How to Charge a Honda Civic Battery: A Guide

Unfortunately, you’re bound to find yourself with a dead car battery at some point in your life. Rather than Googling what to do as you’re stranded on the motorway, why not prepare yourself for it now?

Honda Civic owners, keep on reading – this one’s for you. We’ll show you three methods that will be your saviour when you need to charge a Honda Civic battery.

How do you recharge a car battery?

It can be worrying if your car battery has gone flat and you’re not sure what to do about it. However, there’s no need to panic. If it seems like the car battery is dead, there are a few checks to do first.

Before you recharge your car battery, check which type of battery your Honda Civic has. Every car battery is different, and this will determine what type of charging method is right for your car.

For older vehicles, you may be able to use a conventional charger. However, if you have a more modern car with stop/start technology, you’ll most likely need to use a smart charger. 

If you’re unsure about what type of battery your car has or how best to charge it, check your owners manual and speak to a professional mechanic. 

Method 1: Charge your Honda Civic battery using jumper cables

Luckily, jump-starting your car might be all you need to do. When the electrical systems and lights are still operating, it’s typically a sign that your battery isn’t dead but might need a helping hand.

To do this, you’ll either need a friend with a decent alternator and some jumper cables. Make sure you jump-start your car as carefully as possible. 

It’s also worth noting that jump-starts aren’t always the best option for all cars. This method may work on older models, but on more modern cars could cause costly issues if not done correctly.

If you try to jump-start your car and it doesn’t work, your Honda Civic battery may need replacing.

Method 2: Charge your Honda Civic battery with a charger

Another approach is to try and charge your car battery with a charger. This is usually a longer-term fix, especially if your battery has been losing charge. Again, while this approach may work for some vehicles, it won’t work for all.

If you know what battery type your Civic has and know how to use a charger, then you may be able to use this method to charge your battery. 

Safely disconnect the battery

Firstly, make sure you disconnect the battery correctly. It’s usually best to remove the battery to charge it. While disconnecting, have a look at the battery terminals and clamps and clean them if needed. 

It’s important to disconnect the battery safely. To do this, you should always disconnect the negative lead before the positive. The same goes for reconnecting – always reconnect the negative lead last. This is to protect you from any damage – if you’re not fully comfortable with car batteries, speak to a professional before attempting anything.

Connect the battery to the charger

Once disconnected, you’ll need to connect your car battery to the charger you are using. Make sure you match the right charger clamps to the correct terminals – negative to negative and positive to positive. 

Make sure you never leave a battery unattended or on top of a charger while on charge. Instead, keep your car battery as far away from the charger as possible. 

Start charging your battery

Once set up, you’re ready to start charging your car battery. Don’t forget to read the user manual to find out how long the battery for your car might take to charge. 

Make sure you keep checking it to see when it’s charged fully. Some battery chargers turn off once the battery is charged, but others won’t, so you need to monitor this. 

Once the battery is charged, reconnect it to your car. Remember to connect the positive first and then the negative. 

If you’re still experiencing issues with your battery losing charge, it’s best to replace your car battery altogether.

Method 3: Buy a new Honda Civic car battery

Unfortunately, the steps above might not work. If that’s the case, then it may be time to replace your car battery. Everything has a shelf life, and if you’ve had your car for a while, it could be that your battery is simply in need of replacement rather than recharging.

Before buying a car battery, check what type of Honda battery you need. If you are unsure, look in your users manual or speak to a member of our team who may be able to help.

Warning signs your car battery needs replacing

Luckily, there are some warning signs to look out for if you suspect your car battery is either failing or on the way out.

These include:

• Check engine light is visible on your dashboard
• Battery light is visible on your dashboard
• Battery case is swollen or bloated
• Battery fluid seems to be constantly low
• Battery is old 

FAQs about car batteries

How do I know when a car battery is fully charged?

One of the best ways to find out if your battery is charged is to check the volt performance of the battery using a voltmeter. Fully charged vehicle batteries should read at a measurement of 12.6 volts and above. This may be slightly higher if the car is on. 

Do car batteries charge while idling?

Yes, a car’s battery will charge when your engine is running as long as your alternator demands it, and it’s not getting its life drained by the electrical services.

If you’re not planning on using your car that much, it’s best to turn them on and run them in idle once a week for a short amount of time. This helps to keep the battery charged while the car isn’t in use. 

Can a completely dead battery be recharged?

Yes, it can, but this depends on the state of your car battery to begin with. If your car battery has a plethora of problems, there’s a high chance it won’t be able to recharge.

However, there are some great ways to keep your battery charged. Make sure everything is switched off on your car when not in use, especially the lights. You should also try to take your car on longer drives every now and then to charge the battery.

How to tell when you need a new battery?

You may need a new battery if you notice any of the following issues happening to your vehicle:

• Your vehicle struggles to run in weather changes (such as cold weather)
• Your vehicle is often struggling to start 
• The battery warning light is showing and staying on
• The electronics in your vehicle are beginning to disconnect, turn off and lose power

How often should I start my car to keep the battery charged?

Typically, you should turn your car on at least once a week and let it run for 15 minutes. This process will keep your battery healthy. Don’t worry if you’re not perfect at following this strict schedule. We know how easy it can be to forget to do something!

But putting a reminder on your phone or calendar to do this will save you from having to pull the plug on your vehicle earlier than needs be.

Check out Cox Motor Parts range of Honda Civic parts

If you have a Honda Civic, then hopefully this guide has helped you work out how to charge your car better if you ever need to. If you need new Honda Civic parts or other genuine Honda parts, we’ve got you covered. We offer a range of Honda spare parts including brakes, engine parts, clutch parts and more.