Walmart Car Battery Return & Exchange Policy Explained

What Types of Car Batteries Does Walmart Sell?

Walmart sells three types of lead-acid car batteries: EverStart Maxx, EverStart Plus, and ValuePower. These batteries are exclusive to Walmart and cannot be purchased elsewhere.

Walmart Car Battery Warranty Policy

Each type of battery sold by Walmart has a different warranty, so you’ll want to compare options before you make your purchase. The warranty will be listed on the individual battery and the Walmart website. If you need to return or replace a car battery that’s under warranty, you’ll need to bring it back to a Walmart store.

• EverStart Maxx: Free replacement within three years of purchase, and two years of prorated replacement thereafter
• EverStart Plus: Free replacement within two years of purchase
• ValuePower: Free replacement within one year of purchase

Walmart Car Battery Return Policy

You can return an automotive battery within 90 days of purchase, and you must have the original packaging. If you have your receipt, you will receive a refund via the same payment method. For example, if you paid with cash, you will receive a cash refund. If you don’t have a receipt, Walmart will verify the battery was sold at Walmart and then exchange the item, refund you in cash if the amount is less than $25, or provide you with a store credit if the amount exceeds $25.^[1]

Mail-In Return

If you purchased the battery online or you simply prefer to mail in your car battery return, you’ll first want to check with your post office or desired shipping company to make sure that the battery can be shipped safely. You can look up your order online, then print the return shipping label and ship the battery in its original packaging within 90 days for a refund.^[1]

Walmart Battery Exchanges

If you bought the wrong battery, you can exchange it for the correct one. If you purchased a car battery and find it isn’t working properly, a Walmart Auto Care Center will perform a free system check on it and exchange it for a new one, if necessary.^[2] Walmart Auto Care Centers also install car batteries, free of charge.

Walmart Car Battery Disposal Policy

In most states, Walmart will dispose of (recycle) your car battery for you at no charge. You can bring your old battery with you when you purchase a new one to take advantage of this service. If you purchase a new battery without exchanging an old one, Walmart will charge you a core fee — the amount varies according to the state you live in but typically $5 to $10,^[3] designed to encourage consumers to return their old batteries so they don’t end up in landfills. Paying a core fee is common no matter where you buy a car battery.

A core fee works like a deposit — if you purchase a battery at Walmart and pay the core charge, you can return the battery to a Walmart store for recycling and get a core charge refund. To get a core charge refund, you’ll need to visit the automotive department or customer service desk.

Typically, refunds are available either in cash or for use toward the purchase of a replacement battery. Some stores do require the original receipt to prove that you purchased the battery at Walmart and paid a core fee.^[3] Due to state regulations, the policy on core fee refunds varies by location, corporate customer service representatives said; you may want to call your local store to check its policy before visiting.

See our related research for details on the car battery return policies at other retailers, see our article. We also cover where to find common and specialty batteries in Walmart.