The life of your car battery depends on how long it can hold its charge, and is capable of being recharged. Once it can’t be recharged, it’s dead. There are a number of factors that can affect your car battery, including humidity, temperature, and other environmental factors.
Let’s assume ideal conditions: no high temperatures, no excessive humidity – in short, a perfect world for your car. Under these conditions, you can probably expect your car battery life to be about six years. On average, a car battery lasts between two and five years. If you live in the northern United States, your car battery lifespan will be longer, because you’re in a cold climate. Warm climates tend to increase damage due to sulfation and water loss.
Good care extends battery life
Of course, proper car battery care can greatly enhance your car battery lifespan, and the best way to make sure that your car battery lasts a long time is to always keep it fully charged. That means that you should try not to leave your lights on or leave accessories plugged in. Also, make sure that your battery is always checked during routine vehicle maintenance.
Your battery life depends on these two main factors: where you live and how well you take care of the battery. If properly cared for, however, you should get a number of years out of your battery, assuming that you own a gasoline powered or diesel fueled vehicle. If you own a hybrid, or an electric car, you can expect to get an amazing eight years of auto battery life before you have to think about replacing it.
