Battery type: standard, EFB or AGM
Which type goes in your car is written in the car's manual.
- A standard batteryFor a car without start-stop. It is the cheapest. While the car is parked, it quickly goes flat by itself.
- An EFB batteryFor small and mid-size cars with start-stop, which switches the engine off by itself when you stop at traffic lights. It lasts longer than a standard battery and handles twice as many charges and discharges. It also suits a car without start-stop that you drive a lot in town or that has a lot of equipment drawing power.
An AGM batteryFor larger and more expensive cars with start-stop and battery charging when braking. It is the strongest of the three and starts the engine well in the cold.
What can replace the original: it depends on the type
- The original is AGM: it is replaced only with an AGM.
- The original is EFB: it is replaced with an EFB or an AGM.
A standard battery is not right for a car with start-stop, even when you switch start-stop off. It works for a while, then it wears out faster, start-stop stops working properly, and some equipment can stop working too.
More about the start-stop system
What the markings on the battery mean
Every car battery is 12 V, so that is not what you choose by. You choose by two other numbers:
- Ah, for example 60AhThe capacity, that is, how much charge the battery holds. Choose the same capacity as the original or slightly higher, never lower.
- A, for example 540AThe current the battery uses to start the engine in the cold. Choose the same current as the original or higher.
You find these numbers for your car in the car's manual or on the original battery. If the battery has already been replaced, the one in the car now may not be the right type or capacity.
Size and the side of the positive terminal
A new battery has to be the same size as the original, so that it fits in its place. The positive terminal has to be on the same side as on the old one, because the cables in the car are usually not long enough to reach the other side.
On some cars the battery must have a special place at the bottom for the bracket that holds it. Without it the battery can't be fixed in place properly.
The new battery is registered in the car's computer
A newer car has a computer that monitors the battery and decides how to charge it.
When a new battery is not registered, the computer does not know the battery is new and does not use it to its full power. Start-stop may then stop working, and the car uses more fuel. When we replace it, we register the new battery in the computer if the car needs it. More about car battery replacement
On some makes the computer recognises a new battery by itself over time, for example on Peugeot, Citroën, Renault, Dacia, Fiat and Toyota. On others the new battery is registered with a diagnostic tool, for example on Volkswagen, Škoda, Audi, Seat, BMW and Mini.
Which is the best car battery
The best battery for your car is the one that suits it in type, capacity, starting current, size and the side of the positive terminal.
A flat battery is not always faulty. If the alternator, the part that charges the battery while the engine runs, doesn't charge it, it will drain a new one too. More about why a battery goes flat
What the price of a car battery depends on
The price of a battery depends mostly on its type. A standard battery is the cheapest, and EFB and AGM batteries cost more. The capacity also affects the price.
The price of the replacement also depends on where the battery is in the car, whether the new battery has to be registered in the car's computer and where the car is parked.
How long a battery lasts and when to replace it
A battery usually lasts 3 to 5 years. It lasts less when you only drive short distances, because the alternator doesn't have time to charge it fully. It also lasts less when the car stands for a long time, when the battery often goes flat and when it is in the heat for long periods.
A weak battery shows when:
- the engine turns over more slowly than usual,
- the lights are dimmer,
- start-stop no longer switches the engine off.
In the cold a battery delivers less current, so a weak battery is easiest to notice in winter. More about the battery in winter
What to do with the old battery
An old battery does not go in the rubbish bin. It is hazardous waste, so under Serbia's Law on Waste Management it is handed in to a waste collection centre, a collector, or the battery's manufacturer or importer. When we replace a battery, we take the old one with us.
