Don't Get Stuck with a Dead Battery

My car battery died just recently. Luckily, this happened on a Saturday when I didn't have to go into work.

Leading up to that day, my car kept making an awful sound every time I turned the key ignition - almost like it was dieing and stupidly, I ignored the obvious warning sign that the battery was about to take a dive.

Don't do that. Always check the status of your car's battery so that you don't end up stranded by yourself on the side of the road, or worse, on the freeway. Here is a list of some tips that can help you evaluate the health of your car's battery. Even if you are not car savvy, these tips can point you in the direction of someone who can help you.

Diagnostic Tests: Take diagnostic tests seriously. Usually, if you go in to have your car's oil changed, the person doing the oil change will do a quick diagnostics test on you car to check on things like your windshield wiper blades, tire pressure and battery health.

Usually, these tests are an excuse to rack up additional service charges from people who don't know any better. However, you should always pay attention to what someone says about your battery. If a technician says that your battery is in poor condition, then monitor it carefully and buy a replacement at your earliest convenience.

Annual Check-ups: After two years, it is suggested you get your battery tested annually - if a test hasn't yet been done on it. If you want to figure out the status of your battery yourself, take a look at the actual battery.

Consult your care manual. In most cases, batteries will have a color indicator window. Based on the manual, you can compare what color you are seeing on the battery window, to what the manual's suggested color should be for the battery.

If you can't figure it out, you can always take your battery into a place like Kragen Auto Parts or Firestone and a technician can help you evaluate whether your battery is about to die or not.

Where to Buy: If you need a new battery, Kragen Auto Parts or a Pep Boys will probably give you the best deal on a battery. It usually comes out cheaper and the sales people are often nice enough to give you tips on installation. In some cases, I've seen associates go out and help people install something in their car.

If you need to buy a battery, you just need to know the make and model year of your car. Then you punch in this information in an automated machine at the store that tells you exactly what battery you need to purchase for your car.

Buy New: When you go to the shelves to get your battery, check the dates. You want something that's new and not something that has been sitting on the shelf for a year. Your battery should be no more than six months old.

To check the date, check the shipping code. The letter A signifies January and so on. The number 9 would indicate 2009 and so on.

Disposal: You can't just throw out an old battery since they are made with toxic lead and acid. Batteries can usually be recycled and need to be disposed of properly. You can usually give your old battery to the retailer where you are buying your new one and they will be able to dispose of it properly. You may have to pay a fee, but it comes out less than going to a dealership or a Firestone to have the battery installed by a technician.

Weather: Weather is a huge factor in the performance and longevity of your battery. The colder it is, the harder your engine has to work and this adds an additional strain on your battery. This means it could suck the life out of your battery sooner. Always be aware of factors such as this so as not end up with a surprise one day when you are late to work, and you find that your car won't start.