Car Battery Testing and Replacement

Heat is what kills batteries here, not cold

Cold gets the blame, because the first chilly morning is when a weak battery finally cannot turn the engine over. But heat is what did the damage. High temperatures break a battery down inside and cook off the fluid, which is why batteries in this valley routinely come up short of the life printed on the sticker. A battery does not fade gradually where you can feel it. It works until the morning it does not.

We go by the test, not the date on the sticker

We put a load on the battery and measure what it can actually deliver, check the charge level, and look at the terminals and cable ends for corrosion and looseness. We also check the clamp that holds it down, because a battery vibrating loose in its tray dies early. A battery that still passes has life left, whatever the date says. One that fails at two years old in this heat needs to go, whatever the warranty sticker says.

Overnight drains, and newer cars that need programming

When the battery tests fine but goes flat every few mornings, something is pulling power with the key off: an add-on accessory, a stuck relay, a computer that never goes to sleep, a light left on in the trunk or glovebox. Finding it means measuring the draw and shutting off circuits one at a time until it drops. Separately, a lot of newer cars keep track of their battery’s age and adjust charging to match, and those have to be told a new battery went in. Skip that step and the new battery gets charged wrong from day one.

Battery Testing & Replacement: questions we get asked

More on electrical & charging

• AlternatorBattery light, dimming lights, dead on the road
• StarterOne click, no crank, won’t start when hot
• Electrical & Charging overviewBatteries, alternators, starters

Other services at the shop

• STAR Smog Check
• Auto A/C Repair
• Brake Repair
• Engine Diagnostics
• Radiator & Cooling
• Wheel Alignment

Where we serve

We serve drivers across the Coachella Valley:

• Palm Desert
• Cathedral City
• Rancho Mirage
• Palm Springs
• Indio
• Coachella
• La Quinta