If your car feels like it’s hard to start or cannot properly run your electrical accessories, you might have a battery that’s on the fritz. Thankfully, your car’s battery is easy to change. You just have to know the right type and size to get.
What’s the best battery for the 2005 Honda Civic?
The 2005 Honda Civic uses the 51 or 51R flooded lead-acid battery. The exact one you need depends on its trim level. You can upgrade to an Optima or absorbent glass mat battery if you want even better reliability and performance.
In order to get the best battery for your car, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of the automotive battery world. Thankfully, we’re here to explore just that. So, follow along and learn all you can about the 2005 Honda Civic battery.
Battery Group Sizes Explained
Group sizes are designed to help you pick the perfect battery for your car. The group size indicates its dimensions, power rating, and other important specs.
For the 2005 Civic, you need either the 51 or 51R group size. The 51 is generally used for the base model and other trims that have the 1.7L engine. Models that use the 2.0L powerplant instead, like the Si, require the 51R group size.
Both 51 and 51R batteries are about 9 inches long and 5 inches wide. At those dimensions, they can easily fit in your Civic’s battery tray. They are also 8 inches tall, which leaves enough room for the hood to close all the way.
These batteries have all the same specs as well. Across most brands, you’ll find that they have 400 to 500 cold-cranking amps. They also have a 47 amp-hour capacity and 75-minute reserve capacity.
Lead-Acid, Lithium-Ion, or SLI?
When the 2005 Civic was released, it came with a standard flooded lead-acid battery. With its lack of an idle-stop system and only basic accessories installed, it doesn’t demand any extra power.
It’s important to know that flooded batteries need regular maintenance to stay in good working order. For that reason, many people decide to upgrade to an absorbent glass mat (AGM) or Optima battery even if they don’t upgrade their car.
Both of those styles are sealed, which means they do not need their water refilled. They are also much less likely to develop corrosion on the terminals. Their low- to no-maintenance makeup is not the only thing that makes them so great either.
AGM and Optima batteries are also better adept at handling bigger power demands and rapid charging cycles. So, if you’ve upgraded your engine, stereo, or any accessories, then it might be wise to switch to either of these battery styles.
OEM vs. Aftermarket: What’s the Difference?
When the 2005 Honda Civic rolled out onto the showroom floors, they all came with Honda-branded batteries. While under warranty, these cars could only have Honda genuine replacement batteries installed to avoid voiding their coverage.
Honda batteries come with an awesome warranty that lasts for 100 months. Furthermore, in the first three years, they will replace your battery with a new one at no charge if it fails. After that, they prorate its value to decrease the cost of a replacement battery.
Aftermarket battery manufacturers are definitely not as generous with the warranty coverage. Most only provide coverage for up to 30 months. They also do not offer full replacement at all.
The performance of OEM and aftermarket batteries are largely the same since they have to stick to the group size specs. You just simply do not get as much peace of mind since aftermarket battery warranties are so short.
Want an Aftermarket Battery Instead? Here’s What to Do
Although it’s almost always best to buy OEM parts, aftermarket batteries can work in a pinch. So, if your budget doesn’t work for the high cost of Honda batteries, then no worries. Get an aftermarket one instead.
Just make sure to check that the battery has a minimum of 400 cold-cranking amps. More is better, of course, but you don’t have to go beyond that. Also, verify that the capacity is around 47 amp hours and the reserve capacity is at least 75 minutes to get the best quality battery.
When you take the time to pour over the specs, you can get a battery that will properly start up your car and keep it running for the long term. Go with a vendor you can trust, too, since they will play a role in its replacement if anything goes awry during the warranty period.
