Battery #3 for '09 Honda Fit
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4.5 years on a replacement battery is great life to me. Our '09 Ridgeline is on its second battery -- the first went 3 years and the replacement is at 3 years. It's from a Phoenix climate, so that's understandable.
I haven't had many batteries that last more than 4 years.
I haven't had many batteries that last more than 4 years.
I'm used to the (larger) batteries in other cars lasting 7-10 years in our climate. In my experience, having a battery die after about 5 years is unusual. I'm open to the suggestion that my experience is unusual, however!
I've got you all beat. My 98 chevy K3500 is on it's 7th battery since 2007 when I bought it used and I've only put a little over 14,000 miles on it during this time.
On this truck though the battery doesn't go dead to the point that the truck doesn't start but my voltage gauge starts reading lower and then I know the battery had gone bad. I put it on my tester that I have and then take it to the parts store and it tests bad there as well. The alternator always tests good.
I've replaced the positive battery cable with a factory replacement as well as cleaning all grounds. I've also tried two other alternators with no results.
These have all been the top batteries that O'reillys and Autozone sell so they are not cheap. Luckily the warranty always pays 100% so I'm not out any more money. The last battery only lasted four months and I had to have that one replaced yesterday.
I'm going to try a different brand next time. Something like AC-Delco.
On this truck though the battery doesn't go dead to the point that the truck doesn't start but my voltage gauge starts reading lower and then I know the battery had gone bad. I put it on my tester that I have and then take it to the parts store and it tests bad there as well. The alternator always tests good.
I've replaced the positive battery cable with a factory replacement as well as cleaning all grounds. I've also tried two other alternators with no results.
These have all been the top batteries that O'reillys and Autozone sell so they are not cheap. Luckily the warranty always pays 100% so I'm not out any more money. The last battery only lasted four months and I had to have that one replaced yesterday.
I'm going to try a different brand next time. Something like AC-Delco.
Originally Posted By: Jimkobb
So the battery is un-Fit for the Fit
The issue boils down to three problems:
1. A world car using a battery size that's not commonly used here.
2. That battery not being large enough to put up with our specific use.
3. No space to put a larger battery.
320 CCA brand-new is not a lot of juice to start. Add in age along with cold and heat, and it's a recipe for going through a fair number of batteries.
So the battery is un-Fit for the Fit
The issue boils down to three problems:
1. A world car using a battery size that's not commonly used here.
2. That battery not being large enough to put up with our specific use.
3. No space to put a larger battery.
320 CCA brand-new is not a lot of juice to start. Add in age along with cold and heat, and it's a recipe for going through a fair number of batteries.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHLz1p9h_m4
looks like a 51R can can be fit in there with some modding.
looks like a 51R can can be fit in there with some modding.
Get a bigger battery!! Do a little engineering and make it FIT. Go to Napa, get a Deka battery with at least 600CCA, and you won't buy another battery for 10 years.
My 2010 Accord comes with a wimpy 400 CCA battery from the factory. A little modding, and I now have a 750 CCA Deka in there.
My 2010 Accord comes with a wimpy 400 CCA battery from the factory. A little modding, and I now have a 750 CCA Deka in there.
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So far so good on my second Autocraft Gold. I had mine warranty'd out this summer when Advance tested it they thought it was going bad. It was just under the 3 year mark so it was fully covered. It turned out my starter was the culprit.
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Parts computer tells us an Optima battery does very well in Honda Fit. My manager is still a Honda pro.. B18 swapped Civic, RSX aficionado, is one of only two people in the store that knows what a Honda CRZ is (the other being myself.)
I do now wonder if he was wrong when he said the Optima was the appropriate battery for a Honda Fit. Or, if he was saying it was the best battery for, or appropriate replacement for. Anyways, he mentioned Optima was for a Honda Fit. What battery does it come with?
During a discussion of weird AGM batteries that more or less just sit there while everybody gets either an Autocraft Silver or Gold, it was brought up that Optima is appropriate battery for a Honda Fit.
Now that I know there is a Gold that will work, it will be interesting to see what kind of battery is selected when a customer comes in. People are cheap around here, and this job is no exception. Order online, use a coupon, ask if your core battery can get discount AND a $10 turn-in promotion.. Gee, how about we just give it to you for free, dude? Plus free service. If it costs too much, Walmart is around, see if they will put it in, lol.. Can only do two of three there. But anyways. Back OT.. Since if there is a Gold, there is usually a Silver, and more often than not, the Silver works fine. Sounds like not on a Honda Fit, though.. (I selected an Autocraft Silver for mine. Will be interesting to see how it does, since it became discharged this winter, with no charger to charge it back up. Do not loan out your tools, people. Don't do it. You will never see them again. Including high end chargers..)
As to the 1998 K3500 problem, those side-posts are the worst in the world. I hate them. I have to put a 9/32" wrench on at an angle to get mine off now, since a perfect screw rounded off ever so slightly when I had to take battery out to jump another car. Now a possible loose only sometimes condition exists. But to round it off more, finding out? No.. Great vehicle, convert to top post when possible. Easy as that. And there STILL isn't much room where the battery is in there..
I do now wonder if he was wrong when he said the Optima was the appropriate battery for a Honda Fit. Or, if he was saying it was the best battery for, or appropriate replacement for. Anyways, he mentioned Optima was for a Honda Fit. What battery does it come with?
During a discussion of weird AGM batteries that more or less just sit there while everybody gets either an Autocraft Silver or Gold, it was brought up that Optima is appropriate battery for a Honda Fit.
Now that I know there is a Gold that will work, it will be interesting to see what kind of battery is selected when a customer comes in. People are cheap around here, and this job is no exception. Order online, use a coupon, ask if your core battery can get discount AND a $10 turn-in promotion.. Gee, how about we just give it to you for free, dude? Plus free service. If it costs too much, Walmart is around, see if they will put it in, lol.. Can only do two of three there. But anyways. Back OT.. Since if there is a Gold, there is usually a Silver, and more often than not, the Silver works fine. Sounds like not on a Honda Fit, though.. (I selected an Autocraft Silver for mine. Will be interesting to see how it does, since it became discharged this winter, with no charger to charge it back up. Do not loan out your tools, people. Don't do it. You will never see them again. Including high end chargers..)
As to the 1998 K3500 problem, those side-posts are the worst in the world. I hate them. I have to put a 9/32" wrench on at an angle to get mine off now, since a perfect screw rounded off ever so slightly when I had to take battery out to jump another car. Now a possible loose only sometimes condition exists. But to round it off more, finding out? No.. Great vehicle, convert to top post when possible. Easy as that. And there STILL isn't much room where the battery is in there..
Originally Posted By: Brasileno
Back OT.. Since if there is a Gold, there is usually a Silver, and more often than not, the Silver works fine. Sounds like not on a Honda Fit, though.. (I selected an Autocraft Silver for mine. Will be interesting to see how it does, since it became discharged this winter, with no charger to charge it back up. Do not loan out your tools, people. Don't do it. You will never see them again. Including high end chargers..)
The only battery that Advance sells in the group 151R that's OEM on the Fit is a Autocraft Gold. I did shoehorn a U1RT Autocraft Silver in there the last time it needed a battery 4.5 years ago. This time around, the 151R was $2 more than the U1RT, so OEM size (and 1 year longer replacement) it was.
And despite being OEM group, it still didn't fit right with the factory hold-down. To get it tight enough, the shim I used to get the shorter U1RT battery tight enough had to be re-used. Oh well.
Back OT.. Since if there is a Gold, there is usually a Silver, and more often than not, the Silver works fine. Sounds like not on a Honda Fit, though.. (I selected an Autocraft Silver for mine. Will be interesting to see how it does, since it became discharged this winter, with no charger to charge it back up. Do not loan out your tools, people. Don't do it. You will never see them again. Including high end chargers..)
The only battery that Advance sells in the group 151R that's OEM on the Fit is a Autocraft Gold. I did shoehorn a U1RT Autocraft Silver in there the last time it needed a battery 4.5 years ago. This time around, the 151R was $2 more than the U1RT, so OEM size (and 1 year longer replacement) it was.
And despite being OEM group, it still didn't fit right with the factory hold-down. To get it tight enough, the shim I used to get the shorter U1RT battery tight enough had to be re-used. Oh well.
Originally Posted By: Brasileno
As to the 1998 K3500 problem, those side-posts are the worst in the world. I hate them. I have to put a 9/32" wrench on at an angle to get mine off now, since a perfect screw rounded off ever so slightly when I had to take battery out to jump another car. Now a possible loose only sometimes condition exists. But to round it off more, finding out? No.. Great vehicle, convert to top post when possible. Easy as that. And there STILL isn't much room where the battery is in there..
Dude. Wiggle the stupid little screw out of the cable. It does come out.
Then go to the hardware store and get an inch long, 3/8" bolt (with 9/16 head, more or less), a lock washer, and a nut. Run the nut all the way up to the head and stick the lock washer on.
Stick this whole shebang into your battery. Finger tighten the bolt head. Now, slip an open end wrench on the nut and tighten that puppy down into the cable. Don't go crazy; you can pull the threads out of the lead in your side terminal.
Now you'll have some boss size bolt heads that fit jumper cables better than the dopey 5/16" stockers.
As to the 1998 K3500 problem, those side-posts are the worst in the world. I hate them. I have to put a 9/32" wrench on at an angle to get mine off now, since a perfect screw rounded off ever so slightly when I had to take battery out to jump another car. Now a possible loose only sometimes condition exists. But to round it off more, finding out? No.. Great vehicle, convert to top post when possible. Easy as that. And there STILL isn't much room where the battery is in there..
Dude. Wiggle the stupid little screw out of the cable. It does come out.
Then go to the hardware store and get an inch long, 3/8" bolt (with 9/16 head, more or less), a lock washer, and a nut. Run the nut all the way up to the head and stick the lock washer on.
Stick this whole shebang into your battery. Finger tighten the bolt head. Now, slip an open end wrench on the nut and tighten that puppy down into the cable. Don't go crazy; you can pull the threads out of the lead in your side terminal.
Now you'll have some boss size bolt heads that fit jumper cables better than the dopey 5/16" stockers.
I like the side posts except for charging, which I can remedy by buying a 34/78 battery instead of a regular 78
Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: Brasileno
As to the 1998 K3500 problem, those side-posts are the worst in the world. I hate them. I have to put a 9/32" wrench on at an angle to get mine off now, since a perfect screw rounded off ever so slightly when I had to take battery out to jump another car. Now a possible loose only sometimes condition exists. But to round it off more, finding out? No.. Great vehicle, convert to top post when possible. Easy as that. And there STILL isn't much room where the battery is in there..
Dude. Wiggle the stupid little screw out of the cable. It does come out.
Then go to the hardware store and get an inch long, 3/8" bolt (with 9/16 head, more or less), a lock washer, and a nut. Run the nut all the way up to the head and stick the lock washer on.
Stick this whole shebang into your battery. Finger tighten the bolt head. Now, slip an open end wrench on the nut and tighten that puppy down into the cable. Don't go crazy; you can pull the threads out of the lead in your side terminal.
Now you'll have some boss size bolt heads that fit jumper cables better than the dopey 5/16" stockers.
I actually sold "battery bolts" today.
I have to check that out.
They are some wimpy bolts, but the truck is bone stock, mostly, so.. whatever was on it in 1994.. is still on it, with little exception.
Originally Posted By: Brasileno
As to the 1998 K3500 problem, those side-posts are the worst in the world. I hate them. I have to put a 9/32" wrench on at an angle to get mine off now, since a perfect screw rounded off ever so slightly when I had to take battery out to jump another car. Now a possible loose only sometimes condition exists. But to round it off more, finding out? No.. Great vehicle, convert to top post when possible. Easy as that. And there STILL isn't much room where the battery is in there..
Dude. Wiggle the stupid little screw out of the cable. It does come out.
Then go to the hardware store and get an inch long, 3/8" bolt (with 9/16 head, more or less), a lock washer, and a nut. Run the nut all the way up to the head and stick the lock washer on.
Stick this whole shebang into your battery. Finger tighten the bolt head. Now, slip an open end wrench on the nut and tighten that puppy down into the cable. Don't go crazy; you can pull the threads out of the lead in your side terminal.
Now you'll have some boss size bolt heads that fit jumper cables better than the dopey 5/16" stockers.
I actually sold "battery bolts" today.
I have to check that out.
They are some wimpy bolts, but the truck is bone stock, mostly, so.. whatever was on it in 1994.. is still on it, with little exception.
Does anyone top off the water in their batteries any more? I'm on my 2nd Honda battery in 14 years. First lasted 9. I typically (realized I haven't this year) pop the top and use a syringe to fill with water. They are typically about half gone after a year. No water, no juice.
Originally Posted By: Yup
Does anyone top off the water in their batteries any more? I'm on my 2nd Honda battery in 14 years. First lasted 9. I typically (realized I haven't this year) pop the top and use a syringe to fill with water. They are typically about half gone after a year. No water, no juice.
Every time I checked any of my batteries they were perfectly full, even an Exide leaked I had that was 6 years old was all the way to the top.
Does anyone top off the water in their batteries any more? I'm on my 2nd Honda battery in 14 years. First lasted 9. I typically (realized I haven't this year) pop the top and use a syringe to fill with water. They are typically about half gone after a year. No water, no juice.
Every time I checked any of my batteries they were perfectly full, even an Exide leaked I had that was 6 years old was all the way to the top.
Originally Posted By: Vikas
4.5 years is reasonable life time of a battery. What are you complaining about?
+1. I just put a new battery in my kids 2009 Civic.
4.5 years is reasonable life time of a battery. What are you complaining about?
+1. I just put a new battery in my kids 2009 Civic.
Originally Posted By: Yup
Does anyone top off the water in their batteries any more? I'm on my 2nd Honda battery in 14 years. First lasted 9. I typically (realized I haven't this year) pop the top and use a syringe to fill with water. They are typically about half gone after a year. No water, no juice.
+1 I do annually. All of the "maintenance free" ones take several ounces of distilled water. But the Honda batteries are undersized IMO.
Does anyone top off the water in their batteries any more? I'm on my 2nd Honda battery in 14 years. First lasted 9. I typically (realized I haven't this year) pop the top and use a syringe to fill with water. They are typically about half gone after a year. No water, no juice.
+1 I do annually. All of the "maintenance free" ones take several ounces of distilled water. But the Honda batteries are undersized IMO.
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