How Long Do Hybrid Car Batteries Last?

Are you thinking about buying a hybrid vehicle for your Salt Lake City commute? If so, you might be asking what a lot of other Murray drivers ask us at Ken Garff Honda Downtown. “How long do hybrid car batteries last?” Ken Garff Honda Downtown is at your service! Read on to find out more about hybrid car battery life here, and if you still have questions, contact us. We’re always happy to help!

Expected Hybrid Car Battery LifeSpan

The good news is that hybrid vehicle manufacturers in the United States are legally required to provide a warranty on high-voltage hybrid battery packs for at least eight years or up to 100,000 miles. In addition, auto manufacturers in the U.S. are legally obliged to transfer the balance of any hybrid battery warranty to a new owner. Still, occasionally high-voltage battery packs on hybrid cars can fail. Continue reading to learn what you can do to extend the life of your hybrid car battery life on Sandy roads and beyond.

Causes of Hybrid Car Battery Life Reduction or Failure

There are many possible reasons why a hybrid car battery life might not be as long as expected. Individual cells or modules can fail in the battery, and the most common reasons are:

• Poor electrical connections between cells or battery modules
• Auto manufacturing defects in battery cells
• Extreme high or low battery temperatures 
• Manufacturing differences between cells
• Mechanical damage to the battery during routine maintenance or service
• Improper serving procedures, which is why you should have your hybrid vehicle serviced by the certified Honda service technicians on the Ken Garff Honda Downtown service team

How To Protect Your Hybrid Vehicle’s Battery Pack

Ken Garff Honda Downtown does not recommend that you work on your own hybrid battery pack around Millcreek because they can be hazardous. Still, there is one significant thing you can do to protect your hybrid vehicle battery life that doesn’t include working on it yourself.

Don’t Ignore Warning Lights

Your Accord hybrid vehicle likely has a battery monitoring system with trouble codes and warning indicators that will show on your dashboard if it detects any issues, defects, malfunctions, or failures in the battery pack and its related systems. Here are some issues to look out for:

• Abnormal battery temperatures: Abnormal temperatures are likely caused by problems with the dedicated computer-controlled battery cooling system.
• Imbalances between battery cells or battery modules: The failure of just one battery cell will likely degrade the performance of the entire battery pack, so get this checked out sooner rather than later!
• Abnormally high or low rates of charging: Factors like ambient temperature can affect how quickly or slowly your battery charges. You may also find that your hybrid battery charges more slowly if you stay in your vehicle and place other loads on your battery, such as for running cabin air conditioning/heating, lights, and radio.

If a Hybrid Battery Dies, Can You Still Drive the Car?

Sometimes customers ask us, “If a hybrid battery dies, can you still drive the car?” The answer is, it depends on which battery died. Fortunately, most hybrid cars have two batteries: the hybrid battery and a much smaller battery to operate the electronics in your vehicle. If the smaller battery dies, it’s not a problem. You can still drive it around Salt Lake City. However, if the main hybrid car battery is dead, do not attempt to drive the vehicle and make a service appointment at Ken Garff Honda Downtown immediately.

Ken Garff Honda Downtown is Your Best Source for Hybrid Car Battery Service

Now that you no longer need to ask, “How long do hybrid car batteries last?” if you ever experience issues with your hybrid car battery life, contact us at Ken Garff Honda Downtown. Also, if you are considering purchasing a new hybrid vehicle, you can browse our extensive inventory of new Prologue models online or at the dealership. Let us know how we can help. We’re here for you!