Owning a Honda CR-V comes with many routine maintenance considerations, including replacing your battery. Most Honda mechanics recommend changing your battery every 5 years, but you may need to replace it sooner under certain conditions.
The cost to replace your Honda CRV battery depends on the year of your vehicle, engine size, the battery brand, and whether you pay for installation labor. Most drivers can expect to pay $158 to $167 for parts and $30 to $95 for labor.
Keep reading as we explain what affects the cost of a new battery, common signs you need maintenance, and how to preserve battery life to get the most out of your investment.
Table of Contents
What Factors into Honda CRV Battery Replacement Costs
A Honda CRV battery operates like any other. This SLI type of battery produces energy to start your car and provides power for lights and accessories. It’s something we often take for granted, and we don’t think about replacement until it drops below ideal conditions.
Car batteries have unique constructions to meet different vehicle requirements. This means that there is no universal battery, even within the same model car.
Your Honda CR-V battery cost is affected by:
- The battery size
- Labor costs
- Brand of the battery
- Warranties you opt for
Honda debuted a hybrid CRV in 2019 that has an additional battery you may need to replace, and the prices for this are considerably higher (with good reason).
Battery Size
Like most things in life, a larger battery will cost more than a smaller battery. This isn’t a big deal in the CRV because most have a 4-cylinder engine, but a larger size engine like a V6 or a newer diesel will require a higher cranking amps to start.
Your vehicle manual or an online search lets you know what proper battery size you need. The more power your vehicle requires, the more you will need to dish out.
Labor Costs
Labor costs for repairs and replacements differ depending on your location and where you decide to have your battery replaced. In most cases, you will pay more for dealership replacement than you would at your local mom-and-pop shot.
Some auto parts stores or mechanics will replace honda batteries at no additional cost, but in most cases you will pay $20 to $40 for labor. This increases if you add on additional services, such as cleaning the battery tray or replacing battery cables.
Replacing a CRV battery on your own is relatively simple in theory, but it can be difficult to do (especially on newer models with less hood space).
Battery Brand
The brand of your battery has a major impact on its final price. You generally pay more for reputable brands, but you also have greater peace of mind and a better experience overall.
Some of the best car battery brands include:
- NAPA
- DieHard batteries
- AC Delco
- Everstart
- Odyssey
- Duralast
Brand availability differs depending on your location and where you shop, and you may find some good brand deals if you’re shopping at the right time. In many cases, you may be able to choose between a budget option and a high-performance battery from the same brand.
Warranty
Cars with better reputations and longer warranties may cost more, but this isn’t a guarantee. In many cases, a more comprehensive warranty is worth a few extra dollars.
Pay attention to the type of warranty offered at purchase. Most car battery warranties cover 24 months or 36,000 miles from purchase (whichever comes first), but others go up to 5 years.
Common types include:
- Free replacement
- Pro-Rata warranties
- Composite warranties
Some retail locations and insurance plans offer a purchasable warranty for your car battery. Regardless of what type of coverage you get and where you get it from, make sure you follow the terms and conditions and hold on to your purchase receipt.
Hybrid Battery Considerations
If you need to replace the hybrid battery on your Honda CRV, expect to pay anywhere from $2,000 to $8,000. This is a costly service that varies greatly depending on the year of your vehicle, but you should only need to schedule battery service once.
Most hybrid batteries recommend replacement on an 8 to 15 year schedule, or between 100,000 and 150,000 miles when you keep up with regular service and maintenance. These batteries come with an 8 year, 100,000 mile warranty.
While hybrid batteries may die faster in extreme temps or when you fail to maintain your vehicle, they’re fairly hardy components. You’re more likely to replace other parts in your hybrid system before your hybrid battery even starts to stutter.
Signs it is Time to Buy a New Honda CRV Battery
There are several common car battery issues that may indicate a Honda CRV owner needs a new battery. These include:
- The age of your current battery
- Dead battery
- Signs of damage
- Malfunctioning accessories
- Prolonged engine cranking (or no cranking)
- Warning light
Sometimes, these telltale signs pop up but relate to a problem with another component in your vehicle. Routine inspections can help you monitor battery health, and a service team will help you determine the cause of your problems.
Routine Replacement
In most cases, you need to replace your car battery between 3-5 years of installation. Different manufacturers have different recommendations, and most offer a bit of wiggle room to make sure you aren’t left stranded if you run late.
As your battery ages, it loses active materials needed to recharge and hold that charge. Eventually, your battery will get so old it will not have enough charge to start your car. It’s important to replace the starter battery before this point to prevent damage to other symptoms.
If you’ve reached this point, you have a faulty battery, or damage occurs, you will notice the other symptoms on this list.
Dead Battery
A dead battery may happen once in a while if you forget to close the door or turn your lights off, but it shouldn’t be a recurring problem. If you manage to successfully jump start your car and it dies when you park it again, you likely need a new battery.
To test if your car battery is actually dead (and it’s not another part) you can perform a cranking test using a multimeter. If you don’t have one on hand, most auto parts stores and mechanics will be able to do this for you.
Turn off your CRV and all accessories, then disable your ignition system (to prevent the car from starting, pull the ignition or distributor wire). Connect the positive lead to the positive battery terminal, then the negative to the negative terminal.
Turn on the ignition for up to 15 seconds and monitor your multimeter. A health battery will not drop below 9.6 volts, and any battery that does needs to be replaced.
Signs of Damage
A compromised battery should be replaced as soon as possible. While some swelling is normal if you live in extremely cold areas (as the battery will freeze), persistent bloating is dangerous.
Other common signs of damage include:
- Fluid leaks
- Cracks
- Bubbles
- Persistent or excessive corrosion build-up on cables and terminals
A damaged battery is unable to perform properly and becomes a major safety hazard.
Malfunctioning Electrical Components
As your battery health declines, it produces less voltage. Dim headlights, dash lights, or interior lights are one of the first signs of a failing battery. Eventually, it will be unable to power electronics or accessories such as your radio or air conditioner.
Because these issues can also tie back to improper wiring or charging components, you should get your Honda CRV checked out. The longer you wait, the greater your loss of energy and the higher your service bill.
Prolonged Engine Cranking
As your CRV battery dies, you will notice more issues with starting your car. Eventually, it will not have enough battery power to start the vehicle, and it might not be able to hold a charge to get you to a service center.
One issue you will run into is a delayed engine crank – when starting the vehicle takes longer than usual. Rapid clicking when you try to start the car is normal and means that there is still some life left in the battery, but silence means the battery is completely dead.
If you can’t get your car started, look for mobile mechanics that can come to you to diagnose the issue. Many offer convenient online booking and work around your schedule.
Check the Engine Light or Battery Light
A check engine light or battery light is a clear warning that you need to drop in for a service visit. While these may be minor issues, they’re often useful hints that something is about to fail.
A check engine light can mean anything from a loose gas cap to a more serious issue, but it sometimes covers electrical issues. This can cross over into your charging system, such as when you have a serpentine belt issue.
The battery light illuminates when it detects an issue in your charging system. This can be something as small as a poor battery connection, but it sometimes results in a full battery replacement.
Scheduling an automotive service as soon as possible limits the chance that your problem grows, becoming more complex and costly as it damages more parts down the line.
How to Prolong Honda CRV Battery Life
Honda CRV owners should replace their batteries on schedule, but there are a few things you can do to protect the life of your CRV battery. Your actual replacement schedule derives from your battery condition and driving habits.
Routine Testing and Maintenance
We suggest routine cleaning and testing of your battery to make sure it’s running at optimal levels. Many mechanics or dealership service centers offer a free multi-point inspection of your vehicle with other routine services, such as oil changes.
Beyond this, you can do things like:
- Clean terminals and posts of corrosion using a proper cleaning solution and wire brush
- Inspect cables and connectors for heavy corrosion or damage
- Tightening battery fasteners as vibrations of your car loosen the connection
Make sure you occasionally start a car that sits for long periods of time. Staying on top of battery maintenance is the best and easiest way to keep it performing well.
Avoiding Extreme Temperatures and Conditions
You can’t control the weather, but owners should know how weather conditions affect battery health. High temperatures cause premature aging, while lower temperatures reduce capacity temporarily.
If you live in an extremely cold or hot climate, it’s best to have an indoor or covered area to store your vehicle.
Conclusion
The majority of the cost to replace a Honda CRV battery relates to the cost of the battery itself, and the cost of labor is relatively small when compared. If you’re looking to save money, take your time shopping around for the best price or consider swapping the battery yourself.
Either way, it’s important to verify your battery needs replacement. Assuming the battery is the issue could result in additional costs to replace other parts that were actually causing the problem.
If you have any questions about what’s fair for a Honda CRV battery price or whether your car needs a new battery, drop a comment in the section below.