2009 Honda Fit battery dilemma

[sciphi]

So the battery on our Fit looks like it's dying. It's cranking hard on starts after it's been sitting for a while, like 20 minutes to a few days. It's done this for a while, and gotten progressively worse. With the weather finally turning colder, I'm now looking at batteries for it. Looking at the Fit boards, it's common for the OEM battery to die after 2-3 years. So ours is due. And surprise, surprise, there's no locally available replacement battery! The nearest Honda dealer is about 80 miles away, and they might not have one in stock either.

The stocker has the following dimensions:
~7 1/4"L
4 7/8"W
9"H

It looks like a Miata battery might fit. The dimensions on the Miata battery are: 8 1/4"L, 5 3/16"W, 7 3/16"H. CCA and reserve capacity are similar enough where it doesn't matter. More importantly, it is available locally.

Try it out or hold off?

 

[simple_gifts]

Did you make sure the terminals are not loose?

2-3 years on original battery; I have never heard this.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Did you make sure the terminals are not loose?

2-3 years on original battery; I have never heard this.

Quite common, I've seen a lot of used cars that are 2 yrs old that have had new batteries installed as well.

What is the battery size?

 

[brentalan]

Can you perform a specific gravity test, or take it to a parts store to have it load tested? Then you'll have a better sense of the health of that battery.

 

[sciphi]

I tightened the terminals this summer. It was beginning to start hard then.

Group size is 151R. No other car in North America other than the Fit takes it.

It's going to the local Advance tomorrow evening when I get off of work. The folks up there are pretty good. Otherwise, my neighbor's cousin has a shop around here, and may test it for a nominal fee.

 

[mopar_monkey]

factory honda batterys don't last,i am a honda tech and can say you are in the normal window of replacement, get an interstate battery, they hold up better then anything else in hondas, hondas are hard on battery's due to the way the charging/voltage regulator system is in these vehicles.

 

[dparm]

^ My OEM Panasonic battery in my Integra lasted nearly 8 years.


And don't be a sucker to brand names on batteries, there's virtually no difference among the three manufacturers. When my OEM Panny died, I used a rebranded-Deka instead.

See if Batteries Plus is near you, they can get almost any battery.

 

[The Critic]

ADvanced auto shows one for $106

 

[HTSS_TR]

S2000 uses battery 51 (51R is reverse terminal of 51). Walmart, Costco, Sam Clubs, Pep Boys, O'Reilly ... have it.

 

[SLCraig]

The group 75 Honda factory batteries suck. I am seriously debating changing mine and just getting it over with before it leaves me stranded somewhere...

 

[mopar_monkey]

Originally Posted By: dparm
^ My OEM Panasonic battery in my Integra lasted nearly 8 years.


And don't be a sucker to brand names on batteries, there's virtually no difference among the three manufacturers. When my OEM Panny died, I used a rebranded-Deka instead.

See if Batteries Plus is near you, they can get almost any battery.


sounds like you got lucky, my dealership sells 15 to 20 battery's everyday and bettery's from johnson controls seem to hold up best, that's why honda uses them for their replacement battery's and gives a 100 mo warranty, but if you buy interstate (same battery) you get the largest nation wide dealer network to replace it if you need to replace one under warranty. when your away from home and your battery kicks the bucket you'll appreciate having so many places to get a replacement from.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
S2000 uses battery 51 (51R is reverse terminal of 51). Walmart, Costco, Sam Clubs, Pep Boys, O'Reilly ... have it.


The 51R is 2" too wide. The Fit has a ton of junk on the positive cable that would have no place to go. Honda decided they'd wedge the battery between the driver's side headlight and the airbox. Poor packaging decision.

My neighbor's cousin's shop is an Interstate battery dealer, and Interstate does sell a Group 151R battery. I'll be asking him, too.

 

[mopar_monkey]

besides this how do you like your fit? it also has the dunlop tires that only last 20k mi, after you take care of these two issues they are pretty good cars.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Did you make sure the terminals are not loose?

2-3 years on original battery; I have never heard this.

Quite common, I've seen a lot of used cars that are 2 yrs old that have had new batteries installed as well.

What is the battery size?


Yes, the more electrified the vehicles get, the shorter the battery life.

My mother's 97 plymouth with all manual stuff and no frills still has its original battery.

My 04 Saab with lots of electro-gadetry gave up its battery after 4 years, and Im careful not to use the battery.

Anyone who uses dome lights or radio with the car off, etc., is causing the battery to be used, and Pb-acid has a very finite use life.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: dparm
^ My OEM Panasonic battery in my Integra lasted nearly 8 years.


The panasonic in our 94 previa lasted 11 and we swapped it proactively with no signs of it being weak. The Duralast gold that came after was shot after 5.

Panasonic batteries seem to me to be quite good.

 

[sciphi]

Originally Posted By: mopar_monkey
besides this how do you like your fit? it also has the dunlop tires that only last 20k mi, after you take care of these two issues they are pretty good cars.


We really like ours! We ditched the OEM tires at about 25k miles for some Continental ExtremeContact DWS's in +0 size. The gas mileage wasn't affected, and the ride/road noise improved nicely.

We love the massive amount of cargo room it has, and how easy everything is to operate in the cabin. It's low-tech, and that's okay with us. It handles well, brakes well, and goes all right too, despite the slushbox. Gas mileage has been right around 30-31 mpg with a leadfoot digital driver. Highway trips see about 37-40 mpg.

We needed to change the ATF in the transmission a few times to Maxlife ATF to get the shifting right. It shifted just awfully on Z1. On Maxlife ATF the shifts are fast and firm, not slow and shaky like it was on the factory Z1.

So far, it's been solidly reliable mechanically. This battery thing is the only "unexpected repair" issue we've had so far.

 

[Jim 5]

Originally Posted By: mopar_monkey
factory honda batterys don't last,i am a honda tech and can say you are in the normal window of replacement, get an interstate battery, they hold up better then anything else in hondas, hondas are hard on battery's due to the way the charging/voltage regulator system is in these vehicles.


We've had 2 replacement batteries under warranty on our '09 Odyssey. Meanwhile, the original on our '03 TL bought in '02 lasted until 2009. The old Honda batteries were Panasonics, and the new are garbage.

 

[dparm]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Originally Posted By: The Critic
Originally Posted By: simple_gifts
Did you make sure the terminals are not loose?

2-3 years on original battery; I have never heard this.

Quite common, I've seen a lot of used cars that are 2 yrs old that have had new batteries installed as well.

What is the battery size?


Yes, the more electrified the vehicles get, the shorter the battery life.

My mother's 97 plymouth with all manual stuff and no frills still has its original battery.

My 04 Saab with lots of electro-gadetry gave up its battery after 4 years, and Im careful not to use the battery.

Anyone who uses dome lights or radio with the car off, etc., is causing the battery to be used, and Pb-acid has a very finite use life.




Again, my 2005 S4 (electronics up the wazoo) with a build date of July 2004 *finally* needed a new battery. The OEM was a Varta made by Johnson Controls. I think that 7 1/2 years and 65k in Illinois/Wisconsin is pretty impressive, especially given the mind-boggling amount of electronics in this car.

Granted, it uses a group 49 which is colossal but still...it comes down to how well the car is designed. Poor engineering will result in a lot of parasitic draw.

 

[ARB1977]

Our CRV is about due. We bought it used.

 

[91344George]

Brand names don't matter much it is more important to know which manufacturer supplies that brand...

Any traditional wet cell from JCI Johnson Controls Inc, will be a very good choice, Advance Auto Parts, Interstate, AutoZone, and a number of other brands are made by JCI you may have to ask or call customer service to confirm the mfr of the battery.

OP:

Have you checked to see if your bumper 2 bumper covers the battery SOMETIMES they do, but you have to read your manual to find out.