2009 Honda Fit battery dilemma

[tomcat27]

I believe that the Panasonic batteries are AGM. mine is over 9 years old in my toyota. but AGM batteries cost $200+ (Sears Die Hard Platinum, and Enersys Oddysee)

for me, I prefer any of the Johnson Control batteries (Sears Die Hard, Walmart Maxx, the AA or AZ branded)

 

[garlicbreadman]

kirkland batteries ftw!

the panasonic batteries acura put in their cars are junk

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Try it out or hold off?

You're STILL UNDER WARRANTY!!! Don't futz with it yourself, but let Honda pay for a fix. Remember, you paid for that warranty as part of the purchase price of the car.

For all you and I know, there may be a known problem, and thus a TSB out on early battery failures...

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Try it out or hold off?

You're STILL UNDER WARRANTY!!! Don't futz with it yourself, but let Honda pay for a fix. Remember, you paid for that warranty as part of the purchase price of the car.

For all you and I know, there may be a known problem, and thus a TSB out on early battery failures...


He's way past his 3/36.

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
He's way past his 3/36.

You can't know that. He's never said when he bought the car, and he's never said his mileage; the warranty starts the day of original sale. And if the battery is considered part of the powertrain warranty, it may be warranted for five years, not three.

Plus, Honda tends to be fairly generous with "goodwill" warranty repairs that are applied-for outside of the official warranty.

It's still not a good idea to fail to explore warranty solutions on a car this new.

 

[Donald]

I agree to check the vehicle warranty first. But if you need one an Interstate is a good choice. May need to call around or wait a bit. A dealer most likely does not carry all sizes. Make sure its 6 months old or less.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: ARB1977
Our CRV is about due. We bought it used.


I did mine earlier this year. It was the original battery; lasted about 3 years/45,000 miles.

The CR-V has the same battery placement as the Fit (sitting between the driver side headlamp housing and the air box). Apparently there's more room, though, because it takes the larger-though-still-small 51R size.

 

[Sayjac]

Just some anecdotal experience with my 07 Honda OEM battery. A year or two back the green light began to disappear/go dark. So, I opened the caps, added some distilled water to make sure each cell was at the proper level. Then I put the a 10/2/50 battery charger, the green light came back.

Since then I have purchased a Battery Tender JR, which I occasionally put on the battery, just to maintain it. I also check the cells occasionally for proper water level. It's going on 5 years with the OEM and I plan on driving it until it no longer gets the job done.

fwiw, the BTJ I purchased at Amazon is one of the best investments I've made. Tough to beat currently for $20.50. No, I don't have any affiliation with Deltron or Amazon, just something that's worked for me.

As for the OP, as suggested checking for warranty coverage, is likely a good place to start. That said, can't any place local get the correct battery shipped in, in a few days?

 

[sciphi]

Warranty is gone on this car. Not just recently departed, but forest grown on the grave.

I'll ask about the correct battery and shipping. Last time I tried ordering a special-order part around here, it would have taken 4-5 days to get in. The Miata battery is on the shelf.

 

[SLCraig]

Originally Posted By: garlicbreadman
kirkland batteries ftw!

the panasonic batteries acura put in their cars are junk


I always buy from Costco too. They seem to hold up well.

 

[mopar_monkey]

Originally Posted By: Tegger
Originally Posted By: sciphi
Try it out or hold off?

You're STILL UNDER WARRANTY!!! Don't futz with it yourself, but let Honda pay for a fix. Remember, you paid for that warranty as part of the purchase price of the car.

For all you and I know, there may be a known problem, and thus a TSB out on early battery failures...



honda has a 12 mo 12k mi warrenty on the batt. it is considered a "wear" item, i deal with it everyday. not cool honda!

 

[Quest]

wow! 2 yrs approx. and the battery already gone on your fit?!

Mine (07 fit bought 06 November) still running strong..

BTW: it's 151R and it has to be special-order.

Good luck.

Q.

BTW: get a set of those chemically-treated felt rings from Wallymart or similar for your replacement battery terminal. It will protect them from attacks from corrosive gas due to improper sealing (fairly common on most domestically-made top post batteries)

 

[ltslimjim]

My friend put an Odyssey in his 2007 Fit Sport; not sure which model, but it look so tiny! He gets great mileage and no problems in probably 2 years with it now. He does some auto cross with it etc, not too really extreme service, though.

 

[Hokiefyd]

Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
My friend put an Odyssey in his 2007 Fit Sport...


I'd believe you could put a Fit into an Odyssey, but not the other way around. Those Fits must be MUCH larger on the inside than they look!

 

[ltslimjim]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
My friend put an Odyssey in his 2007 Fit Sport...


I'd believe you could put a Fit into an Odyssey, but not the other way around. Those Fits must be MUCH larger on the inside than they look!


Wow, great reply. +1,000!

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: ltslimjim
My friend put an Odyssey in his 2007 Fit Sport...


I'd believe you could put a Fit into an Odyssey, but not the other way around. Those Fits must be MUCH larger on the inside than they look!


LMAO!!!!

We got the charging system tested at Advance today. The battery failed the running voltage test and the cranking voltage test. I'm picking up a Miata battery tomorrow.

 

[Cardenio327]

Long Story Short: 51R is too big, probably more modifications than most are willing to undertake.

Long Story: The OEM battery on our Fit lasted 2 years & 3 months. It had went dead four times in the previous months: 1st two times from leaving 1.6 watt dome light on all night; 2nd two times went dead on its own while parked for less than a hour. The second time it went dead I changed the pitiful stock #4 or #6 gage battery cables for #0 gage battery to body and body to engine along with a #1 gage battery to starter cable duplexed with the original cable [all 3 homemade-soldered]. After the 4th time dead I replaced it with a Duralast 51R, with further modifications. The 51R is an inch longer, it just won't fit. I ended up removing the original battery to starter cable I had left on and grinding down the side of the fusible link box so it wouldn't rub the air cleaner. I also repositioned the new #1 gage battery to starter cable so it comes of the front of the terminal rather than the side. In addition I cut down the sides of the plastic battery box and cut a piece of 5/8" plywood to the shape of the bottom of the battery to support it and lift it so that the fusible link box clears the tapered air cleaner housing a little better. Lots of fun, gets me away from only being able to buy batteries at stealership, no other source here in Mexico for the 151R.

Note: I had a Mazda replacement battery by Johnson Controls last 7 years in a '91 Miata. I went to the Mazda Dealer in Oaxaca and looked at the Miata battery, but it was a 51R made by Exide. I passed, the Mexican market Duralast doesn't say who made it, but at least I can pretend it was made by Johnson or Deka.

 

[sciphi]

The older Miata U1RT batteries are an inch longer than the 151R. The 51R is 2" longer as stated, and will not work without modifications, as listed above. I suspect the extra inch doesn't play with the Fit. I'll find out soon.

 

[bdcardinal]

Originally Posted By: Cardenio327
Note: I had a Mazda replacement battery by Johnson Controls last 7 years in a '91 Miata. I went to the Mazda Dealer in Oaxaca and looked at the Miata battery, but it was a 51R made by Exide. I passed, the Mexican market Duralast doesn't say who made it, but at least I can pretend it was made by Johnson or Deka.


The newer Miatas use a 51R versus the Miata only size on the 91-04ish ones. I forget if it was 03,04 or 05 that they switched and put the batteries in the engine bay.

 

[sciphi]

Surprise, surprise, the Autocraft Silver battery I got was basically identical lengthwise and widthwise, and about 1/2" shorter. So it dropped into place with no fuss after I cut away a little of the plastic battery holder box and put a 1/2" spacer onto the battery hold-down bar's short end to account for the difference in height. It's as solid as the original.

So, for 30 minutes of my time installing it, I saved a trip to the Honda dealer, got a slightly higher CCA battery (370 new vs. 340 old), and now can replace that battery at many more places with an off-the-shelf battery.