How to Read a Car Battery Label: Ah, CCA, DIN and JIS
5 minute read · Updated · Al Nahda Battery
The short answer. Four things on the label matter when a battery is replaced: capacity in amp-hours (Ah), cold cranking amps (CCA), the case size code (DIN or JIS) and the type (flooded, EFB or AGM). The new battery should match the size and type exactly, and meet or slightly exceed the original Ah and CCA.
A battery label looks like a row of unrelated numbers. Each one answers a specific question, and between them they decide whether a replacement will fit the car, start it and last.
If you are comparing quotes, these are also the figures to compare. Two batteries at different prices are often simply different sizes.
The main markings on a battery label
Most labels carry all of these, though the layout differs from brand to brand.
| Marking | What it tells you | Example | Must the new battery match? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voltage | The system voltage | 12 V | Yes |
| Capacity (Ah) | How much charge the battery stores | 70 Ah | Same or slightly higher |
| Cold cranking amps (CCA) | How much current it can deliver to start the engine | 640 A | Same or higher |
| Reserve capacity (RC) | Minutes it can run the car's essentials with no charging | 120 min | For information |
| Size code | Case dimensions and how it is clamped down | DIN66, L3, 55D23L | Exactly |
| Type | Flooded, EFB or AGM | AGM | Same or better |
| Date code | When the battery was made | Varies by brand | The fresher the better |
Capacity and cranking current
Capacity, in amp-hours, is the size of the tank. It governs how long the battery can run the lights, fan and electronics, and how well it copes with short trips. Cranking current is the size of the tap: the burst it can deliver for the few seconds a start takes.
CCA is measured at minus 18°C, which seems an odd test for the Gulf. It remains the standard way of stating a battery's strength, and it is the figure a battery tester compares against. Different standards (EN, SAE, JIS and DIN) give different numbers for the same battery, so compare like with like.
DIN and JIS: two families of case
European cars use DIN cases. They are low, the terminals sit recessed below the top surface, and a lip along the base is gripped by a clamp in the tray. Sizes are written as DIN55 or DIN66, or as L2, L3 and so on.
Japanese cars use JIS cases. They are taller, the terminal posts stand proud of the top, and the battery is held by a frame across it. Sizes are written as codes such as 55D23L or 80D26L. The two families do not interchange, because the tray, the clamp and the cable lengths are all different. Many recent Korean models, and some Japanese ones, have moved to DIN.
Terminal layout
The positive post can be on the left or the right, and the car's cables are cut to reach one arrangement only. The L or R at the end of a JIS code states it, and DIN batteries are also made in both layouts.
Smaller JIS batteries also use thinner posts than larger ones. A battery with the right capacity and the wrong posts or layout cannot be connected properly, so this is checked at the car before anything is fitted.
The date code
Batteries age on the shelf as well as in the car, so the manufacturing date matters. There is no universal format. Some brands print the month and year plainly, and others stamp a short code into the case or the label.
Ask whoever fits the battery to show you the date and explain how to read it. Stock less than six months old is ideal.
What to send when you ask for a price
A quote is quickest and most accurate with these details:
- A clear photo of the label on the battery now in the car
- The make, model and year
- Whether the car has start-stop
- Where the battery sits, if you know: under the bonnet, in the boot or under a seat
Related services and pages
- Car battery glossary
- Battery sizes by car make and model
- AGM vs EFB vs flooded batteries
- Free car battery test in Al Nahda