BATTERY

The day your car won’t start isn’t the best time to shop for a new car battery. But according to our research, that’s exactly what most people do.

You will probably have to replace the car battery once or twice during the life of your vehicle because it gets old or worn out from exposure to heat and repeated charging and discharging. A dead battery can be a real hassle, especially if you can’t find your jumper cables or have to wait for roadside assistance.

Taking care of your battery can help get the most service life from it, and being attentive to its condition and age can signal when it is time to begin shopping for a replacement … before you are left stranded.