How far do you push your battery

[BlindBaby]

The battery in my Silverado is OE and is 7 years old. Should I start shopping for a replacement or can I load-test it, see what the results are and go from there?

I don't want to defer spending $100 (+) for a year or so just to get unexpectedly stranded in a month or so.

What determines when you replace your battery?

 

[racin4ds]

Load test and check state of charge, if its fine then motor on! No sense in replacing one thats not dead!

 

[SwampSurvivor]

If it doesn't get too hot where you live to ruin the battery, and it doesn't get cold enough that you need the battery to always be 100% ... I'd run it another year if it's still in good shape. Modern charging systems are pretty easy on batteries and take temperature into consideration to avoid overheating the battery.

I am usually 4 years and done. But I'm going to run the Focus battery up to 6 years and see how that goes.

 

[edwardh1]

I replace every 4 years

 

[zzyzzx]

Just wait until it either stops working or it starts to get hard to start your vehicle. I have seen car batteries around here go more then 10 years, and where you live I suspect it's s bit easier on batteries.

 

[jhs914]

I was in the same boat as you a few years ago. A seven year old battery with no sign of failure (slow start, dim lights) trying to stretch it, until one night at 11 o'clock after a baseball game, DEAD. It took several tries to get it jumped then it had so little voltage the car would barely run (computer didn't like voltage I suppose). I replaced the battery the next morning. I won't do that again.

 

[Wolf359]

No need to second guess. Load test it and then decide.

 

[Chris Meutsch]

4 years regardless.

 

[Lubener]

Till it can't be pushed any further. I carry jumper cables in case.Been lucky, I have never been stranded.

 

[danthaman1980]

Depends on the climate and how hard you are on your battery.

My brother in southern California just replaced the original battery in his '07 GMC Sierra.
Back home in Texas, I was lucky to get 4 years out of a battery, so I usually replaced proactively at about 3.5 years.
Here in Wisconsin, I'm hoping to get 5 years on average, but I just replaced a 3 year old East Penn/Deka because it would only charge to about 85% and made me late for work one cold February morning; it was only about -10°F out.

 

[bullwinkle]

Keep electrolyte levels full (if possible), keep terminals clean & charging system working, use a solar battery maintainer to keep seldom used vehicles topped off. Works for me!

 

[Blueskies123]

Living is South Florida and close to a Costco with great prices - every 4 years.

 

[The motor guy]

My truck throws lights when the batteries start getting old. Like the abs and parking brake lights will do two bulb checks when starting. Once before I start then again after the engine starts.

 

[old1]

Each persons circumstances are different, so hard to give advice. I will say I am one that usually doesn't fix what ain't broke. So, have it tested and if good --- I have seen old stuff go for a long time, and new stuff go bad fast. In my opinion, it is a gamble either way. I would say if it would be a MAJOR problem to be broke down (for any reason, not just battery) I would have AAA or similar. And I am not an advocate of AAA, and don't have it myself.

 

[Donald]

Get a HF carbon pile load tester.

 

[901Memphis]

If you carry a jump box then take it until it needs to be jumped, provided that it's charging correctly. Sometimes that's all they need is a good full charge.

 

[BrocLuno]

7 years is far enough ...

 

[mclasser]

I wait until it [censored] out until I get new one. Probably not the best thing but I have AAA and also carry jumper cables in the trunk. I've been fortunate in the past where signs of failure like a slow crank started on my driveway, and not 100 miles from home.

 

[NateDN10]

Some vehicles have the battery in the trunk and in that case it can last 10 years due to the lower heat-cycling. If your battery is in the engine compartment, I'd say $100 for a new battery after 7 years isn't wasting money.

 

[Jetronic]

I insulated my battery (under the hood)