Last month, I briefly discussed ways to avoid problems with your battery.  If properly maintained, your vehicle’s battery should last for years.  But eventually a battery will fail.  It could be that harsh driving conditions have shortened its life or it has simply outlived its usefulness.  Regardless of the reason, if your car battery is dead or weak, you could wind up stuck out on the road. 

When shopping for a new battery, it is important to remember three items.  The first is the Battery Council International (BCI) group number.  Batteries are assigned a group number when they are manufactured based on the size of the battery, where the cables are connected and terminal polarity. 

The second thing to look for is the CCA rating.  CCA stands for cold cranking amps and is an indication of the batteries power.  You should consider the climate you drive in when determining the CCA rating you need.  It takes twice as much current to turn over a cold engine in cold weather than it does in warm weather.  Therefore, if you live in a colder climate you would benefit from a higher CCA rating.  If you live in an area with warm weather, a battery with a high CCA rating may not be necessary. 

The last item to look for is the reserve capacity rating (RC).  This rating tells you how long your car’s accessories can run and still have enough power to start the engine.  The higher the RC rating, the better off you are.  The size and number of plates in a battery determine how many amps it can generate.  If you have more and/or large plates, you can extend the batteries life.  This is why some batteries have a three year warranty and others have a five year warranty.

Your vehicle owner’s manual will have the original equipment manufacturer’s (OEM) minimum requirements needed for your car and will help you select a battery that is adequate for your needs.