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Car Forum / Acura Cars / April 20082004 TL Battery Replaced
I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace the battery. Have others had similar experiences? It seems to me, Acura/Honda chose an inexpensive Delco battery to save money, just like the terrible Bridgestone OEM tires. - Russ > I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace the > battery. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > - Russ 4 years for a battery is just about right. If you live in areas of extreme temperature, you'll be lucky to get 4 years. Bob Hi Bob, I should have noted that I live in perhaps the most moderate climate in the US-- Santa Barbara, California. It never gets hot, nor cold here. In addition, I have other cars where the battery has nearly seven years. With respect to the other question regarding the VIN, I think only cars made in Japan start with a J. I think all TLs are manufactured in Ohio. - Russ in Santa Barbara >> I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace >> the [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > Bob > Hi Bob, > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > > - Russ in Santa Barbara Russ, Having lived in Texas and Florida for the past 25 years, I've never gotten more than 4 years out of a batter, OEM or replacement. Bob >> Hi Bob, >> [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > Bob Bob, Texas and Florida? I'm not surprised. Hotter climates are harder on the batteries. There was a chart I ran across online yesterday showing the lifespan of auto batteries and the hotter the climate the shorter the lifespan. I have an '05 Accord here in Maryland and the OEM battery is supposed to have a green eye if it is in good condition. Right now, it's clear and the car has 34k miles and 2.5 years old. Dealer did a test on it and it's showing 377 CCA, and it's rated for 410 CCA. Haven't had any trouble starting the car but the eye showing the condition of the battery makes me nervous.. Russ, Correct - the 1st position of the vin# does show the country it was made. J - Japan K - Korea S - England W - Germany Z - Italy 1 - United States 2 - Canada 3 - Mexico 4 - United States Those are the ones I can think of... -Dave -Dave Waiving the right to remain silent, "Dave L" <davelieuREMOVEME@yahoo.com> said: >>> Hi Bob, >>> [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > the lifespan of auto batteries and the hotter the climate the shorter > the lifespan. We had a new Volvo wagon in 95. Before the car was 3 years old, the battery was kaput. We lived in the SF bay area, which is a Mediterranean climate, never very cold or hot, and the car was garaged all the time. Don't remember what the OEM battery type was, but it must have been crap...  SignatureLarry J. - Remove spamtrap in ALLCAPS to e-mail "A lack of common sense is now considered a disability, with all the privileges that this entails." > We had a new Volvo wagon in 95. Before the car was 3 years old, the > battery was kaput. We lived in the SF bay area, which is a Mediterranean > climate, never very cold or hot, and the car was garaged all the time. > Don't remember what the OEM battery type was, but it must have been > crap... -------------------- I owned a few Volvos. In my heavily-biased opinion, it wasn't likely the battery that was crap. More likely the Bosch charging circuit cooked the battery prematurely. 'Curly' 2004 TL Battery Replaced I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace the battery. Have others had similar experiences? It seems to me, Acura/Honda chose an inexpensive Delco battery to save money, just like the terrible Bridgestone OEM tires. - Russ We have replaced the battery on our 03 Pilot twice so far. Where we live, the Summer heat kills them. > I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to > replace the battery. > > Have others had similar experiences? It seems to me, Acura/Honda > chose an inexpensive Delco battery to save money, just like the > terrible Bridgestone OEM tires. Honda installed the Delco battery and the Bridgestone tires most likely to help meet the government's local-content regulations. Does your car's VIN start with a "J" or something else? SignatureTegger The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ > I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to > replace the battery. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > - Russ I have a 2005 with about 50,000 miles. Had to replace the battery a few months ago. I've never had an OEM battery in any car I've owned, foreign or domestic, go more than 3 years. They alwasy use cheap batteries. >> I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to >> replace the battery. >> >> Have others had similar experiences? It seems to me, Acura/Honda >> chose an inexpensive Delco battery to save money, just like the >> terrible Bridgestone OEM tires. 58,000 miles on my 2004 TL...still using the original battery, which never fails to start the car, even with temps in the single digits. Waiving the right to remain silent, "Sid Schweiger" <spam@this.cretin> said: >>> I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to >>> replace the battery. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > 58,000 miles on my 2004 TL...still using the original battery, which never > fails to start the car, even with temps in the single digits. Happy to hear that. I also have a 2004 TL, but mine has less than 16,000 miles. ;-) SignatureLarry J. - Remove spamtrap in ALLCAPS to e-mail "A lack of common sense is now considered a disability, with all the privileges that this entails." >Waiving the right to remain silent, "Sid Schweiger" <spam@this.cretin> said: > [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] >Happy to hear that. I also have a 2004 TL, but mine has less than 16,000 >miles. ;-) Batteries have two key design criteria that largely determine their life in normal usage: 1. The initial thickness of the lead plates. 2. The amount of space designed in between the bottom of the case and the bottom of the plates. As lead sulfate accumulates over time in the battery, eventually, it will touch the bottom of one or more set of plates in the cells and short the cell. It is also possible to have the plates get so thin they crack from thermal stresses with normal use,. In any case, you now have a battery with low voltage and low cranking power. Manufacturers who offer battery warranties have these parameters adjusted so that a given battery is likely to need replacing somewhat short of the end of the warranty. Being in warranty, you go back for the credit (a few bucks at that point) and get another battery from them. Some things that can dramatically upset the life expectancy can be driving up and down, or parking up or down steep hills, all of which can shift the lead sulfate deposits and short a cell; or very heavy loads from high heat or very low temps. Improperly set charging systems can also overheat the battery and damage it. As can low water levels. I'm just happy if it holds a charge and voltage to within a few months of the advertised life. Paul >I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace the >battery. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > - Russ I live in Wisconsin and years ago was in the gm parts business. From what I learned watching other batteries fail, I make it a rule to replace it every 4 years, no matter what. I don't want to know how well it tests, just put a new one in. DC What is OEM?..I have a 2003 TL with almost 69,000 with original battery...When will I know when I need to replace >>I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace >>the [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > > DC > What is OEM? "OEM" means from the Acura dealer. It is not necessary to buy your batteries from the Acura dealer. Your Owner's Manual gives all the necessary battery specs. All you need to do is locate an aftermarket battery that meets (or exceeds) those specs and is the correct size with the terminals the right way around. I recommend either Interstate or Wal-Mart's Eveready brand. >..I have a 2003 TL with almost 69,000 with original > battery...When will I know when I need to replace > battery? The most obvious sign will be when the engine doesn't crank over as fast as you're used to it cranking. It is important to pay attention to your car each time you start it. This is how you become aware of untoward changes in behavior, such as slow cranking due to a weakening battery. Another obvious sign is your headlights noticeably brightening and dimming when you repeatedly rev the engine and let it settle back down to idle. Park near a wall or another car so you can see the dimming more readily. You'll probably see the dimming problem well before you sense any slower cranking. Either problem can also be caused by corrosion between the battery cables and their connections, so you need to make sure all your electrical connections are good so as to avoid being fooled. SignatureTegger The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ www.tegger.com/hondafaq/ I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace the battery. Have others had similar experiences? It seems to me, Acura/Honda chose an inexpensive Delco battery to save money, just like the terrible Bridgestone OEM tires. - Russ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Just saw your post. I've own various cars over a period of about 40 years, and the only premature battery failures were on my two Acuras that were purchased new. I'm in the Bay Area so that isn't much difference from San Diego relative to climate conditions. Each car is driven about 10,000 miles per year. On other new cars, my OEM batteries lasted 5 or more years but on the Acuras, it only lasted about 2 to 3 years. Last year I'd purchased a new Honda but don't expect the battery to last much longer than 2 years either -we'll see. I have a 2000 Camry purchased new and its on the original battery. If my Acuras were not driven for more than a couple of weeks, those cars sometimes won't start - batteries too small or there is a design problem in the electrical system. I always have a 12V charger ready in my garage. On the other hand, I could leave my other cars a couple of weeks or more and it would start right away. Strangely, the replacement batteries purchased at Costco for the Acuras only lasted around two years as well so I suspect either the battery was designed to Honda's poor specifications or something not right with Honda's charging system. Costco batteries, however, for other cars lasted 7 years or more. I had one of the OEM batteries replaced at the Acura dealership under warranty but they still charged me $50 after its prorated. I had a Costco battery for the Acura replaced at Costco under warranty without costing me a dime - I think it had a full refund police within two years and prorated afterwards. The oldest Acura I have is 1998 with this battery issue and seems like Honda haven't fixed the batter/charging problem. I always leave a jumper cable in the trunk. >I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace the >battery. [quoted text clipped - 36 lines] >haven't fixed the batter/charging problem. I always leave a jumper cable in >the trunk. I'm not sure this problem is as wide spread as you think. There are Acura owners changing out the battery after only a couple of years but they aren't the only ones doing having premature failures. My 2005 TL is using the original battery. In 2005 I traded in my 2001CL-S for the TL. It had the original battery at almost five years old. Last year I sold my 1991 Accord after replacing the battery two times. The original battery lasted eight years, the replacement (from Sams Club) lasted seven years, and the second replacement (also from Sams Club) was about one year old when the new buyer took it. My luck with Honda/Acura batteries has been quite good. But the Delco in my 1979 Sunbird didn't make it to two years old. Waiving the right to remain silent, " Frank" <noreplay@nothome.net> said: > Just saw your post. I've own various cars over a period of about 40 > years, and the only premature battery failures were on my two Acuras [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > to last much longer than 2 years either -we'll see. I have a 2000 Camry > purchased new and its on the original battery. Battery in my 2005 Pilot crapped out two days before the warranty expired at 36 months. Car had been driven only 7,000 miles. SignatureLarry J. - Remove spamtrap in ALLCAPS to e-mail "A lack of common sense is now considered a disability, with all the privileges that this entails." > Battery in my 2005 Pilot crapped out two days before the warranty expired at > 36 months. Car had been driven only 7,000 miles. That kind of use is really hard on a battery. Either the vehicle is sitting for very long periods of time unused or it is only used for very, very short trips. Either is actually much harder on a battery than is more normal use patterns. John > I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace the > battery. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > - Russ I just replaced a 5.5 year-old Delco battery in one of my cars. It gave me plenty of warning that it was weakening. I've had other batteries fail all at once. I can't complain about Delco but I put in an Interstate battery as replacement. OEM tires: bad to awful seems to be range for most cars. Replacement tire costs factor into my car buying decisions. > I have a 2004 TL with less than 30,000 miles and already had to replace the > battery. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > - Russ My 2002 Accord still has the original battery which works good. But like everyone else has been saying, 3-4 years is the usual life of a battery. > Have others had similar experiences? It seems to me, Acura/Honda chose > an inexpensive Delco battery to save money, just like the terrible > Bridgestone OEM tires. Delco hasn't made batteries in years. I do think, however, that Johnson Controls bought the Delco factory and supplies Honda. Use, climate and luck all play a big role in battery life. If you ever let your battery go stone cold dead by leaving on lights, etc. then it's lifetime will be compromised. Many people don't seem to know this. John |
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