How Long Do Car Batteries Last?

Are you wondering if your car’s battery needs to be replaced? How long do car batteries last? The average vehicle battery life can reach up to five years, but that can depend on a number of factors. Our service center team wants to help you keep your car running in top shape on our Dayton city roads. So, we’ve put together the guide below on battery life and how to tell if it’s time to do a car battery change.

How Long Do Car Batteries Last, Typically?

So, how long do car batteries last, exactly? The average vehicle battery life spans from three to five years. But the actual lifespan of your car’s battery can be impacted by a few different factors. Batteries in cars that need to be started several times a day for short trips generally don’t last as long as the ones in cars that are taken for longer trips. Harsh weather conditions, as sometimes occur during our Springfield winters, are likewise rough on a battery.

How to Know if It’s Time for a Car Battery Change

Your car’s battery may be showing signs it needs to be replaced even if it hasn’t yet reached the average vehicle battery lifespan. Learn what these signs are so that you can avoid being broken down.

Signs It’s Time for a Car Battery Change

• Your car takes a long time to start
• There are bulges in the battery
• The check engine light is flashing (there could be other reasons for this)
• The battery has leaks

How to Test a Car Battery

You can easily schedule an appointment with our service center to have your battery checked. But, if you would rather do it yourself, and you happen to have a multimeter in your garage or trunk, follow these steps:

How to Test a Car Battery

• Connect a multimeter to the positive and negative terminals while the engine is not running. You want to see voltage around 12.6 volts.
• Start the car and check the multimeter.
• Ideally, the voltage should be around 10. If it drops below 5 volts, replace your battery.

Let the Battery Experts at Dave Arbogast Buick GMC of Troy Help

Don’t wonder if your battery needs to be replaced. Let the trained professionals in our service center check it for you. And feel free to take advantage of our generous service specials. We’re just a short drive away from Sidney, so drop by or contact us today.