How to Check Your Car Battery Voltage

What do your car and your TV remote have in common? They both run on batteries. Like any battery, they’ll need to be replaced every so often. How do you know when to get your car battery changed, though? How long does it last?

VW Panama City finds out. We put together this guide on how to check your car battery voltage, so drivers in Springfield, Callaway, and Panama City, FL, can avoid getting stuck with a dead battery. Be sure to contact us today with any questions.

How to Check Your Car Battery

Every driver hopes to avoid it: Turning the key but not being able to start your car is always a hassle. By checking your battery life, you’ll be able to get a new battery before it’s too late. Luckily, you can check your battery’s voltage in your own garage by following these simple steps:

1. Choose Your Instrument—To check your battery, you’ll need some equipment. A voltmeter is the most common device for checking the voltage levels, but a power probe does the job just as well.
2. Turn Your Car Off—To get the most accurate reading, make sure the engine is off. If you’ve just gotten back from a drive, give the engine time to cool down. Along the same lines, make sure anything that uses electricity is turned off, too. That includes features like the headlights and the infotainment system.
3. Pop the Hood & Find the Battery—The battery should look with a rectangle with a couple wires attached to the top.

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4. Remove the Positive End’s Cover—While the negative terminal is usually uncovered, the positive terminal usually has a cap on it. Remove the cover, check for any signs of corrosion, and clean it if necessary.
5. Connect the Meter to the Battery—Next, connect your meter’s positive end to the battery’s positive terminal. Then, connect negative to negative. These are usually color coded. With the majority of meters and batteries, you’ll first connect red to red, then black to black.
6. Check the Voltage—After your meter has made contact with the battery terminals, you’ll get a reading. Ideally, you want it to be somewhere between 12.4 and 12.7 volts. Anything lower than 12.2 volts, and your battery is low. If it’s above 12.9, it’s overcharged.
7. Disconnect Negative First—Always remove the negative or black cable first.

How Long Do Car Batteries Last?

Car batteries can last anywhere from four or five years—and some will last even longer. It all depends on how you take care of them. To help them last for a long time, avoid idling and make sure the none of the interior dome lights are left on overnight.

Battery Service & Replacement

If you have any questions about how to check your car battery voltage, schedule service at VW of Panama City. Our experienced technicians are happy to double check or replace batteries for drivers in Springfield, Callaway, and Panama City, FL.

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