I've got a 2003 Neon with 95k miles on it. It is still running the same battery as the day I bought it in 2004.

When do you change your battery? Do you do it based on age or strictly on power?

Thanks!

 

-I'd stop by any Advance Auto or Autozone and have them do the free charging system test. It may be working fine right now, but when it gets real cold out, you don't want to be stranded with a weak or dead battery. I replaced the battery in my '05 SXT in '08 because it had a couple dead cells in it. Kind of surprised that the factory battery only lasted three years.

L8R,
Matt

 

If you get it checked now, going into Winter, and the cranking amps or volts show borderline (but passed), you should get a new one or the first really cold night or two will kill it.

 

As said, a simple and free test will tell you if you should replace it or not

 

I have a 2004 with the original battery. Car has started everytime with no hesitation and my driving is daily but consists mainly of urban driving to work and back, about 6 miles each way.

I live in Finland where nights are below freezing point for 3 or even 4 months a year and it gets as cold as minus 20 degrees Celsius for several weeks every winter. And yeah, I just got a block heater in the car two weeks ago, so I've started it without any preheating every time for the first 8 years of the car.

My advice is, if you don't have any difficulties starting the car or some other weird electric issues, you're ok with the old one. Of course you can have it checked but you should remember that the people checking the battery and telling you it's bad or not are the same people that earn their living selling new batteries And most likely they'll tell you the battery is bad although it might not really be bad enough to need a replacement.

 

That's the whole point of checking the battery...not having to wait until you go to leave one day and finding out your car won't start because the battery finally gave up. Check it yourself if you are that paranoid about it. A basic voltmeter will tell you. If the battery reads under 12V after sitting all night, you should get a new one because it is worn out and will quit sooner than later.

 

Borrowed a voltmeter from work. 12 volts when off but only 14.5 volts when the car. Should it be 15-18 volts when running? Appears the battery is a little under powered.

 

When engine running volts within 13 to 14.7 good anything more overcharge

 

12V means there's about 50% life left in the battery. Might replace it sooner than later.