Your vehicle’s car battery is one of the most crucial components to making your vehicle run.  However, it is one of those car parts that need a lot of maintenance.  Eventually, most vehicles will need a car battery replacement, or simply a re-charge.  

Luckily, a lot of car battery repair and replacement can be done by yourself, by just following a few simple steps.  Unlike an actual vehicle repair, this is an easy DIY project that most individuals can handle on their own, and if anything, your local vehicle repair shop will have someone who could help you with a battery replacement right on the spot!  

How Long Do Car Batteries Last?

Typically speaking, most car batteries will last roughly three to four years before giving up, but some car batteries will need to be replaced after 2 years.  Replacing your car battery is an important aspect of routine maintenance for your vehicle to run smoothly.  

Nothing is worse than driving on the road, and suddenly your vehicle’s car battery gives out and you become stranded on the side of the road or stuck in a parking lot. A vehicle car battery life can be shortened by vehicle inactivity or using power on your vehicle while the ignition is off.  

Using the radio inside of your vehicle while the ignition is not running drains the battery life of your vehicle at a rapid pace. Also, if you live in an area with excessively hot temperatures, your battery can drain quickly.  

How Do I Determine if My Battery is Low?

If your vehicle starts to take longer to start, and the engine is making a loud whizzing sound, that most likely means that your vehicle’s battery charge capabilities are becoming weak.  

The most common method to know when your battery is low is by your dashboard lights.  Typically a little battery symbol will display red to let you know that your battery is low or starting to fail.  

How to Remove a Car Battery

Removing a car battery from your vehicle is a simple process, and it only requires work gloves and basic hand tools.  However, you must be careful because a car battery could deliver a fatal shock if handled wrong which is why insulated work gloves are extremely important.  

The first and most important step is to make sure that your car is turned off before attempting to remove the car battery. Next, you will want to find the negative terminal of your car battery. The negative terminal typically has a black/brown cover around it or a minus sign that symbolizes the location on the post of the battery.  Once you determine the negative terminal, you will want to use a wrench or pliers to take hold of the negative terminal.  

Now, use another pair of pliers to remove the nut in order to take off the negative cable from the battery.  You will then want to repeat the procedure with the positive cable.  Once the negative and positive terminals have been removed, you will want to remove the bracket that is securing the battery in place by using a wrench to remove the screws that are holding it in place. Once the security bracket screws have been removed, you can lift the battery out of your vehicle.  

How Much is a New Car Battery?

Most auto shops in the United States will sell numerous amounts of car batteries ranging from $50 to $100 for a standard battery, while also selling premium high-grade batteries for $120 to $250.  The overall cost of a new car battery can vary depending on several factors but it is key to know that there are over 40 types of batteries available on the market.  

The size of the battery, brand, and battery reserve all take factors into the price of the battery.  If a vehicle’s car battery charges extremely quickly, it will most likely cost more. At DriveSmart, we believe purchasing a premium battery tends to pay itself off, by lasting longer than a standard car battery.  

Car Battery Replacement 

If your car battery needs replacement, we recommend paying $20 to $50 to have a certified repair mechanic conduct the battery replacement for you.  Since replacing a car battery is so easy, some auto repair shops will conduct the battery replacement for you on the spot for a small fee as well.  

However, if you want to install the car battery yourself, you will want to start off by examining the battery terminals to make sure they are clean, and not covered in corrosion.  Once the ports are cleaned, you will want to position the battery so that the positive post matches with the positive terminal and cable location.  

Once that is completed, you will put the new battery into the vehicle and secure it with the clamp or secure system bolts that you removed earlier when removing the old battery.  Once that is finished, use a small amount of grease to the battery posts before connecting the positive terminal to the positive post first. 

Once you connected the positive terminal to the positive post, use the wrench to tighten the connector, and then you may connect the negative post to the negative terminal.  Once that is complete, you have installed the car battery!

Car Battery Died on Side of Road?

If you ever questioned or asked yourself, “Are extended auto warranties worth it?” Well, when you end up stranded on the side of the road with a dead car battery or a vehicle malfunction.  An extended auto warranty is 100% worth it because all you would need to do is call the 24/7 roadside assistance number and a tow truck will take you to the nearest certified repair facility.  

At that point, you present your DriveSmart Warranty to the repair shop, pay a small deductible, and DriveSmart will cover your repair costs.  It’s that easy! 

Written By: Stephen Lubas