ATVs or all-terrain vehicles come in many different styles, and most of them require a battery to provide power to the magneto and ignition to start the engine. Over time ATV batteries can begin to show signs that it is time to replace it, but there are some things you can do to determine if the battery is failing before you buy one.

Cleaning the Battery

One of the most common reasons for ATV batteries to not work correctly is that the connections are loose or corroded. Before replacing the battery in your ATV, take some time to clean it up and check the connections. 

Cleaning mud and dirt off the battery may reveal some corrosion on the terminals, and that can cause ATV batteries not to work correctly because the connection between the cables and the battery is partially impeded. A good cleaning with some baking soda and water may restore the function of the battery, but if it does not, you may have to replace the ATV battery with a new one.

Charging Your Battery

One test you can do at home to try and determine if your ATV battery is failing is to remove the battery from the machine and charge it with a bench charger to see if it takes a charge or not. If the acid level in the battery is low, be sure to add some distilled water to the battery until the plates inside are completely covered, or the fill line on the case is reached. 

Allow the battery to charge fully, remove it from the charger and let it sit for a few days. You can use a multimeter to check the charge in the battery and see if it is staying charged. If it is not, you will need to go to an ATV battery supply or parts store to get a new one. 

Testing Your Battery

ATV batteries are typically six or twelve-volt wet cell lead-acid batteries that will begin to lose the ability to hold a charge after three to five years of service. Replacing the battery may be the correct option if it stops working. Still, you may want to have the battery tested professionally first to ensure the battery is the issue and not the generator or something else in the charging system of your ATV. 

Remove the battery from the ATV and take it to an ATV battery supply or auto parts store and they can put the battery on a machine that will charge it, test the amperage, test the voltage and then load test the battery to simulate starting the ATV with it. The test will indicate if you need a new ATV battery or if there is something else causing the battery not to charge correctly.