5 FAQs on Car Battery Replacement
Here are answers to some common car battery replacement questions:Â
1. What Is a Car Battery?
The automotive battery stores the electrical power used to start your car and supplies voltage to other electrical components.
Once the engine is running, the battery provides electricity for the car’s electrical systems, and the alternator keeps it charged as needed.
2. How Long Does A Car Battery Last?
The lifespan of a car battery can vary depending on the battery type, for instance:
- An SLI battery (Starting, Lighting, Ignition), which is also a type of lead acid battery, is designed to deliver high amounts of power in short periods and can last up to three to six years.
- AGM batteries may have a lifespan that’s twice as long due to enhanced functionality.
3. Are All Car Batteries the Same?
No. There’s no one-size-fits-all replacement battery suitable for every car. Moreover, the battery used in an electric vehicle is fundamentally different from the ones used in combustion engine cars.Â
Before opting for battery replacement services, ensure you find the right battery for your car. To do this, you need to consider the following:
- Battery type (SLI battery, standard flooded battery, etc.)Â
- Physical size
- Location of terminals
- Electrical specifications
- Replacement warranty
4. Is Car Battery Replacement Covered Under Warranty?
Car batteries are wear-and-tear items and aren’t covered by your car’s extended warranty.Â
However, many batteries come with their own warranty coverage, depending on the battery type, use, manufacturer policies, and purchase location.
5. How to Replace a Car Battery?Â
Replacing a dead battery yourself isn’t hard, especially once you’ve found the right battery for your vehicle.
But if you’re unfamiliar with car parts, it’s best to have a professional handle the car battery replacement.Â
That said, here’s a general idea of how a mechanic will perform a car battery replacement service:
- Open the hood and locate the old battery.
- Disconnect the dead battery cable from the terminals and remove the negative cable from the negative terminal and the positive cable from the positive battery terminal.Â
- Remove the old battery, clean the battery tray and the terminals for any corrosion, and place the new battery in the battery tray.Â
- Reconnect the positive cable to the positive battery terminal and the negative cable to the negative terminal.Â
- Close the hood and start your vehicle. The new battery should kick in immediately.Â
They’ll dispose of the bad battery at a battery recycling facility, which extracts valuable material from old batteries and reuses them to manufacture new ones.