Your car battery has a limited life span, and it’s important that you know how to test your battery if there’s an issue. If you can, let your vehicle sit for a couple of days before testing the battery. If you test it while it has been running, the alternator may have been charging the battery. Connect your battery tester by clipping the red cable to the positive terminal on your battery. The black cable should hook up to the negative terminal. Switch on the battery tester to see what the voltage reading is. If your battery is fully charged, it should read above 12.6 volts. Anything lower than 12 volts, may require battery service or replacement.
You can also switch over the test for cold cranking. You’ll need to enter your battery’s CCA number into the tester that you’re using. Your reading should come close to your rated CCA if your battery is in good health.
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