About 17,500 miles on it. She was just at the dealer for some electrical work and they mentioned that these batteries were junk.

1) Any truth to that?

2) If so, which battery is the best to get for my set up.

Thanks again!

 

I always get whatever battery has the highest CCAs that will fit. I usually replace them every three years just do that thry don't die on me in the middle of winter whrn I'm heading out to plow....

 

If the battery was junk, why would Ford used them in so many vehicles?

Also, if it junk, why didn't the dealer warranty the battery and give you credit towards a new one?

The 6.2L only has one battery unlike the 6.7L diesel having 2 batteries.

 

I had an issue with my 2014. If the truck sat for 10-14 days without being started, the battery would be so dead that the dome light wouldn't come on.
Took it to the dealer. They checked for any parasitic drains because I have an aftermarket stereo and an aftermarket remote starter.
The stereo was installed with the correct wiring harnesses that required no cutting/splicing of the truck wires. The starter was installed by a local shop that's done tons of them. The dealer could find no issues, no parasitic drain.
Their conclusion: the battery did not test out as it should and they replaced it under warranty. That was several months ago. So far, so good.

 

Modern vehicles have all kinds of modules and gee-gaws that don't "go to sleep" for as much as a half hour or so after the last activity. The current draw is about equal to a headlight or somesuch. That's quite a lot. Alarm systems and other items have a low but constant drain as well. Batteries are actually made better than they ever have been. Years ago the best batteries had a year warranty, maybe two years.

Personally think it's the modern vehicles that are killing them prematurely. A lot of it may be defects in the wiper motors, or aftermarket alarm or sound systems or whatnot but there's no getting around the fact that the batteries really get a workout even if everything is according to Hoyle. Some manufacturers may be running the ragged edge of suitability on the alternators these days too.

 

my 2012 Ford has its original battery... with 145,000 miles. with a date of 8/11.
the original battery in my OLD Dodge 1500.. lasted 11 years.


but all batteries come out of 5 major factories... and they have about a 4 percent failure over 4 years. with a 1 percent failure right out of the box.


and the JUNK statement is Wrong.. Period. unless is a China No Name.

 

I'm still running my original battery in my '12 as well, and it gets down to -40 here in winter, and +95 in summer... Don't know about the dealer's "junk" comment. I think I would ignore anything they said after that bit of "wisdom".

When this one finally goes, I'm putting in an Optima battery. So far though, no complaints at all with the Ford factory installed one.

 

Thank you all for your reply's.

I'm keeping a eye on my battery just in case.
With my luck I am in that 1 to 4% group of bad batteries.
I'm pretty much all stock, no aftermarket radio's and so on......

 

I have a Die Hard that was bought in 2002 thats still good! Batteries can be bad from the git-go. Some will go for 5,7,10 years some 2. This is within the same brand. Always been that way.
Battery maintenance helps. So does trying to keep the batteries cool IG raise your hood on hot summer days after driving (at home of course) to let the hot engine bay heat out verses letting it sit there and cook. Heat kills batteries not cold, (unless cold is -50*F).
Load testing is the best way to check battery health. Keeping all main and other battery connections bright and clean goes a long way too. If the cables and connections are bad the battery has to work harder to do its job.

 

^^^^ Heat is what cripples them. The first cold snap of the season in the fall is just the coup de grace. Sulfation is just a normal part of the battery charge/discharge process. Charging to 100% just converts it back into the electrolyte. But, if a battery sits at say a 65% or 75% charge it will start to become permanent after just a few days, with permanent loss of capacity. Hot weather rapidly accelerates this process.

Keep the battery case, top and sides, clean helps too. The grime and crud will start to become conductive and cause a low level drain. Keep batteries at 100% charge whenever possible. Windex is handy to use to clean the outside, most people probably have a bottle in the garage, the kind w/ammonia is basic and so it both cuts the grime and neutralizes the acid. Keeping it thoroughly charged helps keep excessive outgassing while in use (and hence terminal corrosion) at a minimum.

Since I started getting picky about battery maintenance some years ago, nothing at all ever grows on the terminals. The alternator regulator "sees" dirty, corroded cables and neglected ground points as a battery that needs charging even if it's at 100%, this means excessive battery outgassing and consequently regulator and alternator will also run hot needlessly.

Everybody needs to have a battery charger and digital voltmeter as part of their minimum basic tool kit, no exceptions. Both will pay for themselves in short order. One would think the auto manufacturers would have figured this out by now, because it would save a boatload of dough on warranty service.

 

In the RV/Trailer industry its often stated that batteries don't die, they are killed.

This is in regards to the lack of normal maintenance and charging.

 

And a spritz of terminal protectant on the key ground and positive locations would go a long way too.

 

My 2011 battery died last Sept - about 75,000 miles. Left me stranded. I usually replace them everything 3 years, but I forgot about it.

I'm fine with spending $100 on a new battery every three years. Gives me peace of mind. Besides, I'm the one that has to deal with the consequences if it does die....

 

There's a large cross section of folks posting on this forum. There are going to be extremes. As stated, I only got about 2 years from the factory battery on my 2014 F250/6.2.
But I have a 2007 Mustang GT that I got new in August 2006. The battery just gave up on that last year after 9 years. But that car has never seen a snowflake. Battery tender on from the time it gets put up in fall to the time it rolls out in spring.

 

I know it sounds NUTS.. and many have told me so..


a wet lead acid battery is like a Life Form...


treat it like a pet.. food, water, exercise, cleaning, etc.. = long life.
even my lawn tractor batteries last 9 to 10 years. and lawn tractor is 26 years old.


and a battery tender is a Plus.
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