Knowing how long your battery is expected to last has several advantages.
You can anticipate and plan for the next battery purchase better.
It is also good reference information for you to determine whether you got good value for your battery purchase and if you should stick to or change your brand or battery type.
Good quality AGM batteries can last on average between 3- 5 years but how long your car battery lasts depends on how you use and care for it,
In this post, you’ll learn about the average lifespan of car batteries, why some batteries last longer than others, signs of a failing battery, and the best time to replace your car battery.
Average Lifespan of a Car Battery
This depends largely on the quality of manufacture, but in general, good quality AGM car batteries can last for a period of 3 – 5 years after which they need to be replaced.
In terms of cycles, AGM batteries on average work for 200 – 500 cycles.
On the low side, there are batteries, even good well-regarded brands that last for only 1 – 2 years or less, and others that last longer than 5 years.
As the battery begins failing, whether before, during, or after the average lifespan of 3-5 years, these signs though not confirmatory, can flag when your battery has a problem and needs to be replaced.
Note: Even with a good quality battery, there are several factors that you need to consider as you use your battery to make sure it lasts as long as possible.
Why some Car Batteries Last Longer (+Tips!)
Quality of battery
Getting a battery to last starts off with choosing a good quality, well-regarded battery.
Don’t only take the manufacturer’s word for it but also check out the online reviews for that particular battery – watching out for fake reviews too!
The feedback from other users will give you a more realistic idea of how long you can expect your car battery to last.
Need to Keep your Battery fully Charged
Maintain your car battery in a fully charged state as much as possible.
Batteries degrade faster when kept in a discharged state for an extended period.
To keep your battery fully charged, if you plan to plan to keep your car parked for 2-3 weeks or longer, you can:
- start it and run the engine for a few minutes at least 1 – 2 times a week
- disconnect one of the battery terminals (after fully charging it), or
- better still connect it to a good quality maintenance charger.
Whereas some battery type’s terminals do not corrode, nonetheless from time to time, inspect your battery connections to remove any corrosion that can stop your car battery from charging properly.
Use suitable external charger settings for your battery type
The maximum charging voltage for your AGM or Flooded Lead Acid battery should not exceed about 14.5 VDC.
Higher voltages damage your car battery resulting in venting off-gas permanent damage to the battery.
If using a battery charger, make sure that the correct battery setting AGM or otherwise is always selected.
If you suspect any problems with your car’s alternator, <<have it tested>> and replaced immediately.
A bad alternator can damage your car battery!
Keep your battery temperature between 32 °F – 70 °F
Batteries exposed to extreme cold or hot weather tend to fail earlier.
Most batteries perform and last when kept between 32 °F – 70 °F.
You can protect your car battery from the extremes of weather by parking the car in a shade (hot weather), wrapping it in a battery warmer to stop it from freezing.
Signs that your Car Battery Needs to be Replaced
Signs such as waking up to a flat or drained battery, slow cranking of the engine, and consistently low voltage below 12.4 VDC though not confirmatory can point to a battery about to fail.
Another sign – your battery may show the correct open circuit voltage yet fail to hold a charge in addition to becoming extremely hot during charging.
This too is a sign that your battery needs to be replaced after suffering damage associated with using higher than recommended charging voltages >14.5 VDC.
In addition to replacing the battery, arrange the alternator to be tested too for a bad alternator can damage the replacement.
Additional tests may need to be done to confirm the battery’s status.
For more information on signs that can point to a failing battery and additional tests to perform, check out his post: How Many Miles Should a Car Battery Last?
When to Replace your Car Battery?
The best time to replace the battery is when you confirm that it is failing and is about to die
You should replace your car battery as soon as it shows signs of failure to avoid the inconvenience of waking up to a bad battery or getting stuck on the road and calling for a tow truck.
Once batteries start showing signs of failure, they tend to degrade so quickly thereafter.
Related questions:
How often a Hybrid Car Battery needs to be Replaced?
Depending on the car model and manufacturer, a hybrid car battery can last for between 10 – 15 years before being replaced.
You need to confirm with your car manufacturer the recommended time to replace the car battery.
Unlike ordinary car batteries, hybrid batteries are modular and it is possible to replace the bad cell(s) at a low cost instead of the entire battery if that is an option you want to consider.
Final Thoughts
The average lifespan of a good quality car battery is between 3 – 5 years.
There are extremes though on either end with usually bad quality batteries lasting for 1 – 2 years or less.
In addition to quality, exposing the battery to extreme hot or cold temperatures, keeping it discharged for a long time also affect how long the battery lasts.
Related Topics
