How Often to Replace a Car Battery

The exact length of time between car battery replacements varies depending on the car, but the general consensus from experts is that you should replace your car battery every 4-5 years. You can also prolong (or shorten) your car battery’s life depending on a few important factors. The service team at Ocean Honda of Ventura outlined everything you need to know below, including warning signs that your battery needs to be replaced, how to test it, and how much the average battery replacement costs.

How to Know If Your Car Battery Needs to Be Replaced

If you notice any of the following signs when you’re driving around Oxnard, it’s a sign that your battery might be nearing the end of its life cycle:

• Dimming headlights
• More frequent need for engine revving or jump starts
• The engine takes longer to start than usual after you turn the key or push the ON button
• Unusual power fluctuations

What Causes Car Battery Deterioration in a Honda?

• Heat: Because consistently hot weather evaporates the liquid inside your car battery, your battery life will shorten if you live in a hot climate.
• Vibrations: Frequent vibrations, caused by things like driving over rough terrain or loose hold-down clamps, can cause your battery to wear out and break down faster.
• Needing a Jump: Jump-starting your car frequently, from leaving your lights on overnight or leaving your engine idling for too long, can significantly shorten your battery life.
• Time: Eventually, just like any other battery, your car battery will wear out and need to be replaced. However, if you take proper care of it and avoid the deteriorating factors above, you should be able to prolong its life cycle.

How to Test a Car Battery at Home

There are a couple ways to test your car battery to see if it’s running in top condition. First, you can have it tested by an expert during one of your twice-yearly regular maintenance appointments. If you want to DIY a test, however, there are two methods you can use:

The Headlight Test: 

1. Turn on the engine, making sure the car is in park, and turn the headlights on.
2. Rev the engine and check to see if the brightness of your headlights changes.
3. If the headlights get brighter, it means that your battery current is not strong enough to keep the lights at normal brightness while the car is idling. 
4. Bring your car to a Santa Barbara-area service center for further assessment. 

Using a Digital Multimeter:

1. Set the voltmeter to 20 DC volts.
2. Open up the hood, and 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℉, a reading of 12.5 volts or higher means your battery is fully charged. 12.3 volts means it’s about 75% charged. If you see 11.8 volts or lower, it means you have 25% or less charge and need to get your battery replaced.

How Much is a Replacement Car Battery in Ventura? 

The amount you’ll be paying on a replacement battery depends on the kind of battery. For a standard car battery, expect to pay between $75 and $120 for a replacement. Premium batteries sometimes cost up to $200. If you drive a hybrid, you can expect to pay quite a bit more, since the battery performs much bigger tasks – usually between $1,000 and $6,000. 

Maintain Your Vehicle at Ocean Honda of Ventura

If you think your battery may need replacing but you’re not sure, schedule a service appointment and have one of our experts take a look! You may even be able to save on your next appointment by checking out our service specials. Feel free to contact our office with any questions, or for more information about the services we offer at our Thousand Oaks-area dealership.