ExiledInIllinois Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 So I get the call yesterday afternoon that my wife's car won't start in the Walgreens parking lot. Nothing, not even a dome light can go on or a window up. The car is 8 years old and on its second battery. I changed the original equipment (OEM) Mopar battery exactly 3 years to date back in 2011. Not that the OEM battery was bad, just for good measure... It was made in 2005. Load testing since 2011 shows that it is "marginal." I saved the OEM battery and ever since had it on piece of wood on the floor of my garage hooked up to a battery charger/maintainer (tender) for a "just incase moment." Back in 2011 I put a Diehard Gold battery in. Has a 36 month free replacement warranty. About 4 months ago I put a new alternator that the bearing was getting noisier and fianlly a diode was shot causing the odometer to run mysteriously even when the car was @ idle and not moving! I also changed the alt belt on that 2006 Chrysler (wife's car). Everything is fine with the vehicle's charging system for the last 4 months, all brand new part and passes a charging test. Yet, the car doesn't have a voltmeter, just an alternator dummy light. Right before the alternator went bad, the light came on... That's how I knew to change out the alternator (and belt since it has 130k miles on it). Well, fast forward to today... I rush off to Walgreens with my jumper cables, no dice, nothing... Not even a light. So I throw the 8 year old battery in and vroom! Off she goes! Home of course. I take the Diehard to the Sears automotive center where I got it and have them charge and test it. They say it will take an hour, so I drop it off. I come back and they say it is "good." Huh? I go immediately to AutoZone for a second opinion another load test and they say it is "bad." I go back to Sears (w/AutoZone test printout in hand) and they jack around, finally giving me a free replacement. Could the bad alternator 4 months ago have been destroying the battery? Say overcharging (or whatever) it? Now I got "lucky" (if you want to call it that) yesterday exactly on my 3 year free replacement date! LoL... The old alternator was getting noisier and noiser until the bearing was "screaming" and alternator (battery symbol) went on. It was promptly change after that. The other question is (if the alternator was NOT harming the battery), is this common? Bad battery after only 3 years? Now I know that there are only 3 battery makers: Exide, Delphi, & Johnson Controls. I also know, the hotter/humid the climate you go, the less of a lifetime you get out of a car battery. I never had a bad battery go after only 3 years... Even w/alternator issues (just caused the battery to not charge). I usually change batteries after around 5-6 years being further up north. My Jeep is also a 2006 and that battery went in 2010 in the middle of August. I never had a battery go in winter. So after 4 years I am on borrowed time with that Diehard Silver in the 2006 TJ and will be changing that one soon. Any recommendations? What are people's knoowledge of car batteries? AGM batteries (glass mat gel) vs. lead acid may be the way to go since vibration is also a killer of batteries along with the heat. Has anybody used the Optima batteries? I think Optima is Johnson Controls (Diehard, Duralast, Interstate, etc...)? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsFan-4-Ever Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I typically get 4 to 5 years on a battery. suggestions? I go for the lowest price name brand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 (edited) So I get the call yesterday afternoon that my wife's car won't start in the Walgreens parking lot. Nothing, not even a dome light can go on or a window up. The car is 8 years old and on its second battery. I changed the original equipment (OEM) Mopar battery exactly 3 years to date back in 2011. Not that the OEM battery was bad, just for good measure... It was made in 2005. Load testing since 2011 shows that it is "marginal." I saved the OEM battery and ever since had it on piece of wood on the floor of my garage hooked up to a battery charger/maintainer (tender) for a "just incase moment." Back in 2011 I put a Diehard Gold battery in. Has a 36 month free replacement warranty. About 4 months ago I put a new alternator that the bearing was getting noisier and fianlly a diode was shot causing the odometer to run mysteriously even when the car was @ idle and not moving! I also changed the alt belt on that 2006 Chrysler (wife's car). Everything is fine with the vehicle's charging system for the last 4 months, all brand new part and passes a charging test. Yet, the car doesn't have a voltmeter, just an alternator dummy light. Right before the alternator went bad, the light came on... That's how I knew to change out the alternator (and belt since it has 130k miles on it). Well, fast forward to today... I rush off to Walgreens with my jumper cables, no dice, nothing... Not even a light. So I throw the 8 year old battery in and vroom! Off she goes! Home of course. I take the Diehard to the Sears automotive center where I got it and have them charge and test it. They say it will take an hour, so I drop it off. I come back and they say it is "good." Huh? I go immediately to AutoZone for a second opinion another load test and they say it is "bad." I go back to Sears (w/AutoZone test printout in hand) and they jack around, finally giving me a free replacement. Could the bad alternator 4 months ago have been destroying the battery? Say overcharging (or whatever) it? Now I got "lucky" (if you want to call it that) yesterday exactly on my 3 year free replacement date! LoL... The old alternator was getting noisier and noiser until the bearing was "screaming" and alternator (battery symbol) went on. It was promptly change after that. The other question is (if the alternator was NOT harming the battery), is this common? Bad battery after only 3 years? Now I know that there are only 3 battery makers: Exide, Delphi, & Johnson Controls. I also know, the hotter/humid the climate you go, the less of a lifetime you get out of a car battery. I never had a bad battery go after only 3 years... Even w/alternator issues (just caused the battery to not charge). I usually change batteries after around 5-6 years being further up north. My Jeep is also a 2006 and that battery went in 2010 in the middle of August. I never had a battery go in winter. So after 4 years I am on borrowed time with that Diehard Silver in the 2006 TJ and will be changing that one soon. Any recommendations? What are people's knoowledge of car batteries? AGM batteries (glass mat gel) vs. lead acid may be the way to go since vibration is also a killer of batteries along with the heat. Has anybody used the Optima batteries? I think Optima is Johnson Controls (Diehard, Duralast, Interstate, etc...)? I've got a 2003 TJ and I swear it looks like the original battery in there. I bought it 1.5 years ago. Any battery I've ever replaced in a vehicle has always been the cheapest one that fits. Edited July 10, 2014 by Gugny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share Posted July 11, 2014 I typically get 4 to 5 years on a battery. suggestions? I go for the lowest price name brand That's what I usually shoot for timewise... I just never had one crap put after 3 years, especially w/a premium battery. I gues there is always a first. I did hear that some batteries are getting made crappier. Johnson Control owns Optima and they shipped the factory to Mexico, seems people are having worse luck with them. They also make Duralast (AutoZone's brand) and Diehard... I heard Diehard has gone downhill too. BUT, they also make Interstate (I think) and hear rave reviews about them... Go figure. The Duralasts look identical to the Diehards, just different stickers. I wonder if it is all the new electronic stuff that makes things hard on these batteries. My one car is power everything, alarm, tailgate, windows, etc... There is a constant drain, little by little. ?? I think I will go with the Duralast gel (AGM) for the Jeep and put that new one in there now and keep it maintained charged in the garage. I will return the 8 year old battery for the $15 core charge on the new battery. That way I got a spare in a pinch for a car or my 12 volt back up sump pump, etc... I've got a 2003 TJ and I swear it looks like the original battery in there. I bought it 1.5 years ago. Any battery I've ever replaced in a vehicle has always been the cheapest one that fits. Get it load tested @ AutoZone or other place... They will tell you if it is good, bad, or marginal... I think Advance will tell you if it is marginal? Like my 8 year old battery, if it is OEM it will have a Mopar sticker on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gugny Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 That's what I usually shoot for timewise... I just never had one crap put after 3 years, especially w/a premium battery. I gues there is always a first. I did hear that some batteries are getting made crappier. Johnson Control owns Optima and they shipped the factory to Mexico, seems people are having worse luck with them. They also make Duralast (AutoZone's brand) and Diehard... I heard Diehard has gone downhill too. BUT, they also make Interstate (I think) and hear rave reviews about them... Go figure. The Duralasts look identical to the Diehards, just different stickers. I wonder if it is all the new electronic stuff that makes things hard on these batteries. My one car is power everything, alarm, tailgate, windows, etc... There is a constant drain, little by little. ?? I think I will go with the Duralast gel (AGM) for the Jeep and put that new one in there now and keep it maintained charged in the garage. I will return the 8 year old battery for the $15 core charge on the new battery. That way I got a spare in a pinch for a car or my 12 volt back up sump pump, etc... Get it load tested @ AutoZone or other place... They will tell you if it is good, bad, or marginal... I think Advance will tell you if it is marginal? Like my 8 year old battery, if it is OEM it will have a Mopar sticker on it. She made it through the coldest winter I can remember this year without missing a beat. Of course, she's in the garage overnight during the winter, but still ... started right up. I'll see if the Mopar sticker is on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share Posted July 11, 2014 She made it through the coldest winter I can remember this year without missing a beat. Of course, she's in the garage overnight during the winter, but still ... started right up. I'll see if the Mopar sticker is on there. It's the heat AND especially the humidity that destroys a battery. A battery up north will get much mor life out of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
\GoBillsInDallas/ Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 Next time don't buy a Chrysler. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share Posted July 11, 2014 Next time don't buy a Chrysler. Why? My Chyrsler/Mopar battery is going on 8 years... It is the DieHard battery that I put in there 3 years ago that went bad. I stuck the 8 year old battery that came with car back in 2006 in and the car started right up! That battery was built in 2005! If anything people... BUY a Chyrsler! I never had bad luck with them... Both cars are going on 8 years and have over 100,000 miles on each! LoL... Now my Jeep's Mopar battery lasted only 4 years and the cheaper DieHard "Silver" is almost two year out of its free replacement warranty... And it is going strong! LoL... All the batteries are only made by about three main companies: Delphi, Exide, & Johnson Controls. Not sure who makes the Mopar/Chrysler batteries? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marv's Neighbor Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 You could always trade in for a Tesla. Certainly no battery worries there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 Somebody correct me if my rough math is wrong. I picked up the AGM type battery yesterday... AGM is "absorbed glass mat." They are sealed and can take more vibration, be mounted in any position, tipped, etc... Haven't thrown in my Jeep yet, but put it on a float charger/tender/maintainer (Deltran's "Battery Tender Jr.", same one I had my OEM Mopar battery on the last 3 years)... It took over 24 hours to get to full charge where it is being maintained until I can install it. This is a brand new battery right off the shelf with a manu date of 4/14. The Battery Tender Jr. puts out .75 amps. The new battery is rated for 55 amp-hours. That means on a fully drained battery, it would take about 74 hours (55/.75) PLUS some to get to 100% charge. The battery took about 30 hours to reach 100%, just reached that level this evening... So, does that mean they sold me a battery that was just over 50% charged? Obviously a vehicle's charging system puts out more amps than the BTJr. How long would I have had to drive to get the battery up to snuff? Maybe I should put that new Diehard free replacement they gave me @ Sears (wife's vehicle) on the BTJr. while the car sits? Just to get that battery up to 100%? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 And the odd thing is... That 8 year OEM Mopar battery that I had on my Chrysler was dead when I bought the car off the lot. The dealer had to charge it up because the car wouldn't start... LoL... Crazy, maybe that was a GOOD thing because when I picked the car up, the vehicle had a fully charged battery (dealer charged it)? 3 years ago when I replaced that battery with the DieHard Gold (the one that failed on me a few days ago), who knows what condition I was getting the Diehard in right off the shelf? It wasn't like I immediately took a long car drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDD Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 Down here in Florida you get about 3 years out of a battery. They never last the full warranty and you hardly get any credit for the replacement even when pro-rated. Sam's Club has the best prices by the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share Posted July 12, 2014 Down here in Florida you get about 3 years out of a battery. They never last the full warranty and you hardly get any credit for the replacement even when pro-rated. Sam's Club has the best prices by the way. Interesting... Thanks. How do you manage things? Do you just change them early or wait for the battery to crap the bed and get a jump/new one? I hate being stranded dead in the water! ;-) Even worse, getting the dreaded call: "my car won't start." I hate surprises. Or there is the other option: Road side assistance. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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