was made for the 1997 through 2006 model years. Even though it’s been 15 years since the last one rolled off the line, it still enjoys fierce popularity today among the off-roading enthusiast crowd. The aftermarket customization and mod scene for the Jeep TJ is quite robust, but one part you can’t do without? A good battery.

If you’ve got a Jeep TJ, we’re here to help you out with all your battery questions! We’ll talk about the size you need, some kinds to try, and how to recognize the symptoms of a dying battery. Let’s get to it!

MORE:

How to get the lowest Jeep insurance cost around

How big is a Jeep TJ battery?

The Jeep TJ was available with two engine choices: a 2.4-liter straight four-cylinder or a 4.0-liter straight six-cylinder. But no matter what engine you have, you’ll need a Group Size 34 battery to fire that puppy up.

You’ll notice when you’re shopping for any car battery that there are differences in something called cold cranking amps (CCA) among batteries of the same size. What gives? Here’s the scoop: Cold cranking amps are a measure of how much power a battery can produce over 30 seconds at zero degrees Fahrenheit. It’s the battery’s literal starting power, as it were.

Folks on the Jeep TJ forums feel a lot of ways about options and mods, but the general consensus is that you want a battery with at least 650 CCA for a Jeep TJ. If you use your winch a lot, you might want to consider a 700 or 800 CCA battery.

To determine the kind of battery you need, you can pop the hood of your Jeep and see what battery is already in there. Consulting the owner’s manual is also helpful. Auto parts stores, like

AutoZone

, have an online search engine that can help you find the correct battery for your Jeep.

Popular battery brands among Jeep TJ aficionados appear to be Deka, Exide, and Odyssey. And just a heads up: expect a battery for your TJ to cost between $200 and $350. This is on the high end of the battery pricing spectrum—but the Jeep TJ is a rugged, powerful vehicle, and it needs a battery to match.

MORE:

Jeep tune up cost

Jerry sends free alerts to keep your car up-to-date so you can avoid costly repairs

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

Get ahead of my car maintenance

* checking your rate won’t affect your credit score

Jeep TJ battery life

A battery in any gasoline-powered vehicle is designed to be charged by the engine itself. When you drive, some of the energy that’s generated by your internal combustion engine is used to recharge your battery. Handy!

But as we all know, batteries will eventually need to be replaced. Typically, you can expect to need a new battery every four to five years, but that can vary a lot. If you do a lot of heavy off-roading stuff, it can lead to a shorter life span for your battery. Additionally, if you live in an area where your Jeep spends a lot of time at extreme temperatures, that often drains your battery too.

It’s a smart move to regularly test your Jeep TJ’s battery so you can replace it before it completely dies on you in the middle of a gator-infested mud bog. Or in a grocery store parking lot. Both can be scary places. At any rate, keep an eye out for these signs of a dying battery:

Clicking sounds when you start your Jeep

Visible corrosion on the battery or battery cables

A dead battery that requires

jumping and/or charging

Interior or exterior lights that aren’t as bright as usual

MORE: Are Jeeps expensive to maintain?

How to keep your Jeep TJ battery healthy

Regular battery testing is a good routine to get into with your Jeep TJ, but here are a few other things you can do to prolong the life of your battery:

Start your engine and drive your Jeep on a regular basis. Even if you’re not going mudding, take your Jeep out for a little spin on regular pavement. The battery is recharged by the engine, so if it sits too long, it can result in a dead battery.

Manually recharge the battery after storing your Jeep. If it has been quite some time since you’ve driven your Jeep, then it might be a good idea to remove the battery and manually recharge it before you start the engine.

Don’t leave your lights on. Both exterior and interior lights drain the battery, so make sure that they’re all off when they’re not in use.

Disconnect auxiliary electronics when they’re not being used. Unplug any cords for your phone, GPS, or mini fridge when not in use, as they can drain your battery.

Stay up on your routine maintenance. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and keeping up with maintenance tasks, in general, helps keep your Jeep’s battery happy.

Clean it up! Owning a Jeep TJ is often a delightful dirty business, but wet or dirty battery cables and connectors can be both a cause and a source of battery problems.

MORE: How to refill a car battery

"This was my first time getting insurance, so I was really scared. But
Jerry
made things much easier than expected! I’m so glad I found the app.” —Umar J.

RECOMMENDED