Batteries

All vehicles have a certain size battery that fits the battery tray perfectly. This size is optimal for fitment and performance. While you can buy a smaller size battery that does fit in the battery tray, there will be extra space between the battery and the end of the tray. Similar to buying shoes, you can buy a larger size but then your heel may slip out. To prevent the battery from moving around, getting the correct size is the best choice. We ensure this every time your battery is replaced.

The battery voltage measures the current charge of the battery. The voltage can indicate if the battery is dead, needs to be charged or is fully charged. A battery testing at 12.2 Volts or less is considered a dead battery. At this voltage, you are using battery supply faster than it can recharge and therefore will cause a battery discharge - leading to a dead battery. 

A low voltage reading affects the Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) reading. Therefore, if your battery has low voltage, we recommend

charging the battery to full capacity before determining the battery condition.

The CCA measures the battery's ability to start the car in cold temperatures. Batteries are weaker and perform less efficiently in colder temperatures. Therefore, your battery will test differently on a 90°F day compared to a 35°F day.  A battery that tests 100 less CCA than maximum capacity, is a borderline weak battery. A battery testing 200 CCA less than maximum, the battery is bad. 

Did you know that having your vehicle on but the engine not running actually drains your battery? A vehicle must be driven (not idling) for the alternator to charge the battery. If the vehicle sits for several days or is only driven short trips (less than 10 minutes/day), the battery will not be fully charged. Similar to your cell phone, if your phone is not used all day, the battery percentage still decreases. 

During COVID-19, we had dozens of customers experiencing their vehicles not starting. Batteries were in such high demand that production could not keep up and many vendors were experiencing shortages.

If you are only driving short distances, it may be beneficial to have a plug-in battery charger or solar charger. These options can help maintain a steady charge of your battery while the vehicle sits. We can install plug-in chargers and solar chargers for you. Ask us for more information!

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Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries have been around since the 1980's, mainly used for military vehicles and aircraft. Most European vehicles have AGM batteries and they are becoming more prevalent in today's common vehicles.

Benefits of AGM Batteries:

• Last longer - Average lifespan is 5-6 years while a lead acid battery averages 3-5 years

• More power because they have more lead

• Resistant to vibrations, more durable

• Less likely to produce corrosion

• Ensure all lights are turned off when leaving your vehicle. A dome light, map light, glovebox light, or trunk light can drain your battery overnight.

• Drive more than 15 minutes to allow your alternator to give charge back to your battery.

• Every time you open the trunk or doors, door lights turn on. This only becomes problematic for your battery when trunks/car doors are left open for hours.

• Keep your key fobs far away from the car. Some vehicles "wake-up" accessories when the key fob is nearby even when the car is not on. 

• If your battery is 3-4 years old, it's a good idea to test your battery to know the condition, especially before cold weather! Almost every oil change (vehicle depending), we test your battery so you can plan ahead of when your battery may need replacing.

• Clean those terminals! Over time, chemical reactions between the battery and the terminals can cause corrosion to build up on the terminals. This can weaken the battery and lower the voltage. We have a cleaning service for $40 to clean the terminals with a brush, clean off the crystals, and apply an anti-corrosion to the surface. 

• If your battery dies, it's important to diagnose the cause and repair it. Any time a battery goes completely dead and/or needs to be jumped, the battery weakens a little.

  • If an alternator is not working, it can no longer charge the battery and therefore the battery will go dead with time. If the battery is jumped, the battery is bound to die again if the alternator is not working. This is why, whenever a vehicle comes in because it does not start, we always test the alternator too.

  • Even if the battery went dead because an interior light was left on, this needs to be corrected. If you jump the battery and the light is still left on, your vehicle is will have a no-start condition again.

  • Did you know that if you test a battery after it has been jumped, the battery reads good on a battery tester? When you experience a car not starting, we recommend to not jump it, tow it to us, so we can diagnose the problem in the same condition it's in for you. If a tow is not an option, we recommend leaving the car overnight so we can get a true reading of the battery. When a battery is jumped, it's a temporary fix. 

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