If you own or lease a vehicle for more than three years, at some point you’ll have to replace the battery. Over time, a battery’s capacity to store electricity will diminish, or it will suffer physical damage such as a cracked case. How soon a battery needs replacing depends on a number of factors, such as the number of times it’s used to start the engine. Where it lives is also a factor; although battery failure is most often associated with cold weather, hot temperatures do more to shorten battery life by evaporating the fluid and destroying cells inside the battery. Whereas a battery might last three to five years in the Northeast, it could need replacing sooner in Arizona or Florida. Batteries frequently get blamed for all sorts of electrical issues, but they’re only one part of a car’s charging system. Batteries store the electrical power that starts the engine and operates accessories, such as the lights, power locks and windows, and the stereo. The battery depends on the alternator to generate electricity and a voltage regulator to control the amount of electricity generated. If either of those components becomes worn or fails, the battery won’t be fully charged and able to do its part. That’s why it pays it have the entire charging system checked before replacing a battery to make sure the problem isn’t somewhere else. Many parts stores (as well as repair shops) will check a battery’s state of charge and reserve capacity for free, but just replacing the battery won’t fix problems caused by the alternator, voltage regulator, or damaged electrical connectors or cables, or if the belt that drives the alternator is loose or worn.
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