How often should I replace my car battery?

Battery life is shortened by heat far more than cold. Central Texas summers are brutal on batteries, and it's common to see even quality batteries fail at 3-4 years here. If your battery is over 3 years old, we'll load-test it free of charge at every service visit.

Warning signs: slow crank on cold or hot starts, dim headlights at idle, dash lights flickering when accessories switch on, or a battery light that comes on briefly. Modern vehicles with stop/start systems and heavy electronic loads are especially sensitive to a weakening battery.

When we replace a battery, we test the charging system (alternator output, voltage regulation) at the same time. Installing a new battery on a failing alternator ruins the new battery in short order — the two systems have to be verified together.