How Often to Replace a Car Battery

You should generally replace your battery every four to five years, but times can vary based on how often you drive, your make and model, etc. Learn how to know if your car battery needs to be replaced below and how much a car battery can cost for Town 'N' Country drivers. Battery service is incredibly important, and our service center is ready to help you replace your car battery.

How to Know If Your Car Battery Needs to Be Replaced

Here are some warning signs that you need to change your car’s battery:

• More frequent need for engine revving or jump starts
• Takes longer to start the engine when you turn the key/push the button
• Dimming headlights
• Unusual power fluctuations

What Causes Car Battery Deterioration?

How often to replace your car’s battery depends on a few factors that you may or may not have control over:

• Time: A car battery can only go through so many charge cycles, but proper care can give you more time until you need to replace the battery.
• Heat: Hot weather causes liquids to evaporate inside a car battery, and your battery life will inevitably be shorter if you live in a more consistently hot climate.
• Vibrations: If your battery’s hold-down clamps are loose, or you drive over rough roads frequently, vibrations can cause internal battery parts to break down faster.
• Needing a Jump: If your battery needs a jump because of a reason like the lights were left on overnight, your battery’s lifespan will be significantly shorter.

How to Test a Car Battery

Many retailers offer free tests if you’re just curious about your battery or if you’re trying to diagnose a problem. You can also test your battery at home with these easy steps:

The Headlight Test

1. Turn on the engine, keep the car in park, and turn the headlights on.
2. Rev the engine and see if the headlight brightness changes.
3. If the headlights get brighter when revving, the current may not be strong enough to keep the lights at a normal level of brightness while the car is idling. 
4. Take your car to a service center at this point for more information.

Using a Digital Multimeter

1. Set the voltmeter to 20 DC volts.
2. Under the hood, touch the negative terminal (black) with the negative meter probe (also black).
3. Touch the positive terminal (red) with the positive meter probe (also red)
4. Have a friend turn on the headlights and check the voltmeter reading.
5. At 80℉, 12.5 volts or higher means your battery is fully charged. 12.3 volts means it’s at about 75% charged.11.8 volts or lower means you have 25% or less charge. 

You can also easily have your car battery tested when you come in for brake or oil service at our service center. How much is a replacement car battery, though?

How Much is a Replacement Car Battery? 

Replacement car battery costs vary on your model, but you can expect anywhere from $75 to $200+ including labor, any applicable taxes, etc. Hybrid vehicles cost more due to their larger batteries, being anywhere from $1,000 to $6,000.

Choose Battery Service at Lexus of Tampa Bay Today

Reach out to our service center today to learn more about how often to replace a car battery and to learn more about our car battery services. We also have plenty of service specials for Brandon and Riverview drivers and beyond!