More car batteries are expected to fail this winter due to climate change

If you find you’re breaking out the jumper cables more often, climate change may be to blame!

"We’re expecting higher than average failures with car batteries this year due to a lot of the extreme heat we saw across the country,” Batteries Plus trainer Robert Stitzer said. He's already noticed an influx of customers with battery issues at stores.

Though battery breakdowns are generally more common when cold weather hits and battery capacity is reduced, it’s high temperatures that tend to shorten overall battery life.

This summer brought historic heat. In Raleigh, it was the third hottest on record.

“The heat is really hard on the chemical reaction that happens inside the battery,” Stitzer said.

Most batteries last between 3 to 5 years, but Stitzer says he’s seen customers’ vehicles trend on the lower end of that range, and that the company has made adjustments to stores to accommodate.

“We leaned really heavily into inventory this year to make sure we had in stock for all makes and models," Stitzer said.

It’s a good idea to test your battery regularly once it’s 3 years old. That test is available for free at most auto shops and retailers.

Regularly check your battery to make sure there's no corrosion and that terminals are tight.

If you are due for a replacement, new “AGM” car batteries are generally more resilient to extreme temperatures than traditional flooded batteries.