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The best time to choose a new battery is before the one presently under the hood gives up all together. Unless you left the lights on, or there is an electrical short, automotive batteries will not generally suffer from sudden death. If your vehicle seems to be laboring to turn the starter first have the charging system tested at your local Advance Auto Parts. If the charging system checks out, a battery load test will determine if the battery needs maintenance or outright replacement. If replacement is the only option then making the best choice in batteries depends on several different factors.
Group Size | Back To Top
The first consideration is choosing the correctly sized battery for your vehicle. A perfect fit keeps the battery snug in the battery tray with the factory hold down system. This prevents battery damage by keeping vibration to a minimum. A battery that is too small can rattle around in the tray and suffer short life.
Cold Cranking Amps - CCA | Back To Top
A battery must have enough power to turn over the engine. This cranking power is measured in Cold Cranking Amps. CCA is the amount of cranking amperage that a given battery can deliver at zero degrees Fahrenheit. CCA is of particular concern for those who live where winter temperatures can dip below zero. Oil becomes thick at these temperatures. Turning over the engine will require more CCA than measured at zero degrees. Select a battery with a higher than required CCA rating if the vehicle is operated in colder than zero degrees climates. Never select a battery that has less than the CCA required by your engine.
Reserve Capacity - RC | Back To Top
This is a very important measurement. The RC is the measure of battery strength when the going gets tough. RC is the amount of time the battery will deliver maximum amperage before discharge. A good example of RC is trying to start a stubborn engine. A battery with a high RC rating will have enough power in reserve to get through tough situations. Since the measure of RC is taken at warmer temperatures it is of great importance to select a battery with a higher than required RC rating if the vehicle is operated in colder climates. Extra battery power in reserve can help when you really need it most.
Remove and Replace | Back To Top
Hauling the battery out of the engine compartment and into Advance Auto Parts is one way to choose a battery, but is not the most reliable method. Unless the vehicle was purchased new-by-you there is no guarantee the correct battery was there in the first place. Choose a battery with the highest quality and CCA/RC rating your budget can afford. In general selecting more battery than you need is better in the long run than choosing just enough. The professionals at Advance Auto Parts are here to help make the best battery choice for you and your vehicle. Knowledge is literally power, especially when it comes to choosing the right battery.
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