Come in if you have

The engine cranks slowly, or clicks and does not turn over

The car needed a jump start, or keeps needing one

Headlights or dash lights dim at idle and brighten when you rev

A battery or charging-system warning light on the dash

Corrosion built up around the battery terminals

The battery is more than three or four years old

Nothing ruins a morning like a car that won't start. The cause is almost always one of three things, the battery, the alternator, or the starter, and telling them apart takes a proper test, not a guess. TAB Motors tests the whole system for free, so you replace the part that's actually dead instead of the one someone guessed at.

How we find the real culprit

Load-test the battery to see if it still holds a charge
Test alternator output to confirm it's charging correctly
Check the starter draw and connections on a no-start
Inspect terminals, grounds and cables for corrosion
Scan for charging-system fault codes

Virginia weather is hard on batteries

Between humid DC summers and cold winter mornings, car batteries around Arlington rarely make it much past three or four years. Heat cooks the internals; cold hides a weak battery until the one morning it won't turn over. If yours is on the older side or you've noticed a slow crank, a quick test now beats a jump-start in a parking lot later.

How quickly we can fix it

We stock quality batteries and can replace an alternator or starter the same day on most vehicles. A weak battery can also throw off electronics and warning lights and even affect an emissions "readiness" check, so it's worth handling before it snowballs.

What happens next

Tell us what it is doing

Call (703) 243-3080, start a quote online, or stop in. What you hear or feel, and when, narrows things down before anything comes apart.

We look at the car

We check the actual parts rather than guessing from the symptom, and we tell you if the cause turns out to be something other than what you came in for.

You get the price first

We show you what we found, explain what is urgent and what can wait, and quote the work before we start. You are free to think it over or take the quote elsewhere.

We do the work

Once you approve it, the job goes ahead, backed by our 1-year warranty on parts and labor. Payment plans available for larger repairs.

You get the car back

Road tested where it matters, with a plain explanation of what was done and anything worth keeping an eye on.

What it costs

We don't publish a flat price for this, because an honest number depends on your specific vehicle and what we find. What we will do is tell you the price before we start, and not change it without talking to you first.

If we need to see the car before we can quote accurately, we'll say so rather than throw out a number we can't stand behind.

AAA members save

AAA members get 10% off labor, up to $75. Bring your card.

Backed for a year

1-year warranty on parts and labor.

Payment plans available

Spread the cost of a bigger job. Ask us in the shop.

Frequently asked questions

Is my problem the battery or the alternator?

That's exactly what our free test tells us. A battery that keeps dying after a jump often points to a failing alternator, we confirm it before replacing anything.

How long do car batteries last around here?

In the DC-area climate, usually 3–4 years. If yours is older and cranking slowly, have it tested.

Can you replace my battery the same day?

Yes, we stock common batteries and can usually swap it on the spot after testing.

My car clicks but won't start, what is that?

A rapid clicking is often a dead battery or bad connection; a single click can be the starter. We'll test to be sure.

Do you check the charging system, not just the battery?

Always. Replacing a battery without checking the alternator is how people end up stranded twice.

Battery, Alternator & Starter Service

What you get