Battery Life

[Advocate225]

The dealer installed an Interstate battery. I don't know the specific model. I'm planning to keep the car for about 18 more months and want to be secure for the two winters. I used to trade cars every two or three years but since 2012, when I semi-retired, I drive fewer than 2,000 miles per year. The 2009 has only 30,270 miles as of today, but I won't keep the car past the powertrain warranty period.

 

[pmckechnie]

Mark, I just read your post and viewed the video in post #15. Great job. Very informative, makes the battery change very easy. I would like to make one addition for safety reasons. When working around a battery, ALWAYS disconnect the negative battery terminal first. Don't put any metal object on the positive terminal (other than a meter lead) until the negative cable is disconnected and placed out of the way. The reason for this is if the tool is put on the positive terminal first and the handle accidentally hits the car frame, bolt, etc, the battery will be shorted out and could actually blow up like a bomb. THIS is from experience (I have seen what it looks like after the fact), not hear-say.
I have read where people say to unhook the positive first or you could damage the computers or other electronics. I promise it doesn't make any difference which is unhooked first other than safety.

 

[Mark_888]

Mark, I just read your post and viewed the video in post #15. Great job. Very informative, makes the battery change very easy. I would like to make one addition for safety reasons. When working around a battery, ALWAYS disconnect the negative battery terminal first. Don't put any metal object on the positive terminal (other than a meter lead) until the negative cable is disconnected and placed out of the way. The reason for this is if the tool is put on the positive terminal first and the handle accidentally hits the car frame, bolt, etc, the battery will be shorted out and could actually blow up like a bomb. THIS is from experience (I have seen what it looks like after the fact), not hear-say.
I have read where people say to unhook the positive first or you could damage the computers or other electronics. I promise it doesn't make any difference which is unhooked first other than safety.

I agree that the negative should be removed first and replaced last, and that is how I did it. Looks like the guy in the video did it differently.

Also, the video does not show him plugging the vent hole not used (there is a vent hole on each side of the battery). You can see the supplied plug that is molded into the red positive post cover that one can see clearly at 1:06 into the video.

 

[Bill K]

Years ago, I dropped a wrench, and it landed perfectly on both battery terminals. There was a huge flash, and when I picked the wrench off the ground, there was a large chunk of steel blown off of it.
If a battery shorts out internally, it will blow up and crack the case, and drip sulfuric acid all over the battery area. That also happened to me. I quickly got a hose and flushed out the contaminated area.

 

[Pwrplay]

I have a 2009 with the Tech package. Going on 257000KM's still on the original battery.

 

[Bill K]

Batteries "can" last much longer than people think. You just have to pay attention to your cranking speed. If you notice a slower cranking, you are probably close to the end of your battery's life.

 

[seanracerx1986]

Wow that's great never hear of that normally 4 years maybe 5 would be considered the life of a new car battery.

 

[kn5owa]

Wow that's great never hear of that normally 4 years maybe 5 would be considered the life of a new car battery.

Problem is: you're playing Russian roulette after 4 or 5 years - Where would even find a tow truck nowadays?

One thing I do in both my cars is carry one of the new compact lithium ion jump starters - heavy duty ones are maybe $100 per each - cheaper than a tow job.

 

[Fredder]

I don't think there is a "normally" when it comes to battery life.

Mine is a 2011 3.8 and has original battery, 57,600 miles.

Put away for winter on a battery tender in an unheated garage in the great White North, often there are warnings when they are about to croak, act on it then

 

[TurboRev]

I'm going to have to agree with the posts mentioning "Preventive Maintenance." My dealer said batteries generally last 4-6 years. Much of it depends on other factors such as running all kinds of electronics.

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[dougmcp]

Changing batteries with preventative maintenance in mind only means you are less likely to have a battery problem. Batteries are like light bulbs, some last a long time, some not so much and other than an actual load test, there is no real formula to predict when it may fail. The industry average is about 5 years but I've seen numerous batteries fail within the first year. They normally fail when they develop a bad cell, reduce your cranking voltage and go flat quickly. Weather extremes, both hot and cold are harder on batteries than cars in moderate conditions or stored in garages. My recommendation for those who are less mechanically inclined is to listen to the car start, if it's turns more slowly than normal, have it load tested and make the call based on the results.

 

[rjbogie329]

You are very lucky.... but you are on borrowed time. Change batteries every four years. I switched to AGM battery from interstate.

 

[EdP]

You are very lucky.... but you are on borrowed time. Change batteries every four years. I switched to AGM battery from interstate.

I change before the first winter after 4 years. By the end of November before the real cold comes in.

 

[dougmcp]

You are very lucky.... but you are on borrowed time. Change batteries every four years. I switched to AGM battery from interstate.

You are on borrowed time from day 1. Batteries can fail at any time from the day they are put in service. These things are not like smoke detectors they don't require changing on any regular cycle.
To each their own but there is not an owners or service manual anywhere I know of that says to change your battery at any age or mileage either in regular or severe service.
My battery life spans vary here's when they were replaced:
2000 Ford Expedition - 11 years
2002 Passat - 4 years
Western Golf Cart - 11 years
Bayliner Motoryacht - 12 years
2013 Genesis - 5 years

 

[EdP]

You are on borrowed time from day 1. Batteries can fail at any time from the day they are put in service. These things are not like smoke detectors they don't require changing on any regular cycle.
To each their own but there is not an owners or service manual anywhere I know of that says to change your battery at any age or mileage either in regular or severe service.

This is true, but few batteries go to 11 years, many go in the 5 year range. My chosen time is basted on 27 cars over 55 years of driving and failures in cold weather. Sometimes you get a hint, other times you just freeze your ass off putting in a new battery.

 

[dougmcp]

This is true, but few batteries go to 11 years, many go in the 5 year range. My chosen time is basted on 27 cars over 55 years of driving and failures in cold weather. Sometimes you get a hint, other times you just freeze your ass off putting in a new battery.

You are correct most batteries make it about 5 years. I can relate to your 55 years of experience, I'm at 54. I lived in Canada until I was around 40 so I'm more than familiar with cold but was honestly surprised to find out hot weather appears to be worse on batteries. You're right about the hint of batteries going bad sometimes they slowly give up but they also can die instantly and it's that instant part that could leave you stranded if you don't have a plan.
I carry jumper cables all the time and as a AAA member for the last 32 years never had to worry about gas, jumps or towing.

 

[Mark_888]

Very cold weather reduces the capacity of any battery, as the cold slows down chemical reactions needed to generate electricity.

Hot weather (including a battery located in a hot engine compartment, unlike the Genesis) can weaken the individual plastic cells of a flooded cell battery, especially when a sudden impact occurs like hitting a hole in the road, causing sudden battery damage if the separate battery compartments rupture and chemicals start intermingling between the cells. In this kind of damage, a car will usually keep running (due to alternator, etc), but not be able to start again once shut off.

AGM batteries have much better resistance to hot weather damage, because the battery liquid chemicals are contained in many different Glass Matt compartments that can generally handle more heat stress without battery failure.

Some flooded cell batteries are available in both north and south versions. The north versions have thinner cell walls for maximum cranking power. The south batteries have thicker cell walls (at the expense of slightly lower cranking power) in order to reduce the likelihood of physical damage as the result of heat and sudden impact. Larger batteries like the H8 and H9 are usually pretty well built and have lots of cranking power, due to their size.

Starting in 2015, Hyundai Genesis comes standard with AGM batteries, but they can also be used for replacement batteries of previous models.

 

[dougmcp]

Very cold weather reduces the capacity of any battery, as the cold slows down chemical reactions needed to generate electricity.

Hot weather (including a battery located in a hot engine compartment, unlike the Genesis) can weaken the individual plastic cells of a flooded cell battery, especially when a sudden impact occurs like hitting a hole in the road, causing sudden battery damage if the separate battery compartments rupture and chemicals start intermingling between the cells. In this kind of damage, a car will usually keep running (due to alternator, etc), but not be able to start again once shut off.

AGM batteries have much better resistance to hot weather damage, because the battery liquid chemicals are contained in many different Glass Matt compartments that can generally handle more heat stress without battery failure.

Some flooded cell batteries are available in both north and south versions. The north versions have thinner cell walls for maximum cranking power. The south batteries have thicker cell walls (at the expense of slightly lower cranking power) in order to reduce the likelihood of physical damage as the result of heat and sudden impact. Larger batteries like the H8 and H9 are usually pretty well built and have lots of cranking power, due to their size.

Starting in 2015, Hyundai Genesis comes standard with AGM batteries, but they can also be used for replacement batteries of previous models.

You are correct, cold weather reduces the cranking ability of a battery but they don't actually generate electricity they store energy that was generated by the alternator and stored in the battery.
The most common causes for a battery failure are from sludge build up and stratification. Sludge builds as a battery ages and goes through cycles of charging and discharging the plates shed material and this builds to a point where it will create a short and cause a dead cell. Stratification is when a battery has not been charged correctly at a high enough voltage or has been sitting and the acid actually separates from the water creating a weak solution on top and a reduced storage ability.
The only real difference between flooded cell and AGM Batteries are that instead of a liquid the water acid mix is basically in a fiberglass mat like a sponge. This configuration is to minimize evaporation, self discharge and stratification issues which is why they handle deeper discharges and heat better than a flooded cell battery.
I know there are deep cycle (thick plates), cranking (thin plates), marine/hybrid (medium plates) batteries but you got my attention with the North/South batteries, this is a first for me as I have never heard of such an animal.

 

[Mark_888]

You are correct, cold weather reduces the cranking ability of a battery but they don't actually generate electricity they store energy that was generated by the alternator and stored in the battery.
The most common causes for a battery failure are from sludge build up and stratification. Sludge builds as a battery ages and goes through cycles of charging and discharging the plates shed material and this builds to a point where it will create a short and cause a dead cell. Stratification is when a battery has not been charged correctly at a high enough voltage or has been sitting and the acid actually separates from the water creating a weak solution on top and a reduced storage ability.
The only real difference between flooded cell and AGM Batteries are that instead of a liquid the water acid mix is basically in a fiberglass mat like a sponge. This configuration is to minimize evaporation, self discharge and stratification issues which is why they handle deeper discharges and heat better than a flooded cell battery.
I know there are deep cycle (thick plates), cranking (thin plates), marine/hybrid (medium plates) batteries but you got my attention with the North/South batteries, this is a first for me as I have never heard of such an animal.

Here is a blurb from Die-Hard:

What are the differences between North and South designs?
Whether hot or cold, temperature extremes cause specific stresses on automotive batteries. This is why Sears is one of a few retailers to offer climate-specific batteries. Extreme cold climates require a battery with more power to start cold engines. DieHard batteries for the Northern US are designed to provide the extra power needed to start an engine in the frigid winter months.

Heat and vibration are two of the leading causes of premature battery failure. In the Southern US, many DieHard batteries are designed with internal components that stand up to damaging heat. No matter where you live you can count on Sears to offer the battery that will give you the longest life for your climate.​

Given that for a certain size battery (Group 24, Group 78, H8, etc) the outside dimensions must be the same, then the South batteries have less cell volume inside because the plates and cell walls are thicker to help prevent heat and vibration damage.

I have seen North and South batteries on some AutoZone or Advance Auto Parts batteries, but definitely not all of them.

You are correct that batteries don't generate electricity. But my understanding is that the flow of stored electricity is inhibited if the battery gets too cold.

 

[QuantumRift]

I just replaced the batt in my 2012 Genny. The OEM battery died about a year after we go the car (we were living in SE Arizona at the time), so that was in 2012, and replaced under the Hyundai warranty... Living in AZ, until 2014 when we moved here to Central Ohio. That battery died this past Feb, so basically got 5 years out of that Hyundai battery.

When looking or a replacement. I went with an Autozone Gold as AutoZone has one of the BEST warranty for the price, hands down. The battery was on sale, AND I got a 10% military discount. Always go for the BEST warranty if all other things are about equal. *** 900 Cold Cranking Amps (1000 Cranking Amps) ***. 150 Reserve minutes. Warranty consists of 3 years free replacement plus 2 years prorated.