How Long Does a Car Battery Last & How to Extend Its Life?

Eager to hit the road, only to find your car refusing to start?

Your car battery is crucial for starting your car, but its lifespan isn’t infinite. If you’re not careful, it’s easy to get stuck with a dead battery.

So, how long does a car battery last?

Keep reading to discover the answer and learn to recognize the early warning signs of a dying battery. We’ll also provide some tips on extending your battery’s lifespan, ensuring you get the most out of your investment.

This Article Contains:

How Long Does a Car Battery Last?
What Affects the Car Battery Lifespan?
What Are the Symptoms of a Failing Car Battery?
How Do I Maximize My Battery’s Lifespan?
4 FAQs about Car Batteries

How Long Does a Car Battery Last?

Generally, the average vehicle battery life lasts between 3-5 years.

However, the lifespan of a car battery depends on its ability to hold a charge and recharge effectively. This varies for different types of car batteries, depending on their chemical composition.

Here’s the average battery life of some standard car batteries:

Lead-acid battery: On average, a conventional lead-acid battery lasts 3-5 years.

Gel battery and AGM battery: These are types of dry cell lead-acid batteries. Well-maintained AGM batteries can average 7 years, while a gel battery lasts 10-20 years.

Lithium-ion batteries: Electric cars use lithium-ion batteries, which have a fairly long lifespan of 10-20 years (the first 5-8 years are warranted).

NiMH battery: Hybrid cars typically use nickel-metal hydride batteries, which last around 10 years.

Enhanced flooded battery (EFB): These batteries support the electrical requirements of modern vehicles and typically last around 6 years.

The type of battery isn’t the only factor determining the average vehicle battery life. Let’s explore some other considerations.

What Affects the Car Battery Lifespan?

Since lead-acid batteries are the most common type of battery, here are some aspects that impact their longevity:

1. Number of Charge Cycles

Battery degradation occurs gradually with each charge from the alternator, leading to a decrease in capacity over time.

A lead acid battery averages 500-1200 charge-discharge cycles before dropping to 80% of its original battery capacity (80% is the typical limit defining battery cycle life). After 1000 full cycles, a cell may only hold 80% of its original capacity. It’ll keep working until its capacity drops to 60%. So, the risk of a sudden battery death is low.

2. Weather Conditions

Heat aids the chemical reaction needed to generate electricity, making it easier to start an engine in warm weather. But heat also accelerates degradation.

How?
Extreme heat evaporates the battery fluid between the lead plates, damaging internal cells and reducing battery life.

That’s why the average car battery life in cold temperature regions is about 5 years but only around 2.5 years in extreme temperatures.

3. Car Vibrations

Vehicle movement creates vibrations that can affect internal battery parts and break them down over time. Secure your battery firmly in its mounting to minimize unnecessary shaking.

4. Over or Undercharging

Overcharging causes battery fluid leakage, while undercharging accelerates drainage. Allowing a car battery to drain completely speeds up battery degradation — even if you recharge it afterward.

If you regularly experience overcharging issues, purchase a trickle charger. These chargers provide power to the battery slowly to reduce the likelihood of overcharging.

5. Driving Habits

Leaving your vehicle stationary for a long period will deplete the battery charge.

But that’s not all.
Frequent short trips also strain your battery. The battery’s charge drains faster than the charging system can recharge it.

Here’s why:
The engine must run at 1,000 rpm for 10-20 minutes for the alternator to start charging the battery properly. If your battery dies, you’ll have to jump-start it with jumper cables.

Tip: Drive one or two loops around the block instead of one short trip. Also, use a battery maintainer to keep your battery charged when storing your vehicle for an extended period. These driving habits will extend your car battery life.

6. Electrical Accessories

Accessories like the stereo, AC, car alarms, and lights drain the battery, especially if you use them simultaneously or leave them on at night. And the more electronics the car has, the faster the battery will drain to support them.

In addition, incorrectly installing accessories leads to wiring issues, which could cause battery drain. Instead, have a mechanic install new components to prevent battery issues.

7. Car Type

The new inventory of electric and hybrid vehicles have batteries that last longer than those of gas-powered vehicles (around 100,000 miles).

Typically, they use lithium-ion batteries, which can store more energy than the lead-acid batteries used by internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, making them more efficient.

Because lithium-ion batteries contain individual cells, you often don’t need to replace the entire battery when it has a problem.

8. Low CCA Battery

Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) defines how much battery power (or amps) it delivers for 30 seconds at 0°F (-18°C). It shows how well a vehicle battery can start the engine in frigid conditions.

Batteries with a higher CCA rating are more capable of starting your car despite losing power over time. However, lower CCA batteries will deteriorate more quickly to the point where they can’t start your engine at a colder temperature.

9. Vehicle Maintenance

A lack of routine maintenance leads to battery issues like corroded battery terminals and a loose battery. These problems could affect the battery health, reducing its ability to hold power.

Now that you know the factors affecting battery health, let’s examine the signs of a dying battery.

What Are the Symptoms of a Failing Car Battery?

Here are some warning signs that indicate a battery problem:

1. Longer Engine Cranking Times

If your car’s engine takes longer than usual to turn over, it’s a sure warning sign that your battery is close to failure. You’ll need a car battery change ASAP.

In addition, the engine may run rough after starting because the fuel injectors (also powered by the battery) can’t deliver enough fuel to the cylinders.

2. Dim Headlights and Electrical Problems

A weak battery will struggle to power all electrical systems in a vehicle — which is most apparent with dimming or flickering headlights. If this is the case, you’ll notice your headlight brightening as you rev the engine.

3. There’s a Click, But the Engine Won’t Start

If your engine won’t start but your headlights and dashboard lights function, it means there isn’t enough power to start the engine. With this battery problem, you’ll still hear a click or buzz when turning the ignition.

In such cases, you may have to use jumper cables to get your battery charged and tested.

The dashboard battery light or check engine light turning on doesn’t always mean a dead battery. It can also indicate problems with the alternator.

Let a mechanic perform a battery test to diagnose the issue.

5. Unpleasant Smell

The lead acid battery contains sulfuric acid between the lead plates. That’s why a damaged or leaking car battery can emit an unpleasant smell of rotten eggs from the acid.

Driving with a leaking battery can cause an explosion. It’s best to call a mobile mechanic to replace your battery.

6. Corrosion on Battery Terminals

Battery terminal corrosion can lead to starting issues and terminal failure. It’s usually due to the battery acid’s chemical reaction with the metal battery terminals.

Tip: Clean the corrosion buildup with baking soda and get regular battery service.

7. The Battery Is Out of Shape

Exposure to extreme temperatures can bloat, swell, and crack the battery casing. If your car’s battery looks misshapen, get a new car battery ASAP.

Knowing the symptoms of a bad battery is crucial to avoid getting stuck.

But how do you extend the life of your car battery?
Read on to find out.

How Do I Maximize My Battery’s Lifespan?

Here are a few good driving habits and routine maintenance tips to help sustain the life of your battery:

Drive your car regularly to maintain your battery’s charge.
Use a car battery maintainer (battery tender) between long engine starts.
Get a trickle charger to help prevent overcharging an idle battery.
Don’t remove the battery heat shield from the car battery.
Regularly inspect the battery case for damage.
Don’t leave car accessories on for a long period, as they drain power.
Book a regular battery service to boost battery efficiency.
If you drive electric cars, ensure you buy tires with excellent durability to maximize your battery range.
Check your car battery after an off-road trip for loose cable connections.

Have more questions?
Let’s answer them.

4 FAQs about Car Batteries

Here’s everything else you need to know about car batteries:

1. What Are Different Car Battery Types For?

The standard ICE vehicle uses a regular flooded lead-acid automotive battery. A car with higher power needs often uses AGM batteries or Enhanced Flooded Batteries (EFB).

In electric vehicles, an electric motor powers the car instead of an ICE. So, an electric vehicle often uses rechargeable lithium-ion batteries with longer battery life expectancy.

2. How Long Do Car Batteries Last without Charging?

Car batteries last between 2 to 4 weeks without driving, depending on the number of accessories that drain their energy.

If you disconnect the battery from the car, it’ll hold its charge for around 6 months.

3. When Should I Get the Battery Checked?

If you notice any damage to the battery case, get it checked ASAP. However, not every dying battery displays obvious symptoms. So, getting a battery inspection with every oil change service is advisable.

To best maintain your battery, get a battery test twice a year, even if you live in an area with mostly cold weather.

4. How Much Does a Car Battery Replacement Cost?

The cost of a car battery change varies based on the vehicle make, service center location, and battery supplier.

On average, a new car battery costs from $100 (for ICEs) to above $1100 (for EVs).

Resolve Your Car Battery Issues with AutoNation Mobile Service

Everything from your driving habits to the weather can result in a bad battery. That’s why you should schedule a service regularly and get repairs at the first sign of car battery trouble.

If popping by a service center for a new battery feels like a hassle, don’t worry — that’s where AutoNation Mobile Service can help.
We’re a mobile auto repair and maintenance service offering transparent pricing, easy online bookings, and a 12-month, 12,000-mile repair warranty.