Car Batteries - They Don't Make Them Like They Used To?

[finnski1]

Got about 9 years out of my original OEM Toyota Tacoma battery. Replaced that about 3 years ago. We'll see how this generic one goes.

 

[zinger1457]

Got about 9 years out of my original OEM Toyota Tacoma battery. Replaced that about 3 years ago. We'll see how this generic one goes.

My new 2016 Tacoma went in for a mandatory recall after having it for ~6 months. It ended up at the dealer for a couple weeks and they had to put in a new battery when they finally got around to doing the recall. The replacement battery they put in only lasted a couple years.

 

[travelover]

Though it's our third hybrid automobile, and we didn't have any battery problems on the first two, just dawned on me that hybrids are probably harder on 12V starting batteries since they start/stop the ICE more often than a standard ICE car...

Hybrids don't use the 12 volt battery to start. The power comes from the big, high voltage battery. The 12 volt battery just powers the controls.

 

[Freedom56]

The battery on my Honda Accord EXL lasted one month over 3 years and over the warranty period. It was a Panasonic battery. I replaced it with a Duralast gold battery and have had no issues. My wife's Nissan 370z battery lasted about 3 years and the Duralast gold battery is on year 5 now. Cars today have more electronics and gadgets and therefore more load than those of the past. Even when the car is not operating, it is drawing current from anti-theft systems and car door lock receivers.

 

[Lakedog]

I have never had an auto battery last less than six years but they have typically lasted a bit longer (and this is primarily in the southeast). My current Honda is now on battery #3 but the vehicle is approaching 15 years. My Toyota truck only had two batteries over the 16+ years I owned it -- oem lasted over 9 years and the 2nd battery (from Walmart) was still cranking fine after 7 years at the time I sold the truck.

 

[Venturer]

I put in 36 years in aftermarket automotive retail and I can tell you that as far as tires and batteries you get what you pay for. The 1st company was tires and the last was auto parts. We had basically 3 types of batteries. The "economy" battery was 1year prorated with 90 day free replacement. Then midgrade 5yr. prorate With 2yr.free replacement. Then the Gold was 8yr. prorated after 3 yr. free replacement. The difference was in the number and thickness of the lead plates contained within the black plastic coverings. You buy a 40 dollar battery for a 1972 car or truck 4 or 6 cyl. It would crank car/truck for maybe 2 yrs. buy the same battery for a 2022 vehicle and it might crank it for a month before all the electronic drained it. Vehicles today have more stuff on them as well as more compression so if you need to replace the battery go for the GOLD. HAGD to all.

 

[Koolau]

A good reason to always keep a portable jump starter in your car, fairly inexpensive, takes up very little space, never know when you'll need it.

Yeah, I really like the little cell-phone sized jumpers. I have one for both cars. They really work BUT you need to keep them charged up. IIRC they suggest charging once per month. I think you can stretch it to a couple of months, but not four - don't ask me how I know.

 

[pjigar]

I do think the batteries don't last as long as they used to. I have 4 cars and 4 off road vehicles for farm use (tractor, dozer, etc.). Every vehicle is not used frequently so I have all the batteries on either wall connected or solar trickle chargers. It helps but I have make sure the chargers are working! I have averaged about 4-5 year change intervals on all the batteries I have. YMMV.

PS: My off-road Jeep has a known electrical leak that I am too lazy to fix so I have that one with a battery cut-off switch AND solar trickle charger. And that one is a diesel so a weak battery is a no go.

 

[Midpack]

Hybrids don't use the 12 volt battery to start. The power comes from the big, high voltage battery. The 12 volt battery just powers the controls.

Thanks, I didn’t realize that and confirmed online (though many others mistakenly assume the 12V battery is used for starting). Confusing that I was able to jump start the car and the ICE. Courtesy lights and key fob locks worked but dashboard and NAV system were blacked out dead - I hadn’t seen that before. And also puzzling how the conventional full sized 12V battery (Group 51) died if it only powers electronics. But now I know better, thanks again.

 

[Music Lover]

I bought a 2015 Acura TLX in 2018 and had to replace the battery a couple months later. I just replaced it again so my car is averaging 3 years per battery. I bought the replacement at Costco and they gave me a full refund when I took the old battery back for the $10 core rebate because their warranty gives a 100% replacement for the first 48 months.

 

[Midpack]

I bought a 2015 Acura TLX in 2018 and had to replace the battery a couple months later. I just replaced it again so my car is averaging 3 years per battery. I bought the replacement at Costco and they gave me a full refund when I took the old battery back for the $10 core rebate because their warranty gives a 100% replacement for the first 48 months.

The Costco website says 36 months, though that’s much better than directly from Interstate for the same battery.

https://www.costco.com/automotive-batteries.html

 

[Music Lover]

The website says 36 months…

https://www.costco.com/automotive-batteries.html

I'm in Canada. Their Kirkland battery warranty is 48 months free replacement, 100 month pro-rated:

https://tires.costco.ca/Batteries/P...ive-Battery&BatteryType=Automotive&lang=en-ca

 

[Midpack]

I'm in Canada. Their Kirkland battery warranty is 48 months free replacement, 100 month pro-rated:

https://tires.costco.ca/Batteries/P...ive-Battery&BatteryType=Automotive&lang=en-ca

So now US readers know their warranty too.

 

[MC Rider]

Yes, but she's still averaging over 9K year and uses the car almost every day, so I'd like to think lack of use isn't a significant issue?

Plenty of use to keep the battery charged if battery and charging system are in order. DW has a 98 Corolla with under 50k miles. We keep it plugged in to a battery maintainer when parked. The bike that usually goes out once a week has one too.

 

[Dtail]

Longest I have kept a battery going since I moved to a hot climate is 28 months. It sucks.

Yeah the Florida heat definitely keeps our battery lives to a 3 year max.

 

[teetee]

In New England area my experience is that the Interstate brand batteries lasts a lot longer than others by a lot. 12 years is not uncommon. I park my car outside with the temperature range between -20F to 100F. I only replaced mine because it took at least three cranks for the starter to start the car on early winter mornings. I wonder how many years it would have lasted in my 96 Accord if I didnot replace it.

Then there is Duralast brand from AutoZone. They could barely make to 5 years. And it is not the economy tier batteries either. The gold grade is not any better. I can't endorse Interstate batteries either since I have not used their modern product after the last was replaced.

I think the manufacturers figured out how to make them not last because they know scheduled obsolescence bringing more profit than their reputation does, like the car reliability for domestic vs Japanese cars. That is the difference between having pride in your product vs everything is about profit and profit only.

 

[jollystomper]

I have been fortunate, 2011 Camry still running on probably original battery. I say "probably" since I bought it used in 2013 with about 20K miles, so they could have replaced it with another Toyota battery before purchase. Battery test is still showing normal voltage.

2011 Corolla battery lasted until 2018. Bought a Walmart battery that is still going strong.

 

[NewEnglander]

My model year 1999 Miata built in 1998 has its original battery! Yes 23 years old. I've always kept this car on a battery maintainer also the car never gets driven in winter. I can tell its been getting worse the last few years , when I start the car it doesn't turn over as quickly as it used to but it is enough to start the car. The original battery is a Japanese made Panasonic AGM battery. I'm sure whatever replacement I get won't last nearly as long.
I also keep battery maintainers on our other cars if we won't be driving them for a few days. The newer cars with so much electronics just eat batteries, 3-5 years seems to be average for many cars now.

 

[travelover]

Thanks, I didn’t realize that and confirmed online (though many others mistakenly assume the 12V battery is used for starting). Confusing that I was able to jump start the car and the ICE. Courtesy lights and key fob locks worked but dashboard and NAV system were blacked out dead - I hadn’t seen that before. And also puzzling how the conventional full sized 12V battery (Group 51) died if it only powers electronics. But now I know better, thanks again.

Yes, hybrids are peculiar. They don't have an alternator like a conventional vehicle - the 12 volt battery is charged off the high voltage battery through a DC-DC inverter. So, you'd think one could just key on and the big battery would charge the little battery. However if the 12 volt battery is dead, the electronic controls don't work and you get zip until the controls have enough power to boot up. This was a $55 lesson I learned when I left my lights on and had to pay a tow truck for a 1 second jump. I carried jumper cables after that.

 

[travelover]

My model year 1999 Miata built in 1998 has its original battery! Yes 23 years old. I've always kept this car on a battery maintainer also the car never gets driven in winter. I can tell its been getting worse the last few years , when I start the car it doesn't turn over as quickly as it used to but it is enough to start the car. The original battery is a Japanese made Panasonic AGM battery. I'm sure whatever replacement I get won't last nearly as long. ............

You should really pursue a paid endorsement from Panasonic. I've never heard of a car battery lasting anywhere near that long.

 

[MC Rider]

..This was a $55 lesson I learned when I left my lights on and had to pay a tow truck for a 1 second jump. I carried jumper cables after that.

Get a battery jump start box and jump start yourself.

Also charge your phone or other things in a pinch.
Lots of choices out there.

 

[Koolau]

Get a battery jump start box and jump start yourself.

Also charge your phone or other things in a pinch.
Lots of choices out there.

Yes. Costco has these from time to time. On the order of the cost of your $55 jump. Not sure they will work with a very dead battery. If you battery still has a little bit of charge left, the tiny jumpers seem to work well (personal experience.) Mine even has a flashlight!

 

[MC Rider]

Yes. Costco has these from time to time. On the order of the cost of your $55 jump. Not sure they will work with a very dead battery. If you battery still has a little bit of charge left, the tiny jumpers seem to work well (personal experience.) Mine even has a flashlight!

Maybe. One started my 08 Accord, but it still ran poorly.
The AAA tech tested it and said it looked like there was an internal short.
Having them change the battery in my driveway was only a little more $ than doing it myself, and a lot less work. So.....



I think if it was just a weak battery, the jump battery will get ya going.

 

[Ronstar]

We used to get a new battery every year in our Arizona snowbird place Acura. Batteries couldn’t survive in the car with no use from April through November. And the 120 degree heat didn’t help.

I recently got a new battery in my truck at around 3.5 years. Someone told me that newer vehicles have more things going on that require power even when the car is off.

 

[Midpack]

Someone told me that newer vehicles have more things going on that require power even when the car is off.

I’ve read the same thing, parasitic drain from lots of electronic gadgets. Fortunately we drive both our cars almost every day, evidently a car battery can go dead in as little as four weeks if not driven.