Does Costco Install Car Batteries? Costco Auto Services Explained

William Lipovsky headshot William Lipovsky
Verified & Updated Oct 23, 2020

Costco sells Interstate brand car batteries at competitive prices, but it does not install car batteries. While Costco is a popular place to go for gas (if you’re a member), and most locations offer a tire shop, its auto services are limited to fuel and tires.[1]

Since Costco does sell car batteries, it can still be a good option if your car is running well enough to get you to and from the store and you are comfortable installing the battery yourself (or you know someone who can do it). You can call your local Costco first to make sure it has the right size battery for your car.

Interstate batteries from Costco come with a limited warranty, so if your battery dies before the warranty period is up, Costco will replace or refund a portion of your battery’s cost.[2] Costco also carries Interstate brand batteries for vehicles other than cars, such as golf carts, boats, motorcycles, and ATVs.

Additionally, as a Costco member, you may be able to get a 15% discount off select parts and services at participating non-Costco service centers through Costco’s Auto Program.[3]

Places That Sell and Install Car Batteries

If you don’t want to tackle the battery installation on your own, there are other places that sell car batteries and will install them for you. However, most will only install batteries purchased at that location; if you’ve found a great deal on a car battery online or through some other means, you will likely need to install it yourself or find a local mechanic to do it.

All of the following locations will test your current battery at no charge regardless of where it was purchased, and this service carries no obligations, so you can have the test done for free and still decide not to purchase a new battery.

Advance Auto Parts

  • Batteries sold: AutoCraft and DieHard brand batteries to fit most makes and models[4]
  • Installation services: Free testing and installation when you purchase a battery from Advance Auto Parts[5]
  • Find an Advance Auto

AutoZone

Firestone Complete Auto Care

  • Batteries sold: Like Costco, Firestone only sells Interstate batteries.[7]
  • Installation services: Free battery checks, as well as a performance warranty and limited-time free replacement[7]
  • Find a Firestone Complete Auto Care

NAPA Auto Parts

  • Batteries sold: Legend brand batteries to fit most makes and models[8]
  • Installation services: Some locations test and install batteries for free; most NAPA stores are individually owned and operated, so services aren’t uniform.
  • Find a NAPA Auto Parts

O’Reilly Auto Parts

  • Batteries sold: Super Start brand batteries to fit most makes and models.[9]
  • Installation services: Free when you purchase the battery from O’Reilly; free battery testing and recycling of old batteries[10]
  • Find an O’Reilly Auto Parts

Pep Boys

  • Batteries sold: Bosch, Champion, Optima, and ValueGrade batteries[11]
  • Installation services: Free; also offers removal and recycling of old car batteries[12]
  • Find a Pep Boys

Sam’s Club

  • Batteries sold: Bosch, Champion, Optima, and ValueGrade batteries[13]
  • Installation services: Free for most vehicles when you purchase the battery from Sam’s Club[14]
  • Find a Sam’s Club

DIY Car Battery Installation

If you prefer buying your battery from a place like Costco that doesn’t offer the installation service, the process of changing a car battery is fairly easy to do on your own with just a few tools.

The Pep Boys website offers a helpful guide for replacing car batteries. The Advance Auto Parts website also provides an instructional video. For even more detailed information, you should consult your owner’s manual.

For more information about car batteries, see our article about places that accept car battery returns.

  1. Costco customer service (800) 774-2678[↩]
  2. https://www.costco.com/wcsstore/CostcoUSBCCatalogAssetStore/Attachment/Costco+Battery-Warranty+2018.pdf[↩]
  3. https://www.costco.com/auto-program-services.html[↩]
  4. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/c3/car-batteries/15597[↩]
  5. https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/o/free-battery-install[↩]
  6. https://www.autozone.com/batteries-starting-and-charging/battery[↩]
  7. https://www.firestonecompleteautocare.com/maintain/batteries-1/?adobe_mc_sdid=SDID%3D307ADE8948235C8C-40C769EC41D93C04%7CMCORGID%3DAD455AA8591B70C90A495EA3%40AdobeOrg%7CTS%3D1603466391&adobe_mc_ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com%2F[↩][↩]
  8. https://www.napaonline.com/en/c/batteries[↩]
  9. https://www.oreillyauto.com/battery-search[↩]
  10. https://www.oreillyauto.com/car-battery-testing[↩]
  11. https://www.pepboys.com/car-batteries/c/19447[↩]
  12. https://www.pepboys.com/auto-service-repair/batteries-electrical/car-battery-replacement[↩]
  13. https://www.samsclub.com/b/automotive-batteries/3990107[↩]
  14. https://help.samsclub.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/2659/~/sams-club-tire-%26-battery-center-services[↩]
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