BATT-TREES

Till the warranty is up.

Slow starting is a good sign of a weak battery.

For more modern cars: If you're in the 4-7 year range and the electronics start acting up, failure is imminant. Typically, the ABS/TCS and Air Bag lights will come on first, all other warning lights will follow, then the speedometer may read wrong., the radio may turn off and on, etc. etc. If this starts to happen, go directly to the shop, do not pass GO, do not collect $200 and get a new battery.

I've learned to replace my battery every five years.

Steve

About as long as the warranty. Most are 60 to 72 months. You hear of exceptions both diredtions, but the majority are pretty close to the rated time.

Slow cranking. New batteries don't seem to give the warnings as they did years ago.

I do it. In fact, my '01 LeSabre has a series 100 battery with an 84 month "life" so just over a week ago I replaced it at 82 1/2 months. Cold weather is here and I'm not taking chances of my wife getting stuck. I've done the same on other cars too. If you can get to a shop for a free install, not a big deal, but if you DIY, far better to do in on a 65 degree October day than a 2 degree January day.

I have four fork lift trucks in the shop. Two were bought at the same time. Batteries in both died within two weeks of each other, right at the expected life of them.

There's a spirited discussion in another newsgroup

Summer heat here eats batteries (summer = april - november). Five years is really pushing it. Mine last about 3-4 years. When the headlights substantially dim when turning off the engine, then it is time to replace the battery. Don't know about pre-emptive strikes. There is a battery place on almost every commercial corner so am not worried. Probably 10-20 within 1 mile of my house.

Good advice.

I had 'sudden' battery death in a two year old Corvette C5. It wasn't from old age... the positive terminal inside the battery case was cracked and broke---looked like it had been over-torqued at the factory.

Nevertheless, several of Steve's symptoms had been present for a couple of weeks before this left me...in the boondocks.

Most other Delco batteries I've have lasted well beyond warranty (So Cal climate) but died suddenly. If you value reliability, replacing at the end of warranty is a good idea.

-- pj

Back years ago (early 1970's) I was changing a battery on my car. I was installing a new Die Hard. As I tightened the positive terminal the battery exploded. The entire top came off hitting me in the face. The fluid covered me and started to burn. The top hit me and prevented any fluid from entering my eyes. My father lead me into the house and in the shower I went with my cloths still on. I was very lucky I was not hurt but my shirt and jeans had holes in them from the fluid. I took it back to Sears and they said the positive post must of broke and shorted the battery. I still have fears when I do anything with a battery.

In other words you never stray far from your house. Never far from home in a snow storm or rain storm. Never in a high crime area in the city. I prefer reliability over longevity. After all a battery only costs about $15 a year.

Nah, I don't worry about those things. I carry jumper cables. There seems to be a Wal-Mart, O'Reillys, etc about every 5 miles in nearby cities and towns. No reason to turn my car off in the middle of nowhere.

Paul

i have a 84 pontiac parisienne full size station wagon and it has had the same battery since it left the dealer, and i still have had no probs at all. Car starts up as soon as ya turn the key!

If you bought it new, I'd say you are full of it.

If you bought it used a year or two ago, I believe you.

Stored inside where temp is controlled? And never out on the road?

Mark W. wrote, "i have a 84 pontiac parisienne full size station wagon and it has had the same battery since it left the dealer, and i still have had no probs at all. Car starts up as soon as ya turn the key! " ********************************************** Yeah, mine last about 25 years too. Ain't it great?