Walmart Everstart Maxx Battery Fails After 20-Mo

[The Critic]

I had the Saturn at Pep Boys for some diagnostic work and at the same time, they performed a battery test. They used a Midtronics Conductance tester to perform the test. Here were the results:

Battery Test:

Voltage: 12.52v
Measured CCA: 504CCA
Rated CCA: 690CCA

There are also two graphs here. They are both labeled "SOC" and go from 0 to 100%. One graph reads around 20% while the other reads about 75%. I have no idea what they are measuring. State of Charge? If so, why are they both different? Anyway, after the graphs, the receipt reads "REPLACE BATTERY. BATTERY FAILS TO PASS AN INDUSTRY ACCEPTED TEST AND MAY FAIL TO START THE VEHICLE."

Starter Test:

Cranking: Normal
Crank Time: 595MS

There's also a XY graph printed here. The Y-Axis goes from 6 to 14v, and the x-axis graphs the voltage used during the 595MS period.

Charging System:

No Problems
No Load: 14.03v
Load: 13.87v
Ripple Normal

This time there's a bar graph showing the voltage under four different conditions: idle no load, rev no load, idle under load, rev under load. All of the readings were above minimum, so the charging system checked out OK.

I was very surprised that my battery failed the test. I had never experienced any starting problems. The battery is a Walmart Everstart Maxx 75-N that wast purchased in June 2007. The production date was April 2007. Luckily, it was still under the 36-month free replacement warranty so I drove straight to Walmart TLE and gave them the news. They tested the battery with their handheld Midtronics tester and arrived at the same conclusion: the battery needed to be replaced. A technician swapped out the battery for me in the parking lot and I was back on the road in 45 minutes. I was impressed by Walmart's service and attitude toward the problem, but the battery's quality is disappointing.

Have any of you experienced a similar problem with the Everstart Maxx batteries?

 

[SuperDave456]

I live in Texas. Mild winters, most of the time, and scorching summers.

From my family's experience, Father, Uncle, and myself. Walmart batteries only last about 24 months. Not bad for the price, but yes, disappointing.

My Wife's 2004 Xterra battery was replaced last month for the first time. 4 years of daily service. My father and Uncle usually replace their battery every 24 months by the clock. I usually wait till the thing fails. We will see how this battery lasts.

I have no idea if any other brands will last.

 

[Ramblin Fever]

My Rodeo killed a walmart battery in 3 weeks, no kidding.

Have used 2 Interstate batteries in this truck before, both have lasted at/near 5yrs.

 

[The Critic]

CR rated my battery a "best buy" in the 75 Group size. Maybe I got a dud, who knows.

 

[paulo57509]

Who manufactures Everstart batteries? From what I've read, there are only a handful of battery manufacturers that make batteries for different retailers.

 

[wirelessF]

Either you got an Exide (with it's round-cornered vent covers) or a Johnson Controls battery (with the diagonal-cornered vent covers.) Taking a closer look at the labels will show what manufacturer it came from.

I'm sure those duds are Exides.

100th post baby!

 

[paulo57509]

I think there's an Exide in my Legend. It's been in there since I got the car in 2000. It's just now starting to sulfate really bad. It's all over the hold down strap and bolts.

 

[mechtech2]

I bought a 'Neverstart' from Walmart recently. No problems yet or expected.
Consumer's Digest rated them highly.
I think yours was a dud - an oddball.
I thought they were JOhnson made, maybe yours was the problematic Exide, as mentioned.
But the battery must be slow and fully charged for any test to be valid. Did anyone take the time to do this?

 

[SZR48207]

I think whether your WM has Exide or JC batteries is dependent on the region?

My local WM carries Exide brand, which I refuse to buy after I worked in the battery industry for a while.

Stick with Johnson Controls and save yourself from service hassles. Install it and forget it.

 

[The Critic]

The battery was a Johnson Control one.

Mechtech: The battery does not need to be fully charged in order to perform a conductance test.

 

[JHZR2]

I'm suprised your pep boys did a charging system test on the car. The idiots at mine said I had to take my alternator off the car.

Out of curiosity, how long does the car sit at any one time, and how long of a drive is your typical use?

I'd stick an ammeter in series with the battery when everything is turned off - report your parasitic draw back to us. It may provide valuable insight.

Also, how is the drive belt and tensioner? You can't move moles of electrons without providing sufficient mechanical input.

 

[Cutehumor]

I had a walmart everstart battery, it failed in less than two years. this back in 2007. never again. sticking with duralast for now on.

 

[Colt45ws]

I just dropped a Everstart MAXX 65 in to my vic after my OE Motorcraft failed on a Midtronics tester. We shall see.

 

[JayhawkRoy]

Should do fine. Have a 5 yr old Group 65 Maxx in my 95 F350 Crew. Truck gets started about once every two weeks or less. Has been doing fine for the whole time I owned the battery.

At one time, CR did notice a difference in the Northern and Southern versions of the same battery, with the Northern one being stronger and better, by their tests.

 

[Donald]

The Everstart battery in my 2001 Jeep Cherokee has a cover for the cells that is just one long flat cover from one end of the battery to the other end, but does have kind of a tab at each end. Any ideas on who made this battery?

 

[NYEngineer]

I bet if you find the build date on the battery and do the math from your purchase date, that thing sat on a shelf or in a warehouse for a while in between.

 

[Colt45ws]

Thats why I grabbed one that said "DEC 08" on it.

 

[SZR48207]

Originally Posted By: Donald
The Everstart battery in my 2001 Jeep Cherokee has a cover for the cells that is just one long flat cover from one end of the battery to the other end, but does have kind of a tab at each end. Any ideas on who made this battery?


Delphi. They thought it was a clever idea to go with permanent vent caps a.k.a non-serviceable battery.

As far as I can remember, GM factory OEM Delphi batteries were trouble, especially because of the side-posts. (Leaks)

 

[brianl703]

Delphi no longer makes batteries. They sold that business to Johnson Controls. Johnson Controls didn't keep the Delphi-designed batteries in production; in fact they closed the Delphi plant.

As a result, AC Delco batteries are now mostly made by Johnson Controls with the removeable vent caps.

I say "mostly" because there are some AC Delco batteries out there (the 60 series) that are apparently (1) made in Korea by Delkor and (2) of poor quality. They look nothing like Johnson Controls batteries and do not appear to have removeable vent caps.

 

[eljefino]

I have the saturn size maxx yellow in both my cars, approx 4 & 5 years old, no issues whatsoever. I go with the "dud" theory.