Do I need a new battery?

TripleAce

Hi,

I recently went on holiday with my wife for a couple of weeks and when we returned her car wouldn't start as the battery was dead. I got it jump started and drove it around for about 10 minutes, got back, turned the engine off, tried to restart and wouldn't work. I just left it there overnight and did the same thing the following day, but drove around for much longer, around 20-25 minutes, then turned off the engine and back on again and it started ok - my wife used it to drive around that afternoon for about an hour, but then the following day the engine still wouldn't start.
Could you please advise if you think a new battery is needed or I should simply let the battery charge for longer after jump-start the car?

Thank you for your help

Please Kill Me

Usually a drive will recharge the battery. It's quite possible it needs replacing. How long is the battery in the car?

TripleAce

Please Kill Me wrote: »

Usually a drive will recharge the battery. It's quite possible it needs replacing. How long is the battery in the car?

12 years...

TGi666

Probably do no harm to change it at least it served you well

BobBobBobBob

Same thing happened to my old Civic about four years ago. Replaced the battery and was right as rain!

coolisin

Wow 12 years, yeah your battery is gone.

biko

TripleAce wrote: »

12 years...

That's a long time for a battery, almost double the regular life expectancy.
Might as well buy a fresh one.

Note that the seller can/will take the old one back for recycling.

TripleAce

Actually she bought the car used in 2009, I was just assuming that the battery was never changed before (it's an '01 car)

Will get a new one then, thank you