10 Signs Your Battery Needs Replacing
Sometimes, a vehicle battery gives you hints of impending trouble. Not sure what to look for? Consider these 10 warning signs.
- Your car starts slowly or has trouble starting.
If you start the ignition and the engine cranks slowly, or makes a whirring sound for a while, you might need a new battery. - Your car’s engine cranks but won’t start.
This could be a sign that your battery is failing. If you try to start your car and hear only a click, you may have either a faulty battery or a bad starter. - Your car needs multiple jump starts.
If your car often needs a jump to get it going, its battery could be wearing out. Or, another part of your electrical system, such as the alternator, is failing. Take your vehicle to a AAA-approved mechanic, who can pinpoint the problem. - Your dashboard lights are flickering or your headlights are dim.
Failing lights could signal a failing battery, or perhaps a failing alternator. - Your car struggles to perform in cold or hot weather.
Colder temperatures strain your battery and can eventually kill it, while extreme heat can damage its internal structure. - You notice a rotten-egg smell.
A sulfuric acid smell could indicate an unstable battery. - The battery case is swollen, cracked, or disfigured.
If you notice any of these changes, your battery is damaged. - You have corroded battery terminals.
Car batteries have a positive and a negative terminal (the two terminals that you connect jumper cables to when jump-starting a car). Corrosion around a battery terminal—a powdery buildup that’s usually white, green, or blue—can hamper battery function. - You haven’t been driving your car lately.
“Use it or lose it” certainly applies to your car battery. If a car isn’t driven regularly, the battery drains, eventually leaving you with a dead battery. If your car sits too long between drives, you may not be able to revive it with a jump start. - You have an old battery.
Nothing lasts forever, and that includes car batteries. Most batteries last for 3 to 6 years.
AAA Membership plans include 24/7 roadside assistance, no matter whose car you’re in.
AAA Members also get hotel discounts, discounted trip planning services, and more. Plans start at less than $6 per month. Membership is charged annually.
Suspect a failing battery? AAA Members can request roadside assistance to have their battery tested and replaced.1
Learn more about AAA Membership.
Explore Roadside Plans1 Battery replacement not available in all locations. May not be available for all vehicles.
Content on this page is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as official recommendations or advice from AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah.