Honda Car Forum

How can I tell if I need a new battery?

A friend of mine tested it and it measured 10.9 volts. Is that bad or
good? It's a 2000 car with the original stock battery. Should I replace
it now, or wait a year or two more? What are the signs/symptoms that I
might need a new one or that it's getting bad?

Thanks!

That voltage is too low. What you want to do is test the voltage while the
car is running. If the voltage is in the 14 volt range while running then
your battery is most likely shot. Load testing is a good way to test a
battery.

CaptainKrunch

"joe" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:nospam-805195.18400421022004@netnews.comcast.net...
> How can I tell if I need a new battery?
>
> A friend of mine tested it and it measured 10.9 volts. Is that bad or
> good? It's a 2000 car with the original stock battery. Should I replace
> it now, or wait a year or two more? What are the signs/symptoms that I
> might need a new one or that it's getting bad?
>
> Thanks!

CaptainKrunch wrote:

> That voltage is too low. What you want to do is test the voltage while the
> car is running. If the voltage is in the 14 volt range while running then
> your battery is most likely shot. Load testing is a good way to test a
> battery.
>
> CaptainKrunch
>
> "joe" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
> news:nospam-805195.18400421022004@netnews.comcast.net...
>
>>How can I tell if I need a new battery?
>>
>>A friend of mine tested it and it measured 10.9 volts. Is that bad or
>>good? It's a 2000 car with the original stock battery. Should I replace
>>it now, or wait a year or two more? What are the signs/symptoms that I
>>might need a new one or that it's getting bad?
>>
>>Thanks!
>
>
>

That's not always a good indicator though. I just had to buy a battery
about a week after testing it, both with load and without - tested just
fine. Like I said though, a week later and it couldn't even run the radio.

I'd say wait until it dies, unless you depend on the car crucially. Or
you have money that you want to spend.

I have to agree with CaptainKrunch on this one. If the voltage is about
14 V with the engine running and 10.9 V otherwise, then the charging
system is fine and the battery has already failed. Trying to save money
by delaying the replacement is short sighted as a bad battery will wear
out you alternator prematurely.

Since the car is a 2000 the battery is about 4 years old, and it is not
unreasonable for the battery to die at that age.

Franz Bestuchev wrote:
>
> CaptainKrunch wrote:
>
> > That voltage is too low. What you want to do is test the voltage while the
> > car is running. If the voltage is in the 14 volt range while running then
> > your battery is most likely shot. Load testing is a good way to test a
> > battery.
> >
> > CaptainKrunch
> >
> > "joe" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
> > news:nospam-805195.18400421022004@netnews.comcast.net...
> >
> >>How can I tell if I need a new battery?
> >>
> >>A friend of mine tested it and it measured 10.9 volts. Is that bad or
> >>good? It's a 2000 car with the original stock battery. Should I replace
> >>it now, or wait a year or two more? What are the signs/symptoms that I
> >>might need a new one or that it's getting bad?
> >>
> >>Thanks!
> >
> >
> >
>
> That's not always a good indicator though. I just had to buy a battery
> about a week after testing it, both with load and without - tested just
> fine. Like I said though, a week later and it couldn't even run the radio.
>
> I'd say wait until it dies, unless you depend on the car crucially. Or
> you have money that you want to spend.

thanks all for the advice, i appreciate it. my next question is should i
spring for an Optima battery? or it it not worth the extra money? i
don't have a high power car stereo or anything.

Randolph wrote:
> I have to agree with CaptainKrunch on this one. If the voltage is
> about 14 V with the engine running and 10.9 V otherwise, then the
> charging system is fine and the battery has already failed. Trying to
> save money by delaying the replacement is short sighted as a bad
> battery will wear out you alternator prematurely.
>
> Since the car is a 2000 the battery is about 4 years old, and it is
> not unreasonable for the battery to die at that age.
>
> Franz Bestuchev wrote:
>>
>> CaptainKrunch wrote:
>>
>>> That voltage is too low. What you want to do is test the voltage
>>> while the car is running. If the voltage is in the 14 volt range
>>> while running then your battery is most likely shot. Load testing
>>> is a good way to test a battery.
>>>
>>> CaptainKrunch
>>>
>>> "joe" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
>>> news:nospam-805195.18400421022004@netnews.comcast.net...
>>>
>>>> How can I tell if I need a new battery?
>>>>
>>>> A friend of mine tested it and it measured 10.9 volts. Is that bad
>>>> or good? It's a 2000 car with the original stock battery. Should I
>>>> replace it now, or wait a year or two more? What are the
>>>> signs/symptoms that I might need a new one or that it's getting
>>>> bad?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> That's not always a good indicator though. I just had to buy a
>> battery about a week after testing it, both with load and without -
>> tested just fine. Like I said though, a week later and it couldn't
>> even run the radio.
>>
>> I'd say wait until it dies, unless you depend on the car crucially.
>> Or you have money that you want to spend.

Just replaced the original battery in my '94 Integra. it was turning over
slower than normal. It turns over a lot faster now.

--
Bob Burns
Mill Hall PA
treborburns@earthlink.net

I think for about 1/3 the price the stock battery is just fine. I got a
good one at Costco a few years ago for about $40 I think. If you are going
to mount the battery in the car or the trunk, or live in a very high heat
area I would spring for the Optima. But since you don't and you are not
running any heavy load accessories just go with stock and don't forget to
check the water level if it is a non-maintenance free battery.

CaptainKrunch


"joe" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:nospam-6D7129.07013322022004@netnews.comcast.net...
> thanks all for the advice, i appreciate it. my next question is should i
> spring for an Optima battery? or it it not worth the extra money? i
> don't have a high power car stereo or anything.

one of the reasons i am considering Optima is because i park the car
during the week, all week with the alarm on (i take public transit to
work).

Costco battery was rated the best.





How to turn off 'Maintenance Required" light:

1. Hold trip/reset button on dash
2. Turn key to "ON" or start engine
3. Hold button til light goes out

"joe" <nospam@nospam.com> wrote in message
news:nospam-805195.18400421022004@netnews.comcast.net...
> How can I tell if I need a new battery?
>
> A friend of mine tested it and it measured 10.9 volts. Is that bad or
> good? It's a 2000 car with the original stock battery. Should I replace
> it now, or wait a year or two more? What are the signs/symptoms that I
> might need a new one or that it's getting bad?
>
> Thanks!

Usually a weakening battery will show signs of turning the car over more
slowly in the morning if you have a really good ear and listen to the sounds
your car is singing.

A no load voltage of 10.9 is low, but may simply indicate that you are not
doing long enough driving trips to fully charge the battery.

Personally I would probably change it out because a new battery is
inexpensive and getting stuck with a dead battery is a real PITA.

John