If you purchase a Costco battery, any employee is more than willing to detail their warranty policy. However, most people aren’t able to retain that information all at once. To address this problem, check out our guide on Costco battery warranties.
Almost always, returning your battery before the first year will result in you receiving a full replacement. Depending on the quality of the battery, your warranty can often lead up to five years. As always, check the pamphlet you receive on the warranty for further details.
Different batteries from Costco can have various battery warranties. Below, we are going to dig into Costco’s battery warranty offerings and the batteries behind them.
What Is A Warranty?
A warranty is a written guarantee of quality assurance for the product you purchased. A warranty typically lasts a minimum of one year but can last up to ten years, depending on the product’s quality.
Many high-quality products come with a default warranty, but you can purchase an extended warranty on some products, like cars. Batteries typically do not receive the same treatment.
Terms And Conditions Of Your Costco Battery Warranty
The best way to determine your battery warranty is useful to you is to read the warranty’s terms and conditions. Below are a few essential keys to Costco’s assurance.
You May Not Be Able To Remove It From The Original Vehicle
Costco warranties start as soon as you insert the battery in your vehicle. If you insert the battery into a different car, it may not meet the initial installation’s size requirements. Costco’s general battery warranty states the following: “as long as it remains in the vehicle in which originally installed” or when the warranty expires.
As a result, check with Costco if you plan on moving your battery to another car or recreational vehicle.
Costco also creates more specific terms if you move your private passenger battery to a commercial vehicle. In this case, the warranty reduces to a “free replacement” period of six months with a pro-rata warranty of one half of the battery’s life.
Warranties Are Not Insurance
If you ride along a rough stretch of road that causes your battery damage, your battery will not likely be covered. The warranty excludes intentional damage. Warranties are made explicitly for defects in the materials or the creation of the battery. So a warranty is made just in case there is something wrong as the battery comes off the shelf.
Don’t Throw Away Your Receipt
Any warranty claim needs to come with proof of purchase. If you don’t have a receipt, electronic or otherwise, you cannot claim to have bought the battery. Costco does not follow similar policies to other department stores, so there are no free returns.
Interstate Vehicle and Recreational Batteries
Interstate batteries are for a variety of different vehicles. They include the following:
- Cars
- Boats
- RVs
- Golf carts
- Lawnmowers
These typically come in two different forms, which are listed below.
Absorbed Glass-Mat Batteries
AGM (absorbed glass mat batteries) has a glass layer that separates different layers of your battery. The advantage of owning these batteries comes from less of a need to maintain them. Other kinds of batteries require more regular maintenance, so this is best where regular maintenance might be difficult.
Flooded (Wet Cell) Battery
The flooded battery has a free-flowing liquid design that easily stores an electric charge. These batteries require a bit more maintenance because of the need to inspect the liquid regularly. They are better at holding a high-quality charge, meaning they will last longer than most other batteries.
How Long Does The Interstate Battery Warranty Last?
An interstate battery warranty lasts for a standard of 36 months, which has become standard for many of Costco’s batteries. To get them handled properly, you need to be aware of their terms and conditions. Both types of batteries have the same warranties.
In What Situations Can You Return Car Batteries To Costco?
From our earlier section on the terms and conditions, you can return the battery if you find a manufacturing defect which ruins your battery. For example, if your flooded battery has a slow leak, that means you can bring it back with no issues.
You cannot return it if the battery sustains extra damage when in your care. Unless you can prove that the defect caused the damage, you are stuck with the broken battery.
How Does Costco Compare To Other Store’s Battery Warranties?
When compared to other battery shops, the different warranties can vary heavily. Below, we are going to get into various shops and how they compare to Costco’s offering.
AutoZone
Autozone’s standard battery warranty is only around two-years. Their brand is known as Duralast, with Autozone being one of the most well-known auto parts companies. Given that Costco is a generalist store, you may find AutoZone employees to have more knowledge of appropriate batteries, but this can vary from person to person.
Advance Auto Parts
Advance Auto Parts have two different brands: DieHard and Autocraft. Autocraft battery warranties go from 90 days to 3 years, while DieHard batteries vary from 1 year to 4. The warranty varies depending on your battery quality, ranging from “value” to “platinum.”
O’Reilly Auto Parts
O’Reilly Auto Parts uses a system similar to Advance Auto Parts by grading your battery’s quality through different levels. The levels include economy, premium, extreme, and platinum. The platinum level covers up to three years and includes extra protections.
Dealerships Or Manufacturers
Batteries from your preferred dealership may include a warranty. If you purchase a new vehicle, the standard warranty has some protection for your battery. An extended warranty, typically sold for an additional cost, will add a few more miles or years to the battery’s protection. Older vehicles sold “as is” will receive no protection.
Do You Need A Costco Membership To Buy A Battery?
To enter a Costco store, you need to purchase a membership beforehand. Much like Sam’s Club, a Costco membership allows you to enter the store to take advantage of its deals.
The membership offers Costco additional funds to keep these deals up while also allowing them to associate payment history to memberships. As a result, you may not need proof of purchase for the customer service agents to look up your information. As a result, members may be able to use their warranties without providing a receipt.
What Happens If I Use The Costco Auto Center?
‘Costco’s auto center works much like any other auto repair shop. You can request them to replace your battery for you, but it is often just as useful to do it yourself. Costco will trust you to install your battery in the right location.
Costco may be more inclined to do the work for you if you happen to need additional services. These auto centers usually handle oil changes, fluid checks, and tire replacement. Given the simplicity of a battery replacement, they don’t include that service by itself, as it would be a waste of their time.
If you have never replaced a battery by yourself below, follow these video instructions below:
Why Did I Only Receive Partial Credit For My Battery Warranty?
Replacing batteries in many cases may result in you only receiving partial credit. That’s because as your battery ages, it becomes less valuable. If Costco replaced all used batteries with new batteries, it wouldn’t take long for them to lose profit.
While it is true that a defect is the fault of the manufacturer, Costco’s warranty specifically does not cover wear and tear.
Does Costco Test Batteries?
If you need to test your battery, bringing it down to your Costco auto center typically allows you to test it. Some do not have the testing option, so you should call out to them before hauling your batteries there.
Does Costco Recycle Old Car Batteries?
Yes, Costco auto centers usually can handle the recycling of your old car batteries. Provided that you are within their warranty, you can replace it at the same time you recycle. At the very least, you can typically get some money back for your efforts.
Conclusion
Taking advantage of your car’s battery replacement warranty is a handy feature that Costco extends to all of its members. With this included feature, you can return your battery for a free replacement provided that there is a manufacturing defect that you catch within the first 36 months of your purchase.
When comparing a Costco battery warranty to other comparable warranties, they are about par when it comes to longevity. That means that auto parts stores use similar guarantees that auto parts stores would. However, auto parts stores typically have more customer service professionals with more battery expertise.
Finally, you should always pay attention to the warranties behind your car batteries. If you aren’t aware of the limitations made available, you may come up empty-handed. The most significant rule: insurance and warranties are not the same, so try your best to take care of your batteries.
