battery date

It's up to you.

Most people wait 'til it fails which usually occurs at inconvenient times or locations. Sorta like a crap shoot. Often, battery failures give little or no warning.

At any rate, your time is getting closer...

JT

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You failed to tell us the most important detail. If you live in a hot climate (ie:TEXAS), you're overdue to change it. If you're in a temperate climate, you're still close to expiration date. Battery shops will do a load test and show you if it's on it's last legs (free).

'Curly'

Thanks for the info.

An old battery will tend to wear down the alternator more quickly. From my reading, it is better to replace pre-emptively rather than wait until it is completely dead. I use the following clues to guide me:

1. Many, including myself, can hear when a battery is struggling to start a car. Pay attention to how long it takes for the engine to "catch" (via the battery driving the starting motor turning the crankshaft), and you might detect when the battery is dying.

1. Age. Five years or more, strongly consider replacing.

2. How many jumpstarts? Running a battery down to the point that it will not start the car decreases its life exponentially.

1. A simple multi-meter check with the engine off. Should read at least 12 volts, and probably closer to 12.5 volts. My now

3.3 year old battery read 12.7 volts when new and read the same last week.

I think Interstate batteries (which are OEM) are the way to go, from reading here.

"riz" wrote