When To Replace Battery?

[Larry Weil]

When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
won't start the car?

The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04. I
live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the car is
kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.

I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a general
consensus out of them.

Thanks for your help.

 

[Todd H.]

When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
won't start the car?

The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04. I
live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the car is
kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.

I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a general
consensus out of them.

Buy a good set of jumper cables and learn the simple steps to using
them safely.

Once the battery is over 3 years old, start paying attention. THen,
the first time you hear the battery struggle on a cold day to start
your car, head to the store.

My 2001 is still on its original battery. I'm in Chicago and my car
is generally garaged, FWIW. I'm thinking I'm due to get one here
soon.

Best Regards,

 

[bugalugs]

When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
won't start the car?

The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04. I
live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the car is
kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.

I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a general
consensus out of them.

Thanks for your help.

If it aint broke why fix it !

However having said that it would be prudent to carry 'round a set of
jumper cables as one day in the next 5..6..7...8 years one of the cells
is going to collapse and leave you stranded.

 

[KLS]

When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
won't start the car?

The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04.

4 years seems to be the tipping point that a lot of people/mechanics
look at for battery age. With the 80k miles you have on the battery
in the car you're driving now, I am guessing you are doing a lot of
highway mileage, which means you're recharging that battery often. I'm
sure you've got a couple more years out of your current battery, but
start watching how the car starts this winter, its third.

I replaced my car's OEM battery at about 4.5 years in its life, not
because it was failing, but because in December in western New York, I
noticed the car wasn't firing up as vigorously as it should, and at
that time I was making a biweekly commute 140 miles round trip,
returning home late at night, often as late as 11 pm. So, since I had
the car in for other work that month, I went ahead and changed out the
battery, feeling that the $95 expense was cheap insurance (and I
didn't want to get stranded in the parking lot of the University at
Buffalo at 10 pm). That battery (an Interstate) is still running
great almost 4 years later, but the car is firing up just fine, so
I'll see how it goes. Besides, I'm not doing that long commute, so if
I get stranded somewhere, I'll be in my home town. I anticipate
replacing the battery next year, definitely by the next presidential
election.

 

[johninKY]

Just a product plug but when you do decide to replace, Optima batteries are
well worth the few extra dollars. I currently have 2 in a diesel tractor
and all 3 Subarus have them. Won't consider another brand.

 

[kaplan3jiim]

My OEM battery on a '97 Legacy was good for 4 years. My Sears Die
Hard Gold replacement just passed its 6th birthday. Keeping the
jumpers handy is a good idea.

 

[Marcus]

1998 UK 2L GLS Auto Forester, 72000 miles, never garaged, still on the
original battery.

--
Best Regards

Mark

It's time to add some chlorine to the gene pool !

 

[Edward Hayes]

When you try to get the last 10% out of a battery you are putting your
charging system to allot of extra work. I believe it's better to just
change at the very first sign of sluggeness. Alternators are much more
expensive that batteries. My Forester original was changed at 4 +
years when it first showed some sign of aging.

 

[daszkiew2000]

When you try to get the last 10% out of a battery you are putting your
charging system to allot of extra work. I believe it's better to just
change at the very first sign of sluggeness. Alternators are much more
expensive that batteries. My Forester original was changed at 4 +
years when it first showed some sign of aging.

2000 OBW Ltd. - purchased in july 1999, currently @ 128 K miles, still
on orig. battery ( johnson controls ) and running /starting strong
kd

 

[Ook]

I'm on year 4 of an el-chepo Wal-Mart 2 year battery. And I keep the jumpers
handy. Truck is starting to crank a bit slugishly in the morning, I think my
truck is going to get a new battery for christmas - before it strands me
somewhere

 

[Jim Stewart]

When should I replace my battery if I want to do so before it fails and
won't start the car?

The car is an 04 Impreza 2.5 TS automatic, purchased new in March 04. I
live in southern New Hampshire and do not have a garage, thus the car is
kept outside at night. It currently has approx 80,000 miles.

I know I'll get a variety of opinions, but perhaps I can draw a general
consensus out of them.

I like to think that a battery is worth 5 years
minus a year for every time it got drained down
to zero. That reminds me of how damaging it is
to leave the lights on...

YMMV depending on the brand and quality of the
battery. My mechanic-shop owner-friend swears
by Interstate.

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

I like to think that a battery is worth 5 years
minus a year for every time it got drained down
to zero. That reminds me of how damaging it is
to leave the lights on...

YMMV depending on the brand and quality of the
battery. My mechanic-shop owner-friend swears
by Interstate.

Not in the south or south west. I'v only ever had a batt. last 5 years
once. Average is about 2.5 - 3.

Carl

 

[KLS]

I've already mentioned that I have 4 years on my Interstate battery in
my Audi A4 (not sure what we have in the Subaru; I should go look!),
and the thing is still cranking just fine, giving me confidence that
we'll get through at least one more winter with it. I've never
drained down this battery.

Not in the south or south west. I'v only ever had a batt. last 5 years
once. Average is about 2.5 - 3.

Why would a hot climate be harder on a battery than a cold one? I
find this to be counter-intuitive to my experience living in western
New York, where starting engines in sub-20F temps can be quite a
workout for batteries.

 

[Rebecca B.]

Don't be like me because I am a bad car parent, but I replaced what I
am almost certain to be the orginal battery in my 6 year old car this
year after I left one of the interior lights on for about a week and
the battery wouldn't even take a jump. What makes me think this was the
original battery is that I have never seen a Johnson Controls battery
for sale anywhere.

 

[Rebecca B.]

Why would a hot climate be harder on a battery than a cold one?

This may be a shot in the dark because I'm not a chemist and not really
scientifically inclined, my guess is that the heat more greatly
contributes to chemical changes in the compounds that make up a battery
than the cold would and that the cold just makes stuff not want to
start, but doesn't irreversibly alter the fundamental make up of the
battery.

 

[b]

Not in the south or south west. I'v only ever had a batt. last 5 years
once. Average is about 2.5 - 3.

Carl

Yep, I've yet to have a battery last more than 4 years. 2-3 years is
pretty typical. Where I live in AZ we see 110+'s in the summer and 10's
in the winter...

FWIW: Before you replace it, check the electrolyte levels: my OEM WRX
battery needed to be topped off every other month.

Brent.

 

[Todd H.]

Why would a hot climate be harder on a battery than a cold one? I
find this to be counter-intuitive to my experience living in western
New York, where starting engines in sub-20F temps can be quite a
workout for batteries.

You're both right. Temperature extremes in either direction are
hard on batteries.

It's harder to produce current at low temps due to the themochemical
dynamics and how cold slows reaction rates. So age related
degredation tends to show itself in the cold and cause batteries to
fail to start the car at -30F when they might perform just fine at
+30F.

On the other end, heat, while friendly to the chemical processes that
get current flowing during starting, kills batteries prematurely
because of accellerated rate of reaction also hastens deterioration of
metal parts inside the battery and consumption of the ions that make
the reactions happen. I believe gassing and water loss are also
issues in hot climates.

Best Regards,

 

[Carl 1 Lucky Texan]

You're both right. Temperature extremes in either direction are
hard on batteries.

It's harder to produce current at low temps due to the themochemical
dynamics and how cold slows reaction rates. So age related
degredation tends to show itself in the cold and cause batteries to
fail to start the car at -30F when they might perform just fine at
+30F.

On the other end, heat, while friendly to the chemical processes that
get current flowing during starting, kills batteries prematurely
because of accellerated rate of reaction also hastens deterioration of
metal parts inside the battery and consumption of the ions that make
the reactions happen. I believe gassing and water loss are also
issues in hot climates.

Best Regards,

http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/lifemap.jpg


Carl

 

[Todd H.]

http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/lifemap.jpg

Nice!

 

[Mickey]

Don't be like me because I am a bad car parent, but I replaced what I
am almost certain to be the orginal battery in my 6 year old car this
year after I left one of the interior lights on for about a week and
the battery wouldn't even take a jump. What makes me think this was the
original battery is that I have never seen a Johnson Controls battery
for sale anywhere.

There are only a handful of companies in the country that
makes automotive batteries and Johnson Controls is one of
the largest. They have a factory close to me and almost
every battery you find for sale around here you will find
somewhere on the battery a statement that is was made by
Johnson Controls (made by Johnson Controls for xxx). It is
very possible and likely that for any specific national
brand, it could be made by a different Co in different
locations around the country. It's not very cost affective
to transport lead vary far.

Check out the Johnson Control web site as there used to be a
list of all the companies they made batteries for. You
might be surprised.

Mickey