The Easiest Ways To Tell If A Car Battery Is Dead

Unless you drive an electric vehicle, you rely on your car's battery to reliably start your vehicle's engine and get moving. It's one of the least exciting parts of the engine bay, but arguably one of the most important. After all, without a good battery, you won't be moving anywhere. As with all things under the sun, car batteries are subject to decay and will eventually stop working, often with little or no fanfare, leaving you stranded. 

A typical car battery last between four and six years, but harsher, especially cold climates can shorten that lifespan. Fortunately, there are a few ways to tell if your car's battery is toast that don't require a degree in mechanical engineering to figure out. Knowing the difference between a dead battery and something more serious like a problem with your starter or alternator can not only save you a bit of money, but can also get you back on the road more quickly. Newer cars even have the benefit of an advanced onboard diagnostic system that removes a lot of the guesswork. 

One of the most illuminating ways to get some insight into whether or not your battery is a dud is to check all of the lights in your car. When you turn your key to the accessory position (or push the "Start" button once) and the interior dome lights are dim or don't come on at all, that should be a big clue. The headlights act in a similar way: If the lights aren't as bright as they usually are, the battery is most likely to blame. 

Exterior and interior lights aren't the only ways to get an idea if your battery has given up the ghost. Those dashboard lights are there for a reason, and aren't just something to ignore on a Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace car you got a good deal on. Oftentimes there's a battery light on the instrument panel that should come on if the car detects there's an issue with the battery. If that light is glowing a solid color, or the battery is so dead, it doesn't come on at all, you might want to consider replacing the battery.

With a healthy battery, turning the key all the way, you should hear a brief starter motor noise before the engine fires up. If your car's battery is not long for this world, the starter motor may just produce a clicking noise or no noise at all. 

A silent car upon turning the key is not always the end of the world, and more than likely means the battery is deceased, and it's just a quick trip to the auto parts store to get running again. A good auto parts store with a knowledgeable staff should even have equipment on hand to check a battery's voltage and give you a good idea of whether or not it needs replacing. 

There is also another often overlooked auditory cue that could give you an idea as to your battery's health. Many cars have a chime that you can hear when the doors are open, you leave the key in the ignition, or leave your headlights on after getting out of the car (which, ironically, is the source of many dead car batteries). If your car normally sings a little tune when doing any of these things and has become strangely silent, it may be time to replace the battery.