Testing Battery Health in Your Car, Truck or SUV

This video discusses different methods of testing the battery health of your vehicle. IF you need to constantly recharge your battery, or you keep needing jump starts, it's time to test your vehicle's battery health to find out of you need a new battery!

More DIY Diagnostic videos:

How to Do a Parasitic Draw Test:

⚠ DISCLAIMER:
While 1A Auto strives to make the information provided in this video as accurate as possible, it makes no claims, promises, or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or applicability of the content. No information contained in this video shall create any expressed or implied warranty or guarantee of any particular result. All do-it-yourself projects entail some risk. It is the sole responsibility of the viewer to assume this risk. 1A Auto is not responsible or liable for any loss damage (including, but not limited to, actual, consequential, or punitive), liability, claim, or any other injury or cause related to or resulting from any information posted in this video.

[AAuto]

√ *Watch the Video*
√ *Do it Yourself*
√ *Save Money*

[HomesteadPreparedNewsletter]

This video link is definitely going in our next issue! Thanks for the great tutorial!

[bgjobass]

Love what you bring to us daily. These self help and informative videos rock! The more we can learn of our vehicles, the better. Thanks 1A! Getting it done and leading by example.

[devilschild]

I got sick durring the week we are preparing for exams, so this was so useful whilst trying to remember how to test batery acid 👌🏻 everything was even clearer to understand than when my professors explain it! 10/10

[makavelitt]

I love this guy's presentations. Very helpful and easy to follow

[jamesodiomu]

From Uganda 🇺🇬, I love you Sir, so Educative and informative

[kthan]

This video helped me get an idea of what sort of things the guys at the shop will be doing, as I just scheduled my car's battery for an inspection this coming weekend. I found myself having to jumpstart my car every time I fail to start it within 24 hours, which is way too much/often, I think, to simply be caused by the cold season. Fingers crossed that it's just a problem with the battery and not the starter.

[tarwashsomeonestolemyhandle]

Thanks! very helpful - especially the don't wash the battery with baking soda

[billbright]

Recharge your batteries with this brief tutorial on electric systems.
Amp up your game. You’ll get a charge out knowing what’s up in the electron field.

The acid test comes when it’s 45 below zero. Cold ⚡️cranking ⚡️ amperage can play a factor in if will start or not.

Parasitic draw is your relative raiding the fridge at 1 in the morning.

[lennydesrochers]

Awesome news Len you an your team are Amazing an very helpful

[Silwiu]

Thx for the video, but the most common tool i belive would be the multimeter and i was expecting to see the result with it.

[JettaTDI]

Rock on..and great info to check the battery.

[MAS_momo]

when you want to test your battery SOH with one of the smart tester, do you need to unplug the battery or no? great video btw

[georgesontag]

This guy is making it complicated. Charge the battery, check it for 12.5 volts. Turn on everything you can, head lights, high beam, everything. If the voltage drops to less than 11.0 volts, your battery cant handle starting. Change the if its 5 years old, change it anyway, you will be stranded if you dont. A non loaded battery voltage means almost nothing.

[digitalbreakthroughs]

I know I won't do this so I go by Advance Auto when I want it checked.

[andrewbailey]

I have a Topdon battery analyser, but I have a calcium type battery, which I renewed last month. I tested the battery, but the analyser said it needed replacing, but its brand new, and the shop checked it too. When I looked at the topdon analyser it doesn't cover calcium batteries, yet it's a modern tool. How would you suggest I should maintain this type of battery. I know they need 14.8V, but most modern chargers don't extend to calcium type batteries, which is annoying when this type of battery is being sold, for the use of cars without start/stop technology. Any information or even a video covering this issue would be much appreciated and very informative, regards Andy

[BillSaltbush]

"Take a peek inside with a flashlight", you say. If you are going to do that, you had better ensure that the flashlight is 'intrinsically safe' (not an ordinary flashlight). This, for the very same reason that there should be no smoking and no spark from anywhere in the system. If the flashlight is not 'intrinsically safe', it could be the very source of ignition we are trying to eliminate i.e. it can ignite any (explosive) hydrogen gas in the vicinity.

[Longtrailside]

Simple, if it doesn't pass a ten second amp test from from a carbon tester(the old toaster style), then it's bad. Multimeter test will leave you stranded. Had a battery read 12.7 at Napa went to go put it in, and all it did was make the starter click. My lesson now is to always amp test it.

[armandomagana]

What if the airbag light doesn’t flash? I now have a message saying “airbag service”

[Superhyperaktive]

I see the problem, it's a Ford..