Knowing the age of your car battery will allow you to change it before it causes problems.
Just like every other component, your car battery will degrade over time. While there is no set rule, car batteries generally last between three to five years before they need to be changed. Knowing how to find out your battery’s age is important, as it will reduce the risk of you leaving it for too long and suddenly finding yourself with a car that won’t start. It will also allow you to check when, if at all, the battery was last replaced before you buy a used car.
Checking the age of a car battery involves locating the battery under the bonnet, which should be fairly straightforward. Many batteries have the date they were manufactured printed on top of them, and whilst that isn’t going to be the same date that the battery was installed in the car it will still give a good indication.
If there is no date on the battery there will be a code either on the battery itself or on the battery cover. The first two digits of this code will allow you to figure out when the battery was manufactured. The first digit is the last number of the year when the battery was made, e.g. 7 means 2017. The second digit, which ranges from A to L, lets you know the month it was manufactured. So 7L would be December 2017, 2B would be February 2002 etc. It is worth noting that different manufacturers may have the first two the digits the other way round.
How long should your battery last?
There are many factors at play when it comes to how long your car’s battery will last, with one of the main being frequent short journeys that do not allow your battery to fully recharge. Generally speaking though, the upper limit is around five years. Past this threshold the battery will be able to generate less and less power, eventually reaching the point where it is unable to start your car. This is why it is a good idea to change your battery before it reaches five years of age.
Sometimes, if you car hasn’t been used for a long period of time, the battery will run out of charge. If this is the case your battery doesn’t need replacing, as it can be jump started and recharged. However, if you find your battery is flat after relatively short periods of inactivity (less than a month, for example), or if your battery is struggling to start in cold weather, it’s probably time to get a new one.