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Car Forum / Honda Cars / October 20041998 Accord battery life..???
I have a 1998 Accord EX V6 with 75k miles, live on Long Island. My battery seems fine....starts right up, green eye. For me at least this is the longest I ever got from a battery. Not that I am complaining but does it pay to just replace it anyway? Any way to tell of it's impending failure? After all the winter will be upon us soon and I don't want to have to call AAA when my battery dies Thanks! Matthew > I have a 1998 Accord EX V6 with 75k miles, live on Long Island. My battery > seems fine....starts right up, green eye. For me at least this is the > longest I ever got from a battery. Not that I am complaining but does it pay > to just replace it anyway? I have read that older batteries near death do put a strain on the alternator and so shorten the alternator's life. In the past I have waited until my car battery died before replacing it. I think this is a mistake. I have now started doing pre-emptive replacements. > Any way to tell of it's impending failure? Businesses like Sears, dealerships, and independent shops offer battery checks for a small fee. Autozone will do a battery check for free but I'm not sure I'd rely on what Autozone's "experts" find. Still, it's no charge. Google on the net for details on what these checks include. I keep an eye on how the car is cranking at cold startup. With experience, one can often tell when the the battery is near-death. > After > all the winter will be upon us soon and I don't want to have to call AAA > when my battery dies Indeed. It's probably not a good comparison, but my 1991 Civic's first two batteries lasted 4.5 years each before dying. This was in climates like New York's. I purchased the car's third new battery a few weeks ago (157.5k miles), as a pre-emptive measure; because winter was approaching; to spare the alternator; to put in an Interstate battery, which many here recommend; because I now live in a warmer climate and think I had a "northern climate" battery in the car before. > Indeed. It's probably not a good comparison, but my 1991 Civic's first two > batteries lasted 4.5 years each before dying. This was in climates like New > York's. I purchased the car's third new battery a few weeks ago (157.5k miles), Oops. That should be FOURTH new battery. It has been a while since I was in the tire and battery retail business, but I developed the feeling that original equipment batteries should be replaced at the five year point. Replace the others based on the years of their guarantee. Don't wait till you go out to start the car, and it won't turn over. I used to tell customers that a battery test was like a heart test. It was not a perfect predictor of future performance. bob >I have read that older batteries near death do put a strain on the alternator >and so shorten the alternator's life. False. >In the past I have waited until my car battery died before replacing it. I think >this is a mistake. I have now started doing pre-emptive replacements. Probably a good idea. How often may depend to some degree on how good of a battery you purchase and how many times (if ever) you have run it down by accidentally leaving the lights on (or a dor ajar, etc). Lead-Acid automotive batteries never fully recover 100% of their capacity once they have been run completely down. Run it all the way down several times and you may be lucky to get even 2 years out of it. What to buy? Personally I'd suggest getting the best you can possibly afford. A cheap battery is false economy. You will get what you pay for. >> Any way to tell of it's impending failure? Listen to the speed of your starter while cranking to start. As long as the starter motor spins rapidly during your first-thing-in-the-morning start then it is probably in no danger of imminent failure. Once the starter begins draging during the first 2-3 crank overs, it's time for a battery. >Businesses like Sears, dealerships, and independent shops offer battery checks >for a small fee. Autozone will do a battery check for free but I'm not sure I'd >rely on what Autozone's "experts" find. Still, it's no charge. Google on the net >for details on what these checks include. Autozone doesn't employ any Roades Scholars, but they usually do have 1 or 2 employees on staff at any given time who have been trained and are qualified to use the load tester. Only trained/qualified employees are allowed to use this equipment. Their "test" is pretty basic, but it will give you a fairly reliable result if your battery is indeed on its last legs. >I keep an eye on how the car is cranking at cold startup. With experience, one >can often tell when the the battery is near-death. Correct! >Indeed. It's probably not a good comparison, but my 1991 Civic's first two >batteries lasted 4.5 years each before dying. This was in climates like New [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] >I now live in a warmer climate and think I had a "northern climate" battery in >the car before. 4 years between battery replacements is about right > "Caroline" <caroline10027remove@earthlink.net> writes: > >I have read that older batteries near death do put a strain on the alternator > >and so shorten the alternator's life. > > False. The following say otherwise: "A weak battery that is not storing enough power will cause the alternator to work harder and possibly cause premature alternator failure. Dirty or corroded battery terminals can severely reduce the lifespan of the battery and alternator." http://www.trustmymechanic.com/35.html " ...depleted batteries make recharging much more difficult, shortening alternator life." http://www.intra-tech.com/news/homeapriltwentnine.html "By maintaining batteries in peak condition alternators do not work as hard, batteries accept charge more readily so alternator life is extended. Healthy batteries start engines easier, so your starter should also last longer." http://www.megapulse.net/faq.htm snip > >Businesses like Sears, dealerships, and independent shops offer battery checks > >for a small fee. Autozone will do a battery check for free but I'm not sure I'd [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > give you a fairly reliable result if your battery is indeed on its last > legs. My most recent experiene with Autozone was a month or so ago when I asked them to do an alternator check. They saw low readings at the battery terminals (which I'd already told them I saw). They told me the car needed a new alternator. In fact, the low readings (approx. 12.7 volts) were normal. Only when load was put on the system does the battery terminal voltage rise to over 14 volts, I learned later. One gets what one pays for. I should add that the $15-$25 one might pay for a battery check could be going towards a new battery. If the battery is over 4 years old and there are any symptoms or other good reasons for buying a new battery, I'd say skip the battery check and just buy it. snip > >Indeed. It's probably not a good comparison, but my 1991 Civic's first two > >batteries lasted 4.5 years each before dying. This was in climates like New [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > 4 years between battery replacements is about right I have seen a lot of variation in battery lives here. Some report over 7 years of life on their Honda batteries. Four years seems to be on the low side of reports here, IIRC. >>I have read that older batteries near death do put a strain on the alternator >>and so shorten the alternator's life. > > False. you've picked up some incorrect info somewhere there bubba. old batteries require much more charge, hence more alternator load over a longer period. more alternator load means the rectifiers run hotter, longer. rectifier life is a function of temperature - hot is bad. too much heat for too long = fried rectifiers = dead alternator. Get yourself a voltmeter, attach it to the battery, and crank the engine one cold morning. If the voltage goes below 9.1 volts its getting ready to quit. Get a spare one in case. Don't carry it in the trunk though. An interesting situation with some companies, if you buy a battery with a two year warranty, it may be the same battery with a two year warranty. Better buy the cheap one. Or buy one designed to last and pay the extra. > I have a 1998 Accord EX V6 with 75k miles, live on Long Island. My battery > seems fine....starts right up, green eye. For me at least this is the [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > Thanks! > Matthew That should be a batery with a one year warranty. > Get yourself a voltmeter, attach it to the battery, and crank the engine one > cold morning. [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > Thanks! > > Matthew Check the battery with a good hydrometer, not with a voltmeter. If all the cells measure in the green, you are okay. If in the white, give the battery a charge and see if they make it into the green. If not, replace. |
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