Your car battery won’t last forever, as you know. It can be easy to forget this fact in the daily hustle and bustle of life. Until you push the button, nothing will happen. Routine maintenance will help you keep ahead of the curve and catch dying batteries before they become dead. This quick guide will tell you how to check for and replace your car’s battery.
AutoZone Free Car Battery Test
What is the most recent time that you have tested your battery? If you are struggling to recall, perhaps it is time for a checkup. Your driving habits and how well your vehicle is cared for can affect the battery’s lifespan. However, they will generally last between 3 and 5 years. Be aware that there are many things that can cause this power cell to run out faster.
- Frequent, brief driving trips
- Leakage or corrosion of terminal connections
- Extremely hot weather
- Your lights off
- Questions about charging alternators
There are many options when you need to test your battery. AutoZone is one of the few auto parts retailers that offers complimentary battery testing. You do not need to make an appointment. All you need is your vehicle and normal store hours. If you’d rather test your battery at-home, you can get a multimeter at AutoZone.
How to Replace your Car Battery
If you have the proper tools, it is simple to replace your car battery. Let your vehicle cool off on a flat surface before you move it. Wear safety gloves and goggles while you wait. You only need to follow a few simple steps to get replacements.
- It is important to disconnect the negative wire first. It is usually black and marked by a minus sign.
- Next, pull the positive wire from the corresponding terminal.
- Be sure to remove all clamps that are holding the battery in position.
- You will need to carefully lift the old battery from the tray and place it aside.
- Clean all corrosion and dirt from the tray.
- Place the battery inside your vehicle.
- Place washers back on terminals and apply dielectric grease to each.
- Connect the positive connector first, then connect it to the negative.
If your vehicle starts normal after installing your batteries, you are good to go.
Battery Shopping Tips
There are many battery options available. So how do you choose which one to buy? We don’t have enough space to cover all of the batteries, so let us just focus on the Duralast. There are three kinds of Duralast Batteries: the standard, gold and platinum. There are three types of Duralast batteries: standard, gold and platinum. It’s not hard to pick the right one for you. Just think about your driving habits. Duralast Gold for instance comes with a 3 year warranty and up 1,000 cold cranking amps, which is perfect for providing consistent power in extreme cold.
You should find the right information to make battery shopping easy. Most auto parts retailers allow you to search your vehicle’s make, year, and type. Others also offer a VIN checkup to pinpoint the vehicle. These searches are the best to narrow down your selection of car batteries. It is important to shop at a reliable auto parts retailer.