared to the 100,000 – 150,000 miles for example with the Telsa models depending on the model of interest.
Besides the generation of battery manufacture, there are other factors that affect the lifespan of the battery.
For example, keeping it discharged for long periods, exposing it to extremely hot and cold weather battery’s temperature can reduce how long a battery lasts.
Final Thoughts
A car battery can last on average for 30,000 – 50,000 miles of driving, assuming 9,000 – 10,000 miles of driving per year.
This is based on an estimated lifespan of 3-5 years for several battery types.
There are car batteries that last for less or more and there are a number of factors that affect battery longevity ranging from keeping your batteries partially charged vs, fully charged, extreme weather, and bad quality manufacture even among popular brands like AlDeco, Bosch, and Optima.
Common signs of a car battery about to fail range from repeated draining of the battery, slow cranking of the engine, dim lists, and low-sounding horn.
Related Topics
