When your car’s battery starts to fail, it’s only a matter of time before it leaves you stranded. Thankfully, you can watch for the signs and get a replacement before that happens. But first and foremost, you need to know which battery to buy.
What’s the best battery for the 2002 Honda Accord?
With the 2.3L four-cylinder engine, the 2002 Honda Accord uses a group size 35 sealed lead-acid battery. The V6-equipped models need the group size 24 sealed battery instead. Absorbent glass mat (AGM) and Optima batteries are also an option.
When going to buy a battery for your Honda, it’s important to figure out how to find the very best one. Thankfully, you can learn just how to do that by reading through this informative guide.
Battery Group Sizes Explained
Thanks to battery group sizes, you just have to zero in on the recommended size to find a suitable replacement. Overall, the group size determines the outer dimensions, power rating, and terminal placement.
When it comes to the 2002 Accord, you need either the 35 or 24 group size. The 35 is used for the 2.3L four-cylinder engines. The 3.0L V6 uses group 24 instead.
Group 35 batteries are around 9 inches long, 7 inches wide, and nearly 9 inches tall. They have between 620 and 900 cold-cranking amps. Their reserve capacity may range from 40 to 65 amp hours across most brands. Their reserve capacity is around 90 to 130 minutes.
Group 24 batteries are a bit different at 10 inches long, 7 inches wide, and 9 inches tall. Their cold-cranking amps range from 500 to 840. The capacity is at around 80 amp hours, while the reserve capacity is between 140 to 180 minutes. Group 34 batteries can often be used instead if you cannot find a 24.
Lead-Acid, Lithium-Ion, or SLI?
Across all trim levels, the 2002 Honda Accord came with a sealed lead-acid battery from the factory. These batteries are the same as flooded ones, except you don’t need to refill their water. They are still prone to developing corrosion on the terminals, so they are not 100% maintenance free.
You can find replacement batteries in the absorbent glass mat style. AGM batteries are best for cars upgraded with aftermarket engine parts or sound systems. They are also a good choice if you want to skip the maintenance altogether.
Optima batteries are available in both the 35 and 24 group sizes as well. They are a fantastic option for those who want a high-performance sealed battery with a track record of excellence.
OEM vs. Aftermarket: What’s the Difference?
As with all their models, Honda equipped their 2002 Accord with their OEM battery from the factory. These Honda-branded batteries were the only approved replacement for cars under warranty.
Once that coverage is up, however, you can easily switch to a different type. You have many aftermarket brands to choose from, including ACDelco, Duralast, and Interstate.
When you go with an aftermarket battery, you are giving up Honda’s excellent warranty coverage on their batteries. With OEM, you get a 100-month warranty that comes with free replacement in the first three years. That’s 36 months of protection that ensures that if your battery fails, you can get a new one free of charge.
Aftermarket batteries tend to come with up to three years of basic coverage. If the battery goes bad in that time, you can only get its price prorated for a refund. Then, you can apply that refund to the cost of a replacement battery.
Want to Go With an Aftermarket Battery? Here’s What to Look For
OEM Honda batteries go big on the warranty coverage. Unfortunately, they have the price to match. If you cannot justify paying that much for a battery, then you’ll need to go with an aftermarket model instead.
Thankfully, you have a lot of great choices in the aftermarket parts world. You can look at the cold-cranking amps, capacity, and reserve capacity to compare each option. Also, reflect on the needs of your vehicle and your preferences when it comes to maintenance to find the best one.
With all that in mind, remember to think about the reputation of your parts retailer as well. You don’t want to have any problems with them honoring their warranty coverage if your battery prematurely fails, after all. So, go with a retailer you can trust to know you’ll be taken care of if anything goes wrong.
