When to replace a car battery?

[greeny]

My car is 4 years old now. I have heard you should replace the battery after 4 years but how do you know when it really needs to be replaced? I don't want my battery to die on me while I'm on a long road trip or something. Does anyone know how to tell when the battery is starting to go? What signs should I look for? Is there any way to know how much life the battery has left? Thank you.

[Brad]

In my experience they have always died without warning. In my last car, it lasted 7 years, then I stopped to get gas, and couldn't start again. A tow truck will charge $50 to come and give you a boost, then you drive to the nearest Walmart or Canadian Tire to get a new battery, or just to the nearest dealership/garage if you don't know how to replace it yourself.

[padyofurniture]

Walmart will also test your battery to see if you need a new one. My car died on the coldest day two years ago and after a boost I took it to Walmart for a battery replacement. After the guy checked it out, all I needed was to put it on a battery charger.

[xlxo]

My car is 4 years old now. I have heard you should replace the battery after 4 years but how do you know when it really needs to be replaced? I don't want my battery to die on me while I'm on a long road trip or something. Does anyone know how to tell when the battery is starting to go? What signs should I look for? Is there any way to know how much life the battery has left? Thank you.

Battery life varies with climate and driving habits. My daily driver lasted 7 years. My gas guzzler that sits too often.... the battery lasts 7 months. I've learned to drive the car at least once a week means the battery can last more than a few years.

When getting an oil change.... the mechanic can test the "cranking amps" and advise when you need a new battery. With more than one car... I often forget when I last got my battery replaced. The decals fade too easily.

CAA's battery assist is my fav choice. Instead of towing your vehicle..... they replace the battery on the spot. For about the same price as my mechanic, but without the tow service.
https://www.bcaa.com/car-care/battery-service
https://www.caasco.com/Auto/Auto-Mai...y-Service.aspx

I also carry Canadian Tire's booster packs when I don't have time to wait for battery service/tow truck. In addition to boosting a weak battery, it inflates my tires too. Being the spring, these packs go on sale weekly. Every November, I make a lot of friends at the office restarting their cars with this device. They also work great when the vehicle is parked against a corner.
http://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/mo...l#.VzjrcY-cFPY

In recent years.... there's these incredible portable booster packs that also charge my phone and tablets. It starts my car too. The small size means you have limited number of tries before it stops working. But it's works for me too.

[xlxo]

Here's a review/demo of the tiny battery....

[Ciel]

This is bringing back a memory-you want to ensure that your battery does not run low on distilled water. Or you might notice a strong sulphur smell (eggs) and see white vapour coming off the engine hood>signs that the battery has gone dry>I was driving while this happened and I considered myself fortunate I was able to make it home after two stops. I had to leave the car hood up for several hours before sibling could take out the battery and find out what the matter was.