When should I replace my car battery?

As it is with every device that needs charging, your car batteries will decrease in efficiency with every charge. With proper care, car batteries can last for more than five years! However, if you use your car daily under average conditions, it would be good to replace it after three years. Beyond this point, most car batteries won’t be as reliable and could lead to a number of safety issues. 

The average lifespan of a car battery can be affected by:

1) Climate conditions

Super-hot or cold temperatures will harm your battery. Living in extreme temperatures will mean you might have to replace your batteries more often than advised. 

2) Driving habits

Repeated short drives for daily commutes, for instance, could shorten your battery’s lifespan because there won’t be much time for full recharges between drives. On the other hand, letting your car idle in the garage or a parking lot for too long could also drain your batteries.

Driving on a weak battery could increase your chances of getting stuck in the middle of nowhere - so make sure to look out for these warning signs:

• Lagging engine start
• A persistent ‘check engine’ alert
• Battery cases that are out of shape
• Battery fluid leakage

Kia cars are basically equipped with maintenance-free type batteries. If your Kia is equipped with a battery marked with a lower and upper mark on the side, you can check the electrolyte level - which should ideally be between the lower and upper marks. If the electrolyte level is low, you need to add distilled (demineralized) water. During refills, make sure you don’t splash the battery and/or other components near it. Also do not overfill as this can lead to corrosion on other parts. Make sure to tighten the cell caps once you are done with refill. 

At any point, we would always recommend that you contact an authorized Kia dealer.