How to Determine if a Car Battery is Good or Bad?

[Matthew]

There are several methods to determine the condition of a car battery: 1. Currently, over 80% of maintenance-free batteries come with a charge indicator. The colors visible in the indicator are generally divided into three types: green, black, and white. Green indicates sufficient charge, black indicates slight discharge, and white means the battery is dead and needs replacement. For specific details, refer to the label on the battery. 2. Measure the battery voltage using a battery tester or multimeter. Under normal conditions, the no-load voltage of the battery should be around 13 volts, the load voltage should generally not be lower than 12 volts, and the starting voltage should not drop below 9.5 volts. If the battery voltage is too low, it may result in difficulty starting the vehicle or failure to start. 3. Check both sides of the battery for noticeable swelling, deformation, or bulging. 4. Look around the battery terminals for any white or green powdery substances. These are battery oxides. High-quality or new batteries typically do not develop these oxides easily. Once they appear, it indicates that the battery's performance is starting to deteriorate.