Walmart Car Batteries: Prices, Warranty and Review

Walmart sells car batteries at affordable prices and can last as long as top brands. They offer their private label, making it one of the best places to buy car batteries. With its low prices, great selection, and convenient locations, Walmart is a top choice for many drivers looking to replace a cheap car battery. Whether looking for a long-lasting, high-quality car battery or a more budget-friendly option, Walmart is a great place to start your search.

At most Walmarts, there is an automotive section towards the back of the store, where several shelves are filled with car batteries. Based on our research, Walmart offers the best prices on car batteries. We compared Walmart battery prices to those of auto parts stores such as Advance Auto Parts and AutoZone.

Having previously purchased four Walmart car batteries, we want to give you an insight and answer some common questions that most people have regarding Walmart car batteries.

How much is a car battery at Walmart?

When we checked, Walmart car battery prices ranged from about $65 to $140, and AGM batteries for newer cars with start stop cost more. Prices change often, so check the current price for your group size online before you go. The battery’s price depends on the battery size and grade (Value, Plus, Maxx). For example, we were looking for a new battery for a European vehicle.

At our local Walmart, the battery was listed for $129.76.

The same size battery was listed for $200 at Advance Auto Parts.

Advance Auto Parts also had a cheaper alternative priced at $131.99, but this had a shorter warranty.

The same size battery was listed for $159.99 at the local AutoZone part store. AutoZone battery line is known as Duralast. Based on our research, Walmart offers the best prices on a new car battery and very competitive warranty terms.

Battery prices vary by group size. Most batteries at Walmart range from $65 to $140, while the average price for a battery is $98. The price of the battery will vary as it depends on two factors:

• battery size
• battery-grade (Value, Plus Maxx).

How do I choose the right Walmart battery for my car?

When you buy a car battery from Walmart, match the group size. Your old battery should have the group size printed on top. Sometimes, the group size is not printed on the old battery, or the grouping may differ from what Walmart uses.

You can also use the Battery Finder tool developed by Walmart to find the correct Walmart car battery for your car.

In addition to the battery size (group size), we recommend choosing a battery with Cold Cranking Amp (CCA) and Cranking Amps (CA) that are as close as possible to the battery that is installed in your car.

Are Walmart car batteries any good?

So your next question is, “Are Walmart batteries any good?” All the batteries we purchased from Walmart have lasted as long or longer than the warranty period.

Is it possible that a Walmart battery will fail before the warranty expires? Absolutely. But if that does happen, you are covered by the warranty. If that is the case, stop by any Walmart store for a free replacement. You don’t even need the receipt.

We have found that Walmart car batteries are as good, if not better, than DieHard batteries sold at Advance Auto Parts and Duralast batteries sold by Autozone. Which battery type you purchase will also make a difference.

How long do Walmart car batteries last?

How long a Walmart car battery lasts depends if you have EverStart Value, Plus, or Maxx. Based on our experience, the EverStart Value can last two to four years. While the top-the-line EverStart Maxx lasts anywhere from three to five years.

The EverStart Plus battery was manufactured in 2017 and returned as a bad core to a local store in August 2021. It lasted four years before going bad and stopped holding a charge. Four years is the typical life of a battery on modern vehicles.

The exact life of a Walmart battery depends on how often the battery is used and even the environmental conditions. In freezing climates, the battery won’t last as long. This brings us to the next question: ” How long is the warranty on Walmart car batteries?”.

 Walmart Battery Warranty

Walmart battery is one year, two years, or three years for Value Power, EverStart Plus, and EverStart Maxx, respectively. Walmart used to prorate the warranty after three years, but that’s no longer true. All new Walmart batteries come with a one, two, or three-year warranty. The warranty period varies based on battery grade, Everstart Value, Plus, and Maxx.

Each grade has a different warranty period.

• Value Power: Free replacement within ONE year of purchase
• EverStart Plus: Free replacement within TWO years of purchase
• EverStart Maxx: Free replacement within THREE years of purchase. There is no warranty at all after five years.

Different batteries have different warranties, so you should check the warranty for the battery you buy. Returning a battery is painless, except that it must be done at the automotive service desk. The technician may test your old battery to determine whether it is bad or not.

Does Walmart install car batteries for free?

Walmart has offered free installation on most cars when you buy the battery there. It is only available at stores with an Auto Care Center, and some cars with hard to reach batteries are excluded, so call your store first.

Even though all Walmart stores sell car batteries, not all are supercenters; therefore, they do not have an automotive service center. If you buy the battery from one of those stores, you must install it yourself.

What does battery core charge mean?

Walmart adds a core charge to the price (ours was $12; the amount varies by state), and it should show on your receipt. Once you install the new battery, take back the old battery to get the core charge refunded back to your card.

An even better approach is to remove the old battery from the car and take it with you when you purchase a new battery to get credit for a core refund. Otherwise, you will be charged a battery core fee, which you can get back when you return the old battery.

How does the Walmart battery warranty work?

If your battery stops working within the warranty period, you can swap it out for a replacement battery at no charge.

If your car battery is no longer charged, take it back to a Walmart store for a replacement. Just make sure you are still within the warranty period.

If you don’t remember when you purchased the battery, look for a sticker on the battery side. It has the month and dates the battery was purchased.

• The battery no longer holds a charge.
• Corrosion or battery leakage
• The battery case begins to bulge.
• The battery will not charge to its full capacity.
• The battery will not start your vehicle.

Remember that you might not get a free replacement if you abuse the battery. Below, you will see the damages that are not covered under warranty.

• If your battery was damaged.
• The vehicle was involved in an accident, and the battery was damaged.
• The battery was left exposed to outdoor elements and was destroyed.
• You installed the battery backward.

Ultimately, your Walmart store has the final say, and it is their discretion to make that determination.

Can I get a Walmart car battery replaced if I have no receipt?

Walmart will exchange a bad car battery even if you have no receipt as long as the battery was bought at a Walmart store and is still under warranty. The battery has a serial number label; the store associate can use this number to determine when the battery was purchased.

If you are unsure how old your Walmart battery is, look at the month/year sticker.

How do I claim a Walmart battery warranty?

To claim the Walmart Battery Warranty, you must visit the service desk at your local Walmart Auto Care Center.

You can visit a different store, but if you visit the same store it was purchased from, they might be able to look up your original receipt if you can provide the purchase date.

Additionally, the serial number of your battery might aid in identifying the purchase date.

Can you return a car battery to Walmart?

Walmart’s policy allows you to return a car battery if it has not been installed. How does Walmart know that the battery has been installed? Because the battery posts typically have marks made by battery terminals.

Who makes Walmart  Everstart car batteries?

Walmart uses various manufacturers to make EverStart batteries. Who manufactured the EverStart battery sold at your local Walmart depends on the US region where the battery is being sold.

Most EverStart has been made by  Johnson Controls, known as Clarios, since 2019. Other manufacturers that make Everstart batteries are East Penn Manufacturing and Alien Power Systems.

In the past, Walmart may have used Exide. Exide is not making Walmart batteries, which we confirmed by calling Everstart at +1 ‪(888) 387-8278‬. On May 19, 2020, Exide (and four subsidiaries) filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to facilitate the sale of its North American assets.

Johnson Controls is the world’s largest battery maker globally. The owner of global brands like Varta, LTH, Heliar, MAC, Delkor, and even Optima is the sole producer of all Wal-Mart Everstart Batteries. Johnson Controls and Wal-Mart partnered together back in 2010.

Does Walmart buy old car batteries?

Walmart does not buy old car batteries. Unless you buy a new battery from Walmart, they will give you a $12 core credit for the old battery.

This is taken care of automatically if Walmart replaces your battery.

If you plan on replacing the battery, you can take the old battery to the store after installing the new one in your car. If your receipt shows a core charge of $12, you can get it refunded if you return the old battery.

Does Walmart check car batteries for free?

Walmart Auto Care Center will test and install a new battery for free. It is important to note that not all Walmart stores have Auto Car Care Centers. Typically, Walmart Supercenters have auto care centers that will test your car battery for free.

Because most auto car centers are rushing, it may take 20 to 45 minutes for them to test your battery. If you don’t have a Walmart Supercenter nearby, you can test your car battery using a simple and easy-to-use Car Battery Tester.

This video shows how to test a car battery yourself.

Does Walmart sell Interstate batteries?

No, Walmart does not sell Interstate batteries. Walmart sells its brand of batteries known as EverStart.

How to Contact EverStart

Customer Service

• (800) 925-6278 Walmart EverStart Division
• (866) 496-1999Johnson Controls

Media

• (479) 273-4314International journalists

Two things the price comparison does not cover

Group size and cranking amps are the obvious things to match, and the sections above deal with those. Two further points decide whether a cheap battery turns out to be good value, and neither appears on the shelf label.

The first is chemistry. If your vehicle left the factory with an AGM battery, it needs an AGM battery as a replacement. Cars with stop start systems and most recent European models fall into this group, and their charging systems are calibrated around that chemistry. Fitting a conventional flooded battery because it is cheaper gives you something that starts the car for a few months and then fails early, often inside the warranty period, which is inconvenient for everyone. Check the label on the old battery before you go.

The second is registration. Most vehicles built in the last fifteen years, and virtually all BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Volkswagen, Mini, Volvo and Jaguar models, track the age and condition of the battery and adjust charging voltage to suit. Fit a new one without telling the car and it keeps using the profile of the worn out battery it thinks is still installed, permanently undercharging the new one. A free fitting service will not normally do this, so ask before accepting installation. We cover the procedure in more detail in our guide to Duralast batteries, and it applies whichever brand you buy.

Make sure the battery is actually the problem

A battery that keeps going dead is often the victim rather than the cause, and buying a replacement without checking means buying another one next year. An alternator that is not keeping up will flatten any battery you fit. A parasitic drain from an accessory or a module that will not go to sleep does the same thing overnight. Corroded terminals and a loose or corroded ground strap produce symptoms identical to a dead battery and cost nothing to fix.

As the article notes above, the Auto Care Center will test the battery free of charge. Ask them to test the charging system at the same time, and if the old battery tests good, the problem is elsewhere and a new battery will not solve it.

One last practical point about warranty claims. The free replacement period and the prorated period are different things, and the distinction matters most at the point you need it. Photograph the receipt and the date sticker on the battery when you fit it and keep the picture on your phone, because the paper receipt will have faded to blank long before the warranty runs out.

Conclusion

In our opinion, Walmart is one of the best places to buy a new car battery. Walmart’s car batteries are of good quality, reliable, and long-lasting. Walmart batteries are made by Johnson Controls, which makes some of the best batteries in the world, including VARTA.

Walmart also has the best prices on new car batteries. The warranty period is similar to what you will get from batteries you buy from Interstate, Advance Auto Parts, and Autozone. The only thing to remember is that even though you can buy a new car battery at any Walmart store, only supercenters with auto service centers will install it for free. Walmart does not charge to install a new battery. You must install the battery independently if you buy it from a store with no auto service center.

If you need to find out what Walmart battery fits your vehicle, use the Battery Finder tool. There are three Walmart car battery types: Valupower, Everstart Plus, and Everstart Maxx.

Warranty coverage for each type is as follows:

• The value powers are all one-year free replacement with the receipt.
• The Everstart Plus batteries are a 2-year free replacement with the receipt.
• The Everstart Maxx batteries are a 3-year free replacement.

If you lose the recipe, you can still return the battery (as long it is still in warranty) and get a replacement, but you will have to pay taxes based on the battery’s price.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is the warranty on a Walmart EverStart battery?

It depends on the line, from about 1 to 3 years for free replacement. Check the label on the battery and keep your receipt.

Will Walmart install my car battery?

Many Walmart Auto Care Centers install batteries, often free with purchase, but some vehicles with hard to reach batteries are excluded. Call ahead.

Which EverStart battery fits my car?

Match the group size, terminal layout and cold cranking amps from your owner’s manual or the old battery. For example, many European cars use a 94R (H7); see our 94R battery guide.

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