Car batteries, how long does your last?

[LOL!]

Last night I used my wife's car for the first time in months. It started sort of odd, but when I got to the take-out place, it would not start. I called my wife and she said, "Oh, yeah, it's been acting funny."

Gee, thanks. This morning I replaced the battery and discovered the one in there was 5 years old. I've never had a battery last that long in the Texas heat.

How about your car [12V] batteries? Are you getting a good life out of them?

 

[COcheesehead]

All over the board. I've had cars that I never replaced the battery and other cars where I needed a new one after a couple years.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Last night I used my wife's car for the first time in months. It started sort of odd, but when I got to the take-out place, it would not start. I called my wife and she said, "Oh, yeah, it's been acting funny."

Gee, thanks. This morning I replaced the battery and discovered the one in there was 5 years old. I've never had a battery last that long in the Texas heat.

How about your car [12V] batteries? Are you getting a good life out of them?

when was the last time you checked the electrolyte fluid? in TX, the battery fluid can dry out quickly; if you take short trips in TX you are lucky if your battery lasts 2 years

 

[REWahoo]

Had a 1998 pickup I bought new and got 8 years out of the battery - an exceptional experience in the TX heat. 4 years seems to be about the norm otherwise.

Which reminds me, I replaced the batteries (it takes 2) in my diesel truck in Oct of 15. Need to get them checked out before we take the RV to NM and CO next month.

 

[Big_Hitter]

Had a 1998 pickup I bought new and got 8 years out of the battery - an exceptional experience in the TX heat.

wow that's nuts

 

[Car-Guy]

Three years and I replace them. Earlier if I even "suspect" them of trouble. However, these days I rarely keep a car that long.

 

[pb4uski]

IME 3-5 years is typical.

 

[kgtest]

Last night I used my wife's car for the first time in months. It started sort of odd, but when I got to the take-out place, it would not start. I called my wife and she said, "Oh, yeah, it's been acting funny."

Gee, thanks. This morning I replaced the battery and discovered the one in there was 5 years old. I've never had a battery last that long in the Texas heat.

How about your car [12V] batteries? Are you getting a good life out of them?

Ours is on year 5 the mechanic tested the cells, said one of them is weak and recommended we replace (that was 2 oil changes ago).

Plan to replace before winter, we've had some -30 degree hard starts and some 100 degree starts but she is hanging in there. I don't think the Camry alternator and starter draws much amperage, little 2.0l or something in it.

My truck battery has never had a hard start, but I've also cranked it about 3x less often, sooo maybe the amount of cranks has something to do with it. I plan to replace that one as soon as it cranks tough.

 

[Lakedog]

Around 8 years on average for my last two vehicles - bought Toyota truck new in 1992, replaced battery at year 9 and that battery was still in use when the truck was sold at year 16. Current Honda is 12+ years old, replaced battery after 8 years.

 

[Cobra9777]

We're in Texas and usually get right at 4 years. Very little variation.

 

[COZICAN]

If it's a 36 month battery expect 37 months. If it's a 48 month expect 49 months. etc etc

 

[RunningBum]

I thought I tracked everything in my "Car maintenance" doc I keep on my laptop but I clearly remember getting a battery for my 97 Miata sometime in the 2000s. I did note that I replaced it again last year. It's very possible that I only replaced it those two times, or I may have missed another one that I don't remember. The car only has ~70K miles but I've had to jump or push start it a few times when I didn't drive it for a few months over winter, and I think that can shorten the life. I recently got a trickle charger because the new stereo head unit seems to draw, and drained the new battery a couple of times.

My daily driver Subaru only made it 3.5 years before replacing the battery. Mostly garaged, but it does spend hours outside in the winter while I'm skiing. Less time in the summer sun.

I don't keep the records on cars I've gotten rid of.

 

[CardsFan]

As others have said, 3-5 years, on average.

My experience has been that the batteries of today (versus 20-30 years ago) usually give no advanced warning of pending failure. They work perfectly, up until the day they don't.

"Back in the old days" I would notice a loss of power, longer cranking time. This usually meant you had a few days or weeks to replace it before it failed completely, but it was going to fail.

 

[ivinsfan]

As others have said, 3-5 years, on average.

My experience has been that the batteries of today (versus 20-30 years ago) usually give no advanced warning of pending failure. They work perfectly, up until the day they don't.

"Back in the old days" I would notice a loss of power, longer cranking time. This usually meant you had a few days or weeks to replace it before it failed completely, but it was going to fail.

Yep, this just happened to us. Replaced the original battery after 6 and half years. Up here in the cold that's a good run.

 

[ExFlyBoy5]

About 3-5 years as others have noted. Hard to get much more out of them with the newer cars always drawing some sort of current.

 

[LOL!]

Thanks for all the responses. It does seem that there's a consensus, too.

When looking online at batteries last night, I noticed that battery technology is a little different than I'm used to. There's these AGM batteries and also ODB memory savers

 

[kaneohe]

As others have said, 3-5 years, on average.

My experience has been that the batteries of today (versus 20-30 years ago) usually give no advanced warning of pending failure. They work perfectly, up until the day they don't.

"Back in the old days" I would notice a loss of power, longer cranking time. This usually meant you had a few days or weeks to replace it before it failed completely, but it was going to fail.

my experience exactly.....battery died after 3.5 yrs w/ no advance warning.
Did get a pro-rated wty tho. I know what you mean about the old days.........

 

[Go-NoGo]

Consistently get 6-7 years from my batteries. I keep the battery clean, wipe the grime off the top with a damp rag twice a year. Don't know if that helps, but so far so good.

 

[Dalmore]

I've typically had 3-5 years, so long as the car is driven regularly. Leaving the car to sit for long periods without a trickle charge has cause premature death in several batteries for me.

On a side note, I also have a plug-in Prius. The driving battery on that has left me a bit disappointed. While the batteries have a 5 year 140,000 mile warranty, that only applies if they "fail". It is considered "normal wear" if they batteries no longer hold a charge, similar to a dead laptop battery.

 

[davebarnes]

Three years.
We get 2 days of warning.
My mechanic said: "You drive short distances with many starts so don't expect more than 3 years".

 

[imoldernu]

We don't drive enough to keep the battery charged... just short trips, where starting uses the most power. Every few months, I use the trickle charger to re-up the charge. Batteries last beyond the guarantee period.

If the car is not driven for a long period, or used just for short trips, the generator doesn't work long enough to keep a full charge.

 

[RAE]

On my last 4 vehicles, I don't think I replaced a battery sooner than about 6 years. Quite often I will get 7-9 years out of a battery, here in Michigan. Going on 8 years now for my Toyota Tundra, and no issues yet.

 

[Ronstar]

1 or 2 years in Arizona.
5 or 6 years in Illinois.

 

[ls99]

Late DW's old Buick, 7 years. 2012 Caddy CTS4, 7yrs just had new one installed a month ago. 99 GMC Suburban on third battery. 2016 Colorado is original so far so good.

 

[Another Reader]

Honda batteries last three years. Every. single. one. ever. Waiting for the Accord battery to go. Toyota is 4 to 5 years. More recently it's been 5. The Lexus will be 5 this Fall if it does not get kicked out of the fleet and it will need a new battery by then, I'm sure.