Battery life
#1
Driver School Candidate
Thread Starter
Battery life
How long do your batteries tend to last? I know mine is an ultra low mileage car but the factory battery still works great and tests good on a load tester at 16 years old.
#2
Lexus Fanatic
A load test is the way to go. I know an aunt's BMW 330i has the original battery, and it was produced fall 2005, so that's going on 12.
I've had aftermarket top of the line batteries fail in as little as 39 mos. Never had them fail under a free replacement period. My wife's OEM failed at 53 mos., and it's a huge battery, I think 94R or something like that.
Since this car costed like $83 for an Interstate 24F from Costco, I decided to simply replace, when the battery in the car said 10/12. In other words, what fraction of $83, am I wasting, by replacing it proactively, is what I asked myself. If a battery should have lasted 6 yrs., and you replaced at 4, imho divide $83/6 and multiply by 2. I say if one gets stranded just one time, the amount of time/money wasted is more than the battery.
They do go suddenly--maybe someone else can answer. Is load testing good/bad (one extreme or the other), or can you really capture a battery failing gradually, by observing that it goes from green, to yellow, to red? My hunch is based on the price, be it $83 or $250, not that many are going to load test their battery so frequently that they can see this effect.
These are my thoughts....
I've had aftermarket top of the line batteries fail in as little as 39 mos. Never had them fail under a free replacement period. My wife's OEM failed at 53 mos., and it's a huge battery, I think 94R or something like that.
Since this car costed like $83 for an Interstate 24F from Costco, I decided to simply replace, when the battery in the car said 10/12. In other words, what fraction of $83, am I wasting, by replacing it proactively, is what I asked myself. If a battery should have lasted 6 yrs., and you replaced at 4, imho divide $83/6 and multiply by 2. I say if one gets stranded just one time, the amount of time/money wasted is more than the battery.
They do go suddenly--maybe someone else can answer. Is load testing good/bad (one extreme or the other), or can you really capture a battery failing gradually, by observing that it goes from green, to yellow, to red? My hunch is based on the price, be it $83 or $250, not that many are going to load test their battery so frequently that they can see this effect.
These are my thoughts....
#3
Moderator
Cheap insurance.
#4
Pole Position
#5
I've owned my car since it was new and I'm on my 2nd battery. OEM lasted about 8 years so I've got 6 now on the current one, which is a Sears DieHard. My wife tends to leave things on in the car and ran both batteries to dead a couple times, that is one of the things that will shorten a batteries life (as well as heat vibration and extreme temps).
Last edited by campisi; 02-20-17 at 12:13 PM.
#6
Lexus Fanatic
I've owned my car since it was new and I'm on my 2nd battery. OEM lasted about 8 years so I've got 6 now on the current one, which is a Sears DieHard. My wife tends to leave things on in the car and ran both batteries to dead a couple times, that is one of the things that will shorten a batteries life (as well as heat and extreme temps).
I have a 1/4" USA Craftsman ratchet that went bad, but I don't want to replace it with the China made one, weird I guess....(wouldn't you rather have one that works, that doesn't say U.S.A.). My Snap Ons, except the old S936's, are too pretty to actually use. They stay in the tool box. Weird.
#7
Forum Administrator
iTrader: (2)
I recall a similar topic from a few years ago where I posted my sister's experience with a long-life OEM battery that totalled her car.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...ery-on-cl.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...ery-on-cl.html
This thread reminds me of something.... My sister's 1982 Honda Civic wagon had a battery that lasted just like that. Went twelve years, car was in perfect shape and started and ran like a top.
Passenger noticed some softness in the floorboard and she took it to a mechanic and put the car up onto a lift - the battery (which looked fine up top) had slowly been leaking acid down the frame of the car and had actually corroded so much of the car's structure it had to be totaled.
Not saying that's going to happen with yours - just make sure to keep a good eye on it... and under it.
Passenger noticed some softness in the floorboard and she took it to a mechanic and put the car up onto a lift - the battery (which looked fine up top) had slowly been leaking acid down the frame of the car and had actually corroded so much of the car's structure it had to be totaled.
Not saying that's going to happen with yours - just make sure to keep a good eye on it... and under it.
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#8
I'd replace it, it could be putting extra stress on your alternator.
That is an incredible record, are you sure it has never been replaced since new and not just a battery that was replaced with another Lexus battery?
Here in hot Arizona, I get around 2.5 years on a battery and I then get a free replacement. They go out like clockwork. Brand doesn't seem to matter, so I just use Interstate from Costco now. I actually had bad luck with Lexus batteries from the dealer.
That is an incredible record, are you sure it has never been replaced since new and not just a battery that was replaced with another Lexus battery?
Here in hot Arizona, I get around 2.5 years on a battery and I then get a free replacement. They go out like clockwork. Brand doesn't seem to matter, so I just use Interstate from Costco now. I actually had bad luck with Lexus batteries from the dealer.
#9
Lexus Champion
Living in AZ, I agree with Brad. Lexus batteries would just suddenly go dead at about a 2 year life, failing to crank with no prior indication. I'd jump the car, drive to my Lexus dealer and they would replace it for free. That would continue and I would receive a new battery every two years with Lexus installing a new Lexuss and checking the system at no charge. That changed when it suddenly went dead after gassing up on a trip in a Texas town at 8 pm on a Friday night. I bought a cheap battery and didn't have room to take the Lexus battery back home with me. I have since used Costco batteries. I just take it out after two years, return it to Costco, and they give me a new battery with a new warranty. How can you beat that?
#10
Lexus Fanatic
I recall a similar topic from a few years ago where I posted my sister's experience with a long-life OEM battery that totalled her car.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...ery-on-cl.html
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/gs-...ery-on-cl.html
The original battery had filler caps and a collar. I did not use the collar on subsequent batteries. That's why when people here said should they use it on the LS430, I say yes. Otherwise what's the purpose of the plastic sleeve, it wasn't there for no reason.
#11
The batteries in the seldom driven 87 Corvette and 12 Camaro are 16 and 8 now, have always been on tenders when not being driven, and both just load tested fine.
Of course the 13 RX 450h did need a new battery on 3/3/2020, making it around 7 years old. Given the nature of the hybrid, I never put this one on a tender. Was kind of interesting to see it only putting out 9V when I tested it with no load, but given what it actually does in the hybrid system I guess you can let the thing get pretty bad before you have to replace it. If it were in a 350, it would have failed to turn the thing over a long time ago, and long before it got down to a 9V no load measurement.
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