Updated · Batteries
Why heat, not cold, does the damage
Inside a lead-acid battery, heat speeds up the chemical reactions. That sounds helpful, but it also speeds up corrosion of the internal plates and dries out the liquid inside. On a July afternoon in Dallas–Fort Worth, the battery sits beside a hot engine and above pavement that has baked in the sun all day.
The damage builds quietly through the summer. It often shows up later, on the first cool morning in fall, when the engine needs more power to turn over and a weakened battery can't deliver it.
What to expect in North Texas
There's no fixed number, but three to four years is a reasonable expectation here, and some batteries fail sooner. Cars that sit for long stretches, make lots of short trips, or run extra electronics like dash cams tend to land on the short end.
Short trips matter because the alternator needs drive time to put back what starting the engine took out. A car that only runs five-minute errands may never fully recharge its battery.
How to find your battery's age
Most batteries carry a date sticker or a stamped code on the case or the top. Many stickers show a month and year, like 04/23. Others use a short code; if you can't read it, a battery test answers the question that really matters.
- Look on the top and sides of the battery case
- Check your service records or the receipt from the last replacement
- If it's three years old or more, have it tested before summer
Ways to get more life out of it
Heat wins in the end, but a few habits slow it down.
- Park in shade or a garage when you can, especially in summer
- Keep the terminals clean and the cables tight
- Make sure the hold-down is snug so the battery doesn't vibrate
- Take a longer drive now and then if your car mostly makes short trips
- After year two, have the battery and charging system tested once a year
When it's time
Slow cranking, a click when you turn the key, or a car that needs a jump more than once are the usual signals. A battery past its third summer that shows any of them is not worth gambling on.
If the car won't start, we can jump it so you can get going, or bring a new battery and install it where the car is parked: at home, at work, or in a store lot anywhere in Dallas–Fort Worth.