The 9V battery memory savers work, but it's easy to forget and open a car door and that's the end of that deal. You could use a pigtail for the 12v port and use a full size battery, motorcycle battery, etc and have some leeway.

It's way beyond just radio presets and hard shifts these days. Apart from "security" systems, have heard some makes, the power windows need a reset, others the air conditioning goes inop.

Since you mentioned the conventional batteries thought there was a manufacturer or version you preferred. Are you sure they are more expensive? The top of the line maintenance free AGM types are getting pretty spendy. I would agree a top quality conventional battery are excellent for longetivity. Supposedly the very best use virgin lead (no contaminants) for the plates.

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Tedster,
Graeat tips on the 9V... Will have to remember that.

Concerning the sealed batteries... Sealed AGM batteries are not in the same class as sealed conventional wet cell batteries. AGM are expensive and can be wonderful. They are a different animal. Too expensive for me! Sealed conventional wet cell batteries are inferior to conventional "open" wet cell batteries. Sorry... should have made that clear. The AGMs are amazing for marine applications as they can be mounted sideways, upside down or whatever. They are actually revolutionary in both design and execution. In years to come when the price comes down for automotive applications, I may consider jumping ship to AGM.

 

AGM are kind of a class of their own. What I'm referring to as "maintenance free" are still pretty spendy - more expensive than a conventional - they are essentially lead acid batteries with calcium/lead alloy instead of pure lead.

They are "sealed" only insofar as there is usually no provision for watering. They have deeper cases or more electrolyte than average because of this. I believe Die Hard gold by JC is an example of this type, and many others. Die Hard platinum is AGM, afaik.

Another new type is called "positive plate technology" or something like that.

Another issue you may run into with your application apart from the pairing of software battery analysis and charge rate over time the basic charging voltage will be optimized for that type of battery and by swapping in an old school battery it may be undercharged/overcharged.

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If I can do the following then I hope to get 7+ years out of my wife's Escape battery:
1. Figure out how to remove the damned thing
2. Figure out if removing it means that I have to do a computer "reset"
3. Figure out if the 9V trick will carry me over while I check the fluid level & specific gravity

Pretty simple right? Who knows what kind of battery technology will be the norm in 2021. Maybe something cool that we don't even know about yet.

 

I have a battery charger where the AGM battery has a special setting so it is a bit different.

I have a cord that one end plugs into the OBD-II port and the other has a cigarette lighter male plug but it's meant to be used with a jump pack.

 

Crossing my fingers that my 3000 mile journey that I'm going to subject the wife's Escape to in June doesn't leave me stranded with a dead battery... Just kidding. Unless some colossal manufacturer's defect pops up, the factory battery should be good for years to come. I still want to check it out annually... that's how I roll and keep my cars rolling longer than the average...

 

it's a sealed battery, nothing to check

 

If it is a sealed battery then it is the first sealed battery that I have seen with removable access ports on the top of it... 3 per side... looks like a traditional wet cell to me. If it were maintenance free I would have started this thread 5 years from now instead of ... well.... now. I will triple check tomorrow.

 

Some do and some don't. The Motorcraft battery in my '09 is pretty much has a flat top, IIRC.

 

2014 Escape parked in my garage has a traditional wet cell Motorcraft battery. The vents are recessed but are completely accessible on the side. This battery is going to be a pain in the neck to pull out. Holy cow. I hope that the Negative cable is long enough for me to pull it out and get it level on the engine for the check. For now, I will leave it alone... but that battery better understand that one day about 10 months from now... I'm coming and I'm bringing tools...

 

The Escape parked in my garage doesn't have a Motorcraft battery that looks like the one in this video.

 

That video is about the only thing out there. I saw that. Good info on the remote neg cable but useless to tell you how to remove the battery.

2013 to 2014 may have different batteries. Stuff changes every year based on the almighty dollar.

 

Our 2010 4 cyl. has an easy to get to battery, with a partial cover on it. I can see a multi-wide recessed vent cap just sticking out from one side of the cover. The cover is held on by the battery hold-down bracket over the top, like a mini-version of millions of Fords before. Maybe at the 4 year mark I'll take the cover off and test each cell. A bracketed cover tends to make it out of sight, out of mind, and a labor threshold to get over to do it

On that 2013 video, I wonder if the engine intake plastic was taken off - loosen metal strap around bendy hose at throttle body inlet, and other end at engine air filter housing, disconnect plugs for MAF sensor, IAT sensor or whatnot. Maybe like checking/changing engine air filter, but add a few more steps. Maybe the battery could then be tilted out forward and up. Unless there is a tall barrier wall on the front of the battery holder.

 

The Interstate battery is made by Johnson Control .THey also make the Motorcraft batterys and some of the Die hard batterys.My Focus Battery has been going strong since 2007. We had a Escape or a Focus at work ones and I sort of remember they had the wiper arms off and that plastic cover on the lower side of windshield. Dont know what they where doing

 

I just had the battery on my 2013 Escape replaced, after doing some research, took it to the dealer. The Tech had to read up on how to replace a battery, but did a great job and updated the computers. Needless to say this is not a DYI job without the proper tools. The Escape was mfg on 8/12 so the battery was just over 2 years old with 42,000 miles. FYI the battery was not a sealed type and the dealer said it was checked 3 weeks ago. I checked the voltage and it was 11.85, checked the water level and several cells where low and the positive post was in need of service. Just because it is hidden the battery still needs to checked.