THREE TO FIVE, WITH GOOD BEHAVIOR. Battery manufacturers suggest the average lifespan of an auto battery falls anywhere between three and five years — and for good reason.
Some cars will get up to five or six years out of their battery, while others will need a new one after only two years. In general, your car will usually need a new battery after three to four years. Replacing your car battery is another part of routine maintenance.
Generally, electric vehicle batteries last 10-20 years, but some factors may reduce their lifespan.
After three years, it's normally time to install a replacement. After four or five years, most car batteries will be almost completely unreliable. Old car batteries can present a number of safety and reliability issues.
As for your spare vehicle's spare battery: a new, unused car battery can often sit unused for two to four years and still work—as long as it's properly stored and maintained. For maximum shelf life, be sure to: Store the battery upright. Keep it in a dry, well-ventilated area.
Factors that can shorten its life include an extended period of partial or full discharge, vibration from not being properly secured, under- or overcharging, extreme temperatures, water loss, electrolyte contamination and corrosion on terminals.
Typically, the average car battery life is between three and five years. Pushing a battery longer than five years, even under perfect driving conditions, could cause your battery to fail without notice. For that reason, many manufacturers recommend a replacement schedule of five years.
You don't want to wait for your battery to completely die before replacing it, as you could easily become stranded with a non-starting engine. If you are noticing a slow start or weak start, it is likely your battery is dying.
Check the voltage
Carefully remove the covers on the battery terminals and connect the positive side of the voltmeter to the positive (red) terminal first. Then connect the negative side of the voltmeter to the negative (black) terminal. Now, check your reading. A healthy battery should read between 12.4V and 12.7V.
A lot can depend on what condition your car battery is in. If you know your car battery is relatively new and has been kept in good condition, it can probably sit unused for about two weeks before it goes flat. If you've left your car unused for over two weeks, it's quite likely you'll need professional assistance.
Battery Longevity
Typically, car batteries will last anywhere between three and five years. Because of this, most mechanics will recommend you replace your battery every four years or so just to be safe.
“Car batteries can last for three to five years, depending on environmental factors like climate conditions and driving habits.”
12.0 volts or below - At 12.0 volts your battery is considered to be fully discharged or 'flat' and should be recharged as soon as possible. The lifespan of your battery will be severely affected if it remains within this voltage range for extended periods of time.
This voltage range means the battery is in good condition for starting the vehicle. If the measured reading is less than 12.2 volts, the battery's resting voltage is weak, which means it most likely needs to be charged or replaced.
Connect the multimeter to the positive and negative battery terminals. If you don't have a voltage of around 12.6 volts, you may have a bad battery. Now start the car, and look for a revised voltage over 10. If your voltage drops below 5 when the car is running, it is bad and should be replaced right away.
When disconnecting the cables from the old battery, disconnect the negative first, then the positive. Connect the new battery in the reverse order, positive then negative.” When you are replacing your car battery, It isn't always easy to remember the order in which to disconnect and reconnect the terminals.
Here are some reasons why your car battery won't hold a charge after a successful jump start: The car wasn't driven long enough for the battery to recharge fully. The vehicle charging system has a problem, like a bad alternator or voltage regulator. An electrical system was left on, draining the battery.
So, how low are we talking? A typical 12-volt auto battery will have around 12.6 volts when fully charged. It only needs to drop down to around 10.5 volts to be considered fully discharged. If it drops down below that, the battery will become damaged due to excessive sulfation.
What Happens if You Don't Replace Your Battery? Replacing a dying battery is not something you want to postpone for too long. As a battery gets closer to dying, it will become less and less reliable. Over time, it won't be able to turn over your engine, forcing you to jumpstart your vehicle in order to get it running.
“Electrical devices or lights left running, a defective charging system or alternator, and extreme weather are some common reasons but maybe it's just time to get a new battery.”
Batteries gradually deteriorate until they can no longer provide enough power to start an engine. This wear time could take three to five years and a vehicle's usage pattern is one factor contributing to the rate at which a battery will age.