If your car is slow to start or failing to run its electrical accessories, you might have a battery that’s on its way out. Don’t wait until it fails to take action. Have it tested at a local shop or auto parts store, then replace it with the correct battery.
What’s the best battery for the 2002 Honda Civic?
Depending on the trim level, the 2002 Honda Civic uses the 51 or 51R flooded lead-acid battery. You can also upgrade to an absorbent glass mat (AGM) or Optima battery of that same group size.
With the right battery on hand, you can keep your Civic running right through the years. So, use this guide to learn all you need to know about its battery to ensure you get the best one possible.
Battery Group Sizes Explained
Every vehicle uses a particular battery group size that’s designed to fit in the engine bay and properly power the engine and all its accessories.
By getting the right group size, you can rest assured that the battery will fit in the tray and the cables will reach the right terminals. Furthermore, it will have the correct cold-cranking amp rating and capacity sizes for your build.
The base model 2002 Civic and others with the 1.7L powerplant all use a 51 group size battery. The Si and SiR with the 2.0L engine use the 51R instead.
The only difference between these batteries is the position of the terminals. On R batteries, the terminals are reversed from their original positions.
In terms of their dimensions, both of these batteries are about:
- 9 inches long
- 5 inches wide
- 8 inches tall
They have a cold-cranking amp minimum of 400, though it can go as high as 500 on high performance batteries. Beyond that, they should have a capacity of at least 45 amp hours and a reserve capacity of around 75 minutes or more.
Lead-Acid, Lithium-Ion, or SLI?
Since the 2002 Honda Civic does not use idle-stop technology or any other demanding accessories, it was equipped with a flooded lead-acid battery from the factory.
Lead-acid batteries can stay in good working condition through their warranty period with regular maintenance. If you want to skip the maintenance, get a sealed battery instead.
Another option is the absorbent glass mat battery, which is also sealed. These batteries do not have any maintenance requirements and they are leakproof for true peace of mind.
If you’re thinking about upgrading the engine on your Civic, then you might like the Optima battery. This battery has more cold-cranking power and the ability to handle rapid cycling without wearing out fast. Since they are sealed, they are also maintenance free.
OEM vs. Aftermarket: What’s the Difference?
From the factory, the 2002 Civic came with a Honda genuine replacement OEM battery. These Honda-branded batteries have an impressive warranty that cannot be beat by aftermarket options.
You get 100 months of coverage with OEM, which includes a three-year full replacement period. So, if anything goes wrong in that time, the dealership will simply replace your battery at no extra charge. After that, they will prorate the battery’s cost to issue a refund that offsets the price of its replacement.
Aftermarket Honda batteries from Duralast, ACDelco, and the like only come with up to 30 months of warranty coverage. Optima batteries have the shortest warranty at just 12 months. For all these options, you only get the price of the battery pro-rated. No replacement coverage is provided.
Overall, you can expect aftermarket batteries to have similar dimensions and specs as OEM. As long as you get the right 51 or 51R group size, the battery should fit perfectly in your engine bay, hook up to your terminals, and run your car as expected.
Thinking about Buying an Aftermarket Battery? Here’s What We Suggest
Although Honda OEM batteries come with a truly impressive warranty, their price is equally memorable. So, if you simply don’t have it in the bank, then aftermarket is a solid choice.
You don’t get as much peace of mind from aftermarket batteries, largely due to their short warranty, but they should start and run your car just as well as OEM. Just try to pick the ones with the highest cold-cranking amps and capacity for the best performance.
If you’ve upgraded your car’s engine or accessories, get an AGM or Optima battery instead. This is also a great choice if you’d rather not have to remember to refill your battery water and clean corrosion off the terminals.
