Ok, my truck is just about to turn 5 years old. The battery is as old as the truck. I always replaced batteries when they get that old weather they show signs of not holding a charge or not. I always felt it was cheap insurance over getting stuck in the woods in the middle of winter or getting stranded at 2am in a snowstorm while plowing.

The batter test good on the load tester. Off to the parts store to get another soon.

Am I wacko or not? Some people think I am but there are more reasons for that other than replacing a perfectly good battery!

 

Well arent most rated for 60 months anyways? Better to replace, and have piece of mind.

 

If the battery is sitll decently good, I would store it in a not to cold place, and top off the charge every few weeks or so

 

Add distilled water when it gets low and you will extend life considerably. I'm on year seven on my car and truck.

 

I'd prefer to choose the time the battery gets replaced, as opposed to having the battery make the choice for me. Five years is a nice life span for a battery.

 

Usually my batteries have given me a little warning that they are going bad, by starting to turn over just a little slower. I'll check to make sure the battery has clean terminals, water in the battery and a good charge going in. If it doesn't cure it then a new battery goes in. I'm not one that likes to get stranded because of a battery and batteries can leave you stranded at the worst time.

 

Last Saturday while I was in CT getting new battery a guy came in with a Motorcraft battery to replace.

I asked what it was out of and he answered 93 Ford Truck...The Battery lasted 14/12 years.
I'm lucky to get 2 years out of the ones I get..Lifetime warranty "free replacement" though

 

Well put, fl1a.

Still, if you are checking battery condition, cleaning terminals, changing corroded wiring, then you are doing more than most people. Especially if you are doing this BEFORE the engine won't start.

 

Battery life is so variable that it IS wacko to replace them on a "schedule". Warranties are not a measure of quality or predicted life, either, just an insurance policy which you pay for. 60 months for $60, 100 months for $100, etc. Yes, more expensive ones often have more "cranking amps", but they probably cost pennies more to manufacture. Heat, vibration, voltage regulator settings, etc are the real variables in battery life. Modern eletcronic voltage regulators are not adjustable and I have still seen a wide range of settings that are within spec. The BMW killed batteries because it under charged (13v) and the Ford killed them by over charging (almost 15v).

Jim

 

Whatever makes you comfortable is the answer. Replacing the battery before it shows signs of age is not a bad thing. Most of us are cheap and would maintain and clean the battery until it starts to crank slower or show lower voltages etc.

Batteries, especially off road ones can fail unexpectedly so it is cheap insurance if it bothers you. But, Once in a great while a brand new battery will fail just a month or two out so a new battery is no guarantee, so have other backups if you are in a critical condition, like deep woods.

I have a 100 month battery in my truck. Unfortunately I don't drive my truck near as much as I used to so often my battery is dead after sitting 2 or 3 weeks. Plus way back I had a problem where a light was left on for a week and drained it completely. I think I have only 50 to 60 months on the battery. It charges up well but doesn't seem to hold the charge as long as it used to. I may decide to take it in for the prorated warranty.

I think what I am getting at here is that if a battery goes completely dead it gets a little damage and does not recover completely. This is why I think it is not holding the charge as long as it used to. So in my mind it is more important to keep the battery charged and maintained than worry about a specific date.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

The Motorcraft in my Escape is fine and it was the first one in the county in 2000. My son-in-law's 95 Toyota is on its 2nd one with 250,000+ miles on it. My lawn mower has had one battery since 1994. It a battery is kept well charged, terminals cleaned and the fluid level maintained with DISTILLED water, they can last a long time.

 

My buddys mustang still has the motorcraft battery in it, and its a 1998!

 

Storing batteries in cold places off of concrete is the best place to store them. If you are asking why? I will explain what I know. I worked a a Refer. Tech for a Military Contractor. The US Navy use to store there batteries in a freezer that was a room about 100'x50' It ran 3 refrigeration units. The temps had to stay with in a few degrees of -20 degrees. Why? I was told they last far longer in storage of cold temps. I have for years followed that with all the AAA,AA, & D batteries. I keep them in the freezer. I find they stay fresh much longer.

I think you are smart to replace why wait for trouble. It is cheaper and easier to do preventive maintenance than to wait for it to quit IMO.

 

From what I was told by a battery ech.. we don't need tro worry about them being on concrete anymore since the advent of plastic cases.

There supposedly no longer a drain on them when this is done.

But I find myself still putting them on a piece of 2" x 8" on the floor.

 

From what I was told by a battery ech.. we don't need tro worry about them being on concrete anymore since the advent of plastic cases.

There supposedly no longer a drain on them when this is done.

But I find myself still putting them on a piece of 2" x 8" on the floor.