Honda OEM battery still good after 7 years

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My wife's 03 Acura 3.2TL (purchased in June of 2002) is on the original battery with no signs of any problems. We are planning on keeping the car at least another year, and I predict I won't have to replace the battery before the car gets traded in.

Or at least it wouldn't have had to be replaced if I hadn't been so cocky as to tempt fate by posting this.
 
I just replaced the original battery (Panasonic) in my wifes '01 RX-300 today. The original battery seemed a bit weak and I didn't want to chance it any longer as winter is arriving. Although,(read my message just posted today), I have a CEL and VSC lights displaying on the dash after the replacement. Replaced the original battery with an Advance Auto Parts(AUTOCRAFT TITANIUM) exact replacement(the larger of the two listed). This battery Date of MFG is 8-08. AUTOCRAFT batterys also have the Silver and Economy in both the smaller and larger sizes. I chose the top of the line Titanium. 3 year free replacement and in excess of 800ca and somewhere in the neighborhood of 700cca. Or did I get that backwards? Anyway, the starter noticeably turns over more quickely now! The battery wasn't on sale but ADV Auto is really close to where I live, installed it in about 10 minutes and it's just more convienient. Could have gotten an EVERSTART MAXX from Wal*Mart for about $20.00 less but wasn't worth the driving distance or waiting for someone to install it. I usually install my own batteries but this was just too easy and I didn't have to return to the store to get back my core charge.
 
My DIY check:
Start engine.
Turn on headlights(high beams), dome light, radio(CD or tape), heater fan, A/C, glove box light, emergency flashers, push in cigar lighter: put car in gear with foot on brake.
If the idiot light doesn't light or 'charge' meter still shows good, the alternator is OK.
Doesn't tell you much about the battery itself though.
 
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I got 9 years out of the Motorcraft (made by Johnson Controls) OEM battery in my 95 Ranger. It didn't go bad. The hold down rusted and the battery went flying and broke the casing. Still worked!! But it leaked. got another JC battery.

The Panasonic batteries in Hondas/Toyotas are pretty common in Japanese made models. Good batteries, but just about impossible to find in the US. JC or Delphi/Delco make excellent replacements.
 
The only problem with buying battery at Advance Auto Parts is if you need services and you're on vacation in the west coast, then you will be on your own because there are no Advance Auto Parts around to exchange/replace the failed battery. The same for buying battery for all auto parts chain, no chain has stores in all lower 48 states.

On the other hands, Walmart is everywhere so that you can get battery services anywhere you go.
 
The factory Honda battery will easily last 7 years as long as you add some water once a year.

Japan or USA...you will eventually have trans problems.... V6 auto
 
I always chuckle at these battery discussions. Each to their own, I guess. But someone asked earlier about any signs of impending failure - slow starting, etc. No is the answer.

I guess everybody values their time differently. To me, simply not worth the aggravation of having the battery die at possibly the least opportune time! Or getting a phone call from a very angry wife who is stranded from a dead battery.

In my book, if the original battery gives me 5-6 years here in Maine, I call it good & replace the battery. Problem solved.
 
Chrysler-branded battery I pulled out of my Cherokee this year was 9 years and a few months old. Was getting hard to crank and eventually the battery cracked (!) and leaked, obviously requiring replacement.

Replaced it with an OEM Johnson Controls, which I suspect will outlast my ownership of the Jeep (but maybe not).
 
Sometimes you will get lucky with batteries,but I would bet you won't get the same mileage out of the next one,even if it is the same brand.
I would change it out before it leaves you stranded.
 
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Most of the American made Hondas of that vintage had Delphi batteries. They weren't very good, most only last about 2-3 years. Japan sourced cars mostly came with Panasonic batteries. Excellent batteries, usually last 5+ years - sometimes 10 or 12 years. Honda quit using OEM Delphi batteries a couple years ago, now they're mostly sourced by Johnson Controls. The new MDX has a strange seemingly no name battery, it could quite possibly be Chinese (has lot's of Chinese characters printed on it)

Honda and Acura branded replacement batteries are made by Interstate. No problems with them, I've had one in my car for 4 years. Interstate is my personal choice for replacement batteries, I've had nothing but good luck with them. Die Hard is also pretty good, not a fan of Exide batteries.
 
Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
Most of the American made Hondas of that vintage had Delphi batteries. They weren't very good, most only last about 2-3 years. Japan sourced cars mostly came with Panasonic batteries. Excellent batteries, usually last 5+ years - sometimes 10 or 12 years. Honda quit using OEM Delphi batteries a couple years ago, now they're mostly sourced by Johnson Controls. The new MDX has a strange seemingly no name battery, it could quite possibly be Chinese (has lot's of Chinese characters printed on it)

Honda and Acura branded replacement batteries are made by Interstate. No problems with them, I've had one in my car for 4 years. Interstate is my personal choice for replacement batteries, I've had nothing but good luck with them. Die Hard is also pretty good, not a fan of Exide batteries.


Are you sure the characters aren't Japanese? Also, aren't Interstate batteries also made by Johnson Controls?
 
Originally Posted By: asiancivicmaniac
Are you sure the characters aren't Japanese? Also, aren't Interstate batteries also made by Johnson Controls?

It doesn't mean that Johnson Controls builds every battery to the same specifications.
 
Originally Posted By: AcuraTech
Honda quit using OEM Delphi batteries a couple years ago, now they're mostly sourced by Johnson Controls


As of sometime last year Delphi no longer makes batteries. Johnson Controls acquired Delphi's battery business. AC Delco batteries are now made by Johnson Controls using the same design as other Johnson Controls batteries.

I don't think they make any batteries using the Delphi design anymore. In fact Johnson Controls closed the Delphi battery plant (in NJ, I believe).


There is a Korean subsidiary of Delphi called Delkor that made batteries for AC Delco, unknown if these are still available. They were the cheap 5-year batteries. I've not heard good things about them.
 
iirc, our 1998 CRV had an original Panasonic (with the little window in it) when we got it in 2005. I replaced it for the heck of it. Like I've said, cranking at zero f is borderline w/ the normal sized Honda battery.
 
Car batteries aren't an item that I've ever had trouble with. I did have one battery blow up underneath the hood of my 69 Biscayne and I had to replace it but that was back in the early to mid '70's when I was just a teen. If I bought a 5 year battery, I got at least 5 years out of it and sometimes 7+ years. I used to buy the cheapest batteries for my vehicles and run them til they quit. They seemed to last their rating and then some. Now, I replace them earlyier just because I don't like being inconvienenced. Im not strapped for cash as I was earlier in my growing years(just married, raising kids and saving for a house). Now I just want to relax and wait for grandchildren to arrive.
 
Funny, I just replaced the OEM battery in our '00 Civic last weekend. 175k miles. Never had a problem with it, until it needed a jump after sitting out in the sub 30 degree temps last week. My wife isn't particularly adventurous when it comes to whether or not her car will start so I replaced it. No problems since.

jeff
 
I just replaced the battery in my car, it was starting to crank slower, etc. Isn't running a mediocre battery hard on the alternator as its always trying to charge the [censored] battery?
I imagine in southern climates you could have a terrible battery that still started your car every day, especially on a 1.6L Honda. Up here a -5F start tells you pretty quick how healthy your battery is.
Ian
 
My original battery in the 01 Lexus was cranking a bit slower and often the clock in dash would go back to 1:00 am just after a cold start. From what I have read(not in the OM)on some Lexus boards, when the clock returns to 1:00, this is a sign that the battery is getting weak. This happened last winter too but never failed to start.
 
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