how can i check to see if my battery is bad?

 

What do you mean by bad?

 

take it to an advance auto or any auto parts store should be ableto check it for you.

they hook it up, run a charge on it and check it out completely

edit...shouldnt cost anything either

 

^^^^^^That is the easiest, most pain-free way to do it. But you can also use a voltage meter if you have one. If you've got a dead battery you're probably also going to want to have the dealer check the alternator. Batteries should last 5 years or more...if you've got an issue this soon, that'd point to an alternator problem in my mind.

 

I think he's worried its frying his ECU since he's on his 3rd one now.

 

Ah. Could be. I'd have the full electrical system checked though anyway, I had that problem on my Cavalier. Bad battery killed the alternator, which killed a good battery, which killed the new alternator, turns out there was a problem somewhere else in the electrical system that was causing the whole mess.

 

Grab a Digital Multi Meter (you can get one for like 7 bucks at walmart, and it sucks for most purposes but will work fine for this) Take your black lead place it on the negative, red lead (positive) on the positive terminal and turn your dial to VOLTS. Battery should read anywhere from high 11's to 12.10 or so.

 

Take it to autozone. they will tell you if it is holding a charge, something you can't check with a multimeter.