How Long Does a Car Battery Last?

How long does a car battery last? That's one of the most frequently asked questions, usually by people who are questioning how much longer their own car battery will last. The answer depends on a lot of factors, including what type of car battery is being used (flooded lead-acid, AGM or lithium), how the battery is used, where it is used and how it is maintained. OPTIMA AGM batteries can last up to three times as long as a traditional flooded lead-acid batteries and OPTIMA ORANGETOP lithium batteries offer even more cycle life!

We see a lot of people suggesting typical car battery lifespan is three to five years, maybe less in hotter climates, maybe a more in temperate climates. However, a little bit of searching will yield plenty of stories about car batteries lasting far longer than five years. So how do they do it or maybe more importantly, what shortens battery lifespan? 

Weather

While there tends to be a big spike in battery sales when the first real cold snap of winter hits, the truth is, the damage to those batteries was probably done during the hottest summer months. The cold weather just makes a battery work harder, so if there's damage, it tends to show up when it takes more energy to turn over an engine. Hot conditions are one reason so many automakers are relocating batteries out of engine compartments and into cooler interior locations.

Short Trips

Vehicles typically come with some type of charging system to maintain battery voltage, like an alternator. We emphasize maintain, because these systems are typically designed to maintain a battery near a full state of charge, not recover a deeply discharged battery. When you jump start a car, you are asking that charging system to do something it wasn't designed to do- fully recharge a deeply discharged battery in the amount of time you spend driving after it is jump-started. Even if it can fully recharge a battery, it will generate a tremendous amount of heat to do that and will likely see the alternator's lifespan shortened as a result. If you need to jump start a car, get that deeply discharged battery on a battery charger as soon as possible.  

Parasitic Drains

Modern vehicles consume a tremendous amount of electricity, even when they aren't being used. That's how features like OnStar stay in constant contact, no matter where the vehicle is located and if it is in a parking garage or somewhere it doesn't get good reception, it may turn up the power even more to attempt to remain connected. Some vehicles send out low frequency signals to check for a paired key fob nearby. If you leave your key fob in your vehicle, it may activate your vehicle from a low power/sleep mode and consume more energy from the battery.

For that reason, we recommend monthly maintenance charging of your car battery with a quality battery charger. Most batteries should measure at least 12.6 volts when fully charged. If you find your battery voltage to be consistently below 12.6 volts when you give it a maintenance charge, you may need to charge it more often. If you find it always measures at least 12.6 volts, you may extend that interval.

Long Term Storage

If your vehicle is going to sit unused for an extended period of time, we highly recommend keeping your battery connected to a quality battery charger. If that's not an option, fully charging and completely disconnecting the battery is the next-best alternative. Whenever any battery gets discharged below 12.4 volts and is allowed to sit in that state, sulfation forms in the plates, which diminishes capacity and lifespan.

Improper Installation

We attend car shows and auctions all over the country and we can't tell you how many times we come across vehicles that have batteries that are improperly secured (or not secured at all). The battery cables are not designed or intended to secure the battery in your vehicle. Asking them to do that can create a potentially dangerous situation with battery arcing and/or lead to premature battery failure due to terminal damage. Bungee cords and other flexible straps are not strong enough to hold a battery in place and while OPTIMA batteries are up to 15x more resistant to damage from vibration, flooded lead-acid batteries are very vulnerable to damage from vibration and/or impacts that can be the result of improper installation.

Conclusion

This isn't rocket science or even battery science, it's just common sense. Take proper care of your car battery and you will maximize lifespan and performance.