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Oem battery died yesterday
Cranked the engine and it sputters. Accessories like instrument panel lights, window opener are still working but not enough juice to start the car. Bought the car in 2009 so the battery lasted 5 years. I suppose that is a normal life although I've had batteries that lasted that longer.
Jumped the car and it started right of. charging did not work. |
We've neve had a battery last over 3 years in the high desert.
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Nevada? Don't forget that the summer heat--like in Las Vegas--can be harder on a battery than cold winters back east. Five years seems good to me!
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5 years is excellent nowadays. I've had excellent performance with Kirkland Signature (Costco) batteries over the years, are comparably inexpensive, and are among the top rated ones.
http://www.carsdirect.com/car-mainte...ng-performance |
Costco Battery
Originally Posted by corradoMR2
(Post 8632807)
5 years is excellent nowadays. I've had excellent performance with Kirkland Signature (Costco) batteries over the years, are comparably inexpensive, and are among the top rated ones.
http://www.carsdirect.com/car-mainte...ng-performance Ray A. |
I have always bought Diehard as a replacement battery. I will give Costco's Kirkland Signature a try.
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Update: Got battery from Costco, Kirkland Signature. Just installed it and all is well. Three years full warranty and then prorated after that for 100 months. Many thanks hombres.
Oh price is good and you get a small core refund if you bring the old battery. I like to surrender the old battery only because I do not want put it with the garbage. |
^^^ Yeah, easy to find and purchase at the store, and it's a great battery (like Diehard) with more cold cranking amps than the OEM battery, and at an unbeatable price (between $70 - $90). :thumbup:
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Yep, been getting my Optima's for the GS from Costco for years now. RX will be joining the Kirkland family when her time comes as well.
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Is battery life determined more by time or usage?
I recently picked up a RX350 with about 15K miles but it's over 3 years old. So time wise the battery could be almost 75% used. But mileage wise this battery could be only about 20% used. |
great info here:
Normal Life of a Car Battery When it comes to vehicle maintenance, "normal" is determined by a number of factors that exist in theory but rarely come to pass. For instance, a battery has an average normal lifespan of four years under normal conditions. "Normal" in this case means the battery goes through full charge cycles, isn't subjected to extreme temperatures, is attached to a reliable and consistent charging system and isn't providing power for a ton of accessories. See, normal just isn't normal. In the real world, temperature extremes, vibration, short trips down the street and an ever-increasing array of MP3 players, GPS receivers and other devices take a toll on the battery. If you look at a typical lead-acid maintenance-free car battery, it's easy to make sense of why these factors affect normal battery life. Inside the plastic box are plates of materials like lead and lead dioxide. The plates are suspended in a mix of water and sulfuric acid, which forms an electrolytic solution. This solution allows electrons to flow between the plates -- that flow of electrons is essentially electricity. A host of factors can disturb this chemical reaction. Vibrations from rough travel or a poorly-secured battery can shake loose or damage the plates. Extreme heat speeds up the chemical reaction, shortening battery life, while extreme cold can sometimes prolong battery life by slowing down the reaction. This is why some batteries are covered by an insulating sleeve to keep extreme temperatures in check. Driving style can affect the reaction, too. Starting the car takes a huge jolt of electricity, so the charging system has to step in to replenish the battery. If you have a short commute or take lots of brief trips, the battery never gets fully charged. This constant state of undercharge results in acid stratification. Inside the battery, the electrolytic solution goes from homogenous -- or the same all the way through -- to a rough vertical split. The upper half of the solution is a light acid, while the bottom is a heavy acid. The light acid layer will begin to corrode the plates, and the heavy acid solution will start to compensate for the car's electrical needs by working harder than it's designed to work. The result is a shorter battery life, even though the battery shows up as working on routine tests. |
The explains the 5 batteries in 9 years on my minivan with power doors and an average trip length of less than 5 miles :egads:
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Originally Posted by happycampe
(Post 8638743)
The explains the 5 batteries in 9 years on my minivan with power doors and an average trip length of less than 5 miles :egads:
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Originally Posted by MARQEVANS
(Post 8638786)
I think I'm on my 4th on our 2000 Windstar with 150,000 miles. The power doors could be the reason, but I really think it's the radar detector stays on because the power outlets are live even when you turn the car off.
Get a battery disconnect. This is a connector to the battery that can be disconnected easily. I have this on my other car. There is a power draw that saps the battery when it is in the garage. I have no idea what it is. When I park the car I just disconnect and then re-connect when I want to. Another way is to plug in a trickle battery charger. This will keep the battery fully charge all the time.Just plug it in. It is low amperage, not 3 amps. Make sure it is a smart charger. When the battery gets fully charge, it stops. |
Originally Posted by LeoDLion
(Post 8639299)
If you think you have a dark current that draws current even if the car is off, the battery is not bad. You can do two things:
Get a battery disconnect. This is a connector to the battery that can be disconnected easily. I have this on my other car. There is a power draw that saps the battery when it is in the garage. I have no idea what it is. When I park the car I just disconnect and then re-connect when I want to. Another way is to plug in a trickle battery charger. This will keep the battery fully charge all the time.Just plug it in. It is low amperage, not 3 amps. Make sure it is a smart charger. When the battery gets fully charge, it stops. Thanks, but I don't think its a dark current, it's that Ford keeps the socket live if there is something plugged in, and I usually forget to pull the cord out on the radar detector. |
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