Typical Battery Life - Page 2

martini3 · 11-02-09, 12:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kleef

Anyone know the typical battery life on our cars? Mine is a 2003, and lately I've had to jump it 3 times. A few days ago it just made a clicking noise upon starting, and I had to jump it. Probably time for a new battery.

2003 w/ 84k miles
Well, my factory battery (2003) lasted 5 years.
I changed it out for an Interstate and it's been about 2 years or so.

But this year, 2009, a few months ago:
--------------------------------------
- One morning (engine is cold), I turn the ignition to ON.
- It sounded very weak and had no juice to fire up.
- But after a sluggish err...err...err.....it fired up.
- I brought it to my mechanic and he measured the battery and it read. 12.6-12.8.
- Ok, so he said it's not the battery. OK, I go on my way.

Yesterday:
----------
- (engine is cold), I turn on the ignition to ON and no response from firing up.
- no response from battery.
- I turn the key all the way to the right and the sound is CLICK...CLICK...CLICK...CLICK....in a very fast motion.
- I turn OFF ignition and take out the key.
- I test the headlights and they light up.
- I insert the key and turn halfway just before firing up again.
- I test the headlights and they light up.
- I crank it and the CLICKING SOUND is continuous as I try to fire it up and NO GOOD.

- So I jump start the battery using jumper cables to my other car.
- VOILA! ---- It fired up.

- I drive it to the shopping center and park it. (engine is hot now).
- 1 hour later, it barely cranked and fired up again but sluggish and somehow I was able to start it.
- I arrive to the gym (engine is hot now).
- 45 minutes later, I crank it and the CLICKING SOUND is continuous as I try to fire it up and NO GOOD.
- I ask someone for a jump and it fired up again.

Today
------
I bring it back to my mechanic and he measured the battery and it read 12.5

He said it's the starter.

Is this true?

thanks...martini3

Bon · 11-02-09, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martini3

2003 w/ 84k miles
Well, my factory battery (2003) lasted 5 years.
I changed it out for an Interstate and it's been about 2 years or so.

But this year, 2009, a few months ago:
--------------------------------------
- One morning (engine is cold), I turn the ignition to ON.
- It sounded very weak and had no juice to fire up.
- But after a sluggish err...err...err.....it fired up.
- I brought it to my mechanic and he measured the battery and it read. 12.6-12.8.
- Ok, so he said it's not the battery. OK, I go on my way.

Yesterday:
----------
- (engine is cold), I turn on the ignition to ON and no response from firing up.
- no response from battery.
- I turn the key all the way to the right and the sound is CLICK...CLICK...CLICK...CLICK....in a very fast motion.
- I turn OFF ignition and take out the key.
- I test the headlights and they light up.
- I insert the key and turn halfway just before firing up again.
- I test the headlights and they light up.
- I crank it and the CLICKING SOUND is continuous as I try to fire it up and NO GOOD.

- So I jump start the battery using jumper cables to my other car.
- VOILA! ---- It fired up.

- I drive it to the shopping center and park it. (engine is hot now).
- 1 hour later, it barely cranked and fired up again but sluggish and somehow I was able to start it.
- I arrive to the gym (engine is hot now).
- 45 minutes later, I crank it and the CLICKING SOUND is continuous as I try to fire it up and NO GOOD.
- I ask someone for a jump and it fired up again.

Today
------
I bring it back to my mechanic and he measured the battery and it read 12.5

He said it's the starter.

Is this true?

thanks...martini3

If you haven't yet cleaned the battery terminals I'd do it now. Your mechanic should load test the battery (not just measure the voltage) after it has received a full charge. This will tell you a lot about the batteries condition. If your terminals are clean and the battery passes the load test then I'd change the battery if you have any more trouble soon after the battery was charged as it sounds like a cell in your battery has a poor connection that is intermittent.

DDLexus · 11-02-09, 12:46 PM

sounds like a battery to me. It also sounds like someone doesn't want to replace it

tfischer · 11-02-09, 01:41 PM

The clicking sound is, I think, the solenoid clicking out of its gear because there is not enough power (amperage; not the same as voltage) to turn over the engine.
Not all batteries are created equal, even if they have the same label. One may last 5 years (which is a really long run) and the next one only 2 or 3 (which is, I think, average - I replace mine at 3 years whether they need it or not to avoid parking lot surprises).
I'd replace the battery; if it starts on being jumped, and if the solenoid is clicking, that usually means the starter is operational. With those symptoms and a two year old battery, I'd get a new battery.
Finally, check your paperwork from the purchase two years ago - you may be entitled to something under the warranty, usually a pro-ration over a period of time, usually about three years, but surely not a replacement after all this time.

Harold57 · 11-02-09, 08:01 PM

How long the battery lasts depends on a lot of items: what the battery rating is to begin with, the quality of the battery, how severe the service it is used under (moderate temps, extreme temps, battery use with the engine off, etc.) and what kind of car it is used on.

The SC430 is an electrical intensive car. It has the electric top, windows, drive by wire, NAV system, sound system with an external amp and more. The electric top by itself is a big electrical hog and could be very stressful on a battery if used without the engine running.

If your mechanic only checked the voltage on the battery to determine the health of the battery, I'd consider walking away from him, at least for electrical items.

I agree with tfischer that if your car was clicking during a start attempt, there is a 95 to 99% chance that it is the solenoid attempting to engage. When the battery is too weak, the solenoid won't have enough "juice" from the battery to engage into the starter and goes through repeated attempts (the clicking sound) to do so.

You've got a battery problem most likely. I'd start there. Good luck with it.

martini3 · 11-02-09, 10:30 PM

Well, thanks so much for the input folks.

Today, I left my baby in the hands of my trusted mechanic.

The battery terminals were clean and still registered well above the 12.5 level. He said there was another person w/ similar symptons as I had, but a GS400. Changed out the battery a few times and still click...click...But on the third try, changed out the bad or worn out starter and he fired up again.

So out goes the presumably "bad" starter and in comes the almost like-new starter (re-manufactured) as they call it.

I kept the same Interstate battery (installed in 2008) and the mechanic guaranteed the parts & labor for 24 months for any issues whatsoever.

I picked her up in the afternoon and she fired up OK.
Ran to the gym and fired up again after I left.

I'll keep a close eye on this as the weeks and months go by.

thanks...

Pearlpower · 11-02-09, 10:40 PM

Have had batteries go out within months (defective run) and then years. Optimas have given me the most luck but a 5 year old battery is running on it's last legs imo. I load test mine every once in a while to check the health.

martini3 · 11-04-09, 12:11 PM

Ok, so this gets more interesting and as I did my own research and investigative work.

So you all know from my last update, my starter was replaced and everything seemed diaper dandy.

When I picked my car up the other day, on Monday, I cranked the car up and the engine fired up......well, kind of ok but not great.
(Keep in mind the Interstate battery - about 1 1/2 years installed in 2008) was still there.

I felt there was still a bit of a sluggish firing up of the engine.

Hey, but it fired up anyway regardless so I was a happy camper.

And I drove it all day and into the next morning on Tuesday and it still felt a bit odd that it still won't fire up instantly.

I went to another mechanic to do a full test load on the "suspected" Interstate battery. The result was bad and weak.

Here's the results:
CCA = 0
OCV = 11.5
BAT code = CA700051
Model = Sabre HP

So now I'm thinking mayber it wasn't the original starter after all.
Well, I still had to get the original starter back and test it to make sure.

I went back to the mechanic shop on Tuesday afternoon and said I was unhappy w/ the result. He felt bad and replace an entire new Interstate battery. He said fire it up now. I said it's good now and it feels like it's firing up just like before when I bought the car from the dealership.

I asked for my original starter back and he gave it to me.

Today, Wendnesday morning, I took the original starter to Kragen's and have them do a full test load on the unit.

He put it an enclosed box, hooked up the wires and closed the lid.
The tester was cranking and the Kragen mechanic said, "IT PASSED...IT's GOOD".

I asked him, "ARE U SURE?". He said, the tester don't lie. If it passes it's normal pass light indication. And if it fails, it'll indicate Fail.

So, what's the moral of this story.

I guess I should have listened to you guys earlier before jumping the gun and listened to my susposedly "trusted" mechanic to make a decision on changing out the starter. I should have him do a full test load on that 1 1/2 year old Interstate battery first before taking any action. So Instead, $750 bucks later, it was that dang dreaded battery all along and my original starter was still good in working condition.

And I even indicated to my mechanic that on this SC430 forum, I could not find any incidents of a starter going bad on a SC430 from '02-'09. I felt it just wasn't a common issue among SC430's. But he insisted that a GS400 had the same symptons w/ mine and when he changed out the other guy's starter, his issue was fixed.

I think I just got f-----ed BIG TIME.

Bon · 11-04-09, 12:22 PM

Well, Martini3, I suggest 3Martini's. Sorry about your bad luck.

Okay, I cant' help it . . .
WE TOLD YOU SO!

DDLexus · 11-04-09, 12:37 PM

It's hard to trust unknown people on online forums, so i understand why you made the decision. Next time, take your problems to multiple places or at least get a second opinion.

Most, if not all, CL members are here to help!

Cheers.

Pearlpower · 11-04-09, 02:36 PM

Keep in mind that even bench testing is not full proof. Many starters can fail once the solenoid is heated up, especially older GM vehicles which are located next to the exhaust manifolds. I have found it to be accurate over 95% of the time, just not always. One would use the bench test along with all available data to reach a probably conclusion.

martini3 · 11-04-09, 03:06 PM

Pearl,

who and where can I go to get the original starter bench tested?

BTW....the car now starts up instanlty, cranks real good and fires up right away just like back in '03-'08 (w/ factory stock batter) and the first part of '08 w/ the first year of Interstate battery. And just this later this year 2009, this Interstate battery started to weakened and didn't have enough juice to crank the engine crisply.

In summary
-----------
2003 SC430 - factory stock battery replaced in 2008. (ran strong for '03-'08)
Mid-2008 - factory stock battery replaced w/ Interstate battery
Summer-Fall 2009 - experienced weakness upon cranking and firing up engine.
9/01/09 no juice from battery to fire up and but eventually got it going.
11/1/09 - no juice upon cranking and suddenly...CLICK...CLICK....CLICK...CLICK
Had to jump the battery twice in one day.
11/2/09 - replaced original starter w/ re-manufactured
11/3/09 - replaced Interstate battery w/ another Interstate battery
11/4/09 - All is well now.

Anyone else on here w/ '02-'09 SC430 have had any issues w/ their original starter and had it replaced w/ a re-manufactured one? (other than the regular lifespan of the battery replacement?)

thanks..tee

Pearlpower · 11-04-09, 03:12 PM

Good question but no real answer as bench testing does not factor in real world environments. It is just part of the equation. I know the bench tester there well as I have tested hundreds and hundreds of rotating electrical, it is just part of the equation. If it test bad and other components have been tested, it is most likely bad.