My own personal experience set me back. It was the dealership I had done business with professionally for 30 years, I go in and stop at the parts counter and say hello to an old friend. I walk to the commercial side service and say hello, shake hands with the assistant service manager, again worked with for years. In walks the pass car service advisor that we directly worked with for decades, and we chat. I tell them the parts guys pointed me here, and the two of them point me to a new service advisor that I never worked with.

And she explains the 'new' process. I've checked the batt sp gr, as I always have, one cell down. Charged and desulphated, checked again, and still bad. She says, we have to do the work, we'll recharge and let you know in a few hours. I say it's fully charged as it can be, she says let's go get it, well trained in customer redirection. We do, prints me out a service ticket and says I'll let you know. Fifteen minutes into my 20 min drive home I get a call. Yep, it's bad, at 37 months and you'll have to pay something like $58. I say that's fine with me, as I know that restarts the warranty. She says yes it does and you can pick up the new battery at the counter.

A few years earlier I went into the dealership parts counter for a batt and was handed one free. The one I brought in I did pay for. My how things had changed. During my tenure we bought a lot of parts. It took us 3 days to run a performance brake test, then you install new rotors and calipers all around. Three tests, 9 days and you replaced the tires. All bought at the Ford dealer, times 6 to 10 test drivers running at the same time, half running performance, half running 2 week durability. Yeah, we bought a lot of Ford parts. And maintenance parts. And service for those cars as while the test drivers were mechanics, their better skill was driving rather then repairing.

So right now out of 12 full size batteries in vehicles and equipment there is only the 1 Motorcraft acquired 24 months ago, sitting in my garage as it's borderline failing, replaced with a Maxx maybe three weeks ago. Just not quite enough for a failure reading when it's cold to win the battery lottery. Just not sure it's worth the Ford dealership dance. At least I didn't have to bring the car in 2 years ago.

 

The Maxx are actually a pretty good battery, and turning one in for warranty is as easy as going to the cust service counter and getting an exchange.
I've used them in the past, and had good success with them.
They are built by Johnson controls which supplies to a lot of OEM's

 

Dang Jack that's just a complete pain in the you know what!!! I like places that at 37 months will shake your hand, hand you a part and say gave a good day sir. But they are rare

I was just looking at the maxx batts. Maybe it's my area but they just show not available

https://www.walmart.com/ip/20703125

 

Their computer system is screwed up, still searching for the Johnson version they used to carry.

They switched suppliers as of a year ago with a longer warranty, and I think they are Exide private labeled, but might be wrong. So the best thing is to check at the store. And if you want an unusual experience go after midnight. Maybe I just caught the right crowd one night.

 

lol I try to avoid going there when possible. My wife has made me a Target snob! I'll swing by tomorrow and see.

I'm just going to have to pick one and buy something because researching this subject online leads to nothing but conflicting opinions and unclear answers. I'm more confused than when I started!

 

Re-reading, that didn't come out right. Caleb, its best just checking with a local dealer and see if you can get a deal. All of our opinions can make it confusing.

 

Just spoke with my local Ford parts store. Talked with a really nice guy actually, but he did say they have to have the receipt. He mentioned that their batt turnover is very good but the receipt could make the difference in terms of a few months.

He said that a warranty batt has to be left and tested, and then submitted to ford for approval with that original proof of purchase. But it can be done anywhere in the states at any ford dealer

Anyway new batt from them is $129. But I have a feeling they may be willing to help me out alittle more if I ask, which I will lol. Can't hurt. Pretty sure that's the route I'm going to go.

 

I think that's the best they can do. It's Mother Ford that's making the rules and we often forget we're the dealers customer, the dealer is Ford's customer. The dealer has few options.

The only problem I see here is I believe your "good" battery was hurt by the weak "bad" battery. At 70F the cranking amps should be above the 32F CCA rating, it's not. The meter is reading 12.67v, well over the normal resting charge so it's seen some recent charging, yet due to the test reading that is low it's saying the battery needs charging. That's contradictory, but it's the only determination that tester can give.

One battery will get you out of this situation, but you'll always have a differential in battery output. It's like putting in one 750 CCA and one 850 CCA battery in. The capability, and internal resistance will always be different. My speculation is the 2015 battery won't make it to 2018, but a least you have the receipt for it.

If you just replacing the one for now, maybe get the 2015 battery checked every 3-4 months and as soon as it's in the fail range, get it replaced and the differential won't be as large as you will have now.

 

That's some really good info Jack thanks!

It's strange that the tester shows that it is measuring 759 CCA even though it was 70° out when it was tested. So it must not really be a CCA test. I guess that's why my mental alarm didn't go off because I only saw a 100 drop over its rating of 850. Doesn't make sense!

I spoke with a service guy while at the dealer and he said I can bring the truck by and they can run a test on the 08/15 battery. But I will get it tested regularly like you mentioned. I'm curious to see what hoops they'll make me jump through. He mentioned they prefer to hook up a machine and test it in the vehicle. Must be testing the charging system like you mentioned.

It would be hard to pinpoint that batt unless they isolate it from the other I would guess though??

 

No, it not really strange. As the battery gets worn out it loses capacity. It also loses capacity as it gets cold. I've been taking readings and pictures of some of the batteries I have on hand so somewhere I can post a thread or vid battery testing. I have to go get my iPhone and transfer some pics then I'll respond.

From what I shot so far, if you want a good read from a tester it has to be directly off a clean battery post. If done through the attached terminals the resistance of the connection, although minor, changes the reading. At least on my batts and equipment.

 

Sorry, I meant strange that they are able to do a "Cold" cranking amp test at 70° ambient. Not that it's strange the battery is weak or that it was hurt by the other! I agree with you completely

I thought 850CCA was the max that could be seen on the test as that is the "Rated" But I'm guessing at the temp it was measured it could have and should have been over that. I believe it's rated at 1000 at 32°

 

1,000 at 72°F.

Here are readouts a while back of my one year old ESMaxx. It's two batteries. The higher readings are actually from the batteries when sitting 24hr+, the lower readings driving to the door and getting them tested (you can tell by the voltage), opposite of what many think. I've got a current test that shows the same.



And this my newly acquired ESMaxx 850, sitting in our LS with a slow drain out of one of its 8 modules I haven't tracked as yet. Still with low volts and low temps it shows a new battery capacity. And taken through the terminals.

 

Just exchanged my Motorcraft Max 850 batteries without receipt, both were stamped with 12/15. I was asked for a receipt, but in short, explained I did not have one. No testing. No questions. TWO NEW batteries. Was told not the norm, of course. They said batteries will be prorated for the remaining months from today's date.
On a side note, service mgr recommended 750s over 850s on all 6.0 and newer, based on overall observations of longevity between 750 vs 850, Motorcraft battery Rep.
And yes, I'm getting lotto tickets before the day is over!
APPEL FORD
BRENHAM, TEXAS