Anyone Got Specs on Subaru OEM Battery CCA's?

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The "85 month" Subaru OEM battery I put in the Forester Aug 13, 2013 went ten toes up this morning in the garage. Car was running perfect and cranking okay up through yesterday. No dome light power locks or anything this morning and showing only 7v on the multimeter.

I do know that Interstate relabels and supplies the OEM Subaru batteries to dealers.

What I'm trying to find out is the CCA rating of the OE so I can maybe get it for less under the Interstate label.
 
I was reading on subaruforester.org that the factory battery for my 18 2.5i manual is a 390CCA ... I belive it by how slow it cranks!
 
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I was reading on subaruforester.org that the factory battery for my 18 2.5i manual is a 390CCA ... I belive it by how slow it cranks!


Yep, just found that on a search here on BITOG. 390 it is.

Dealer parts quoted $122 retail but $98 after pro-rate w/ core. I think I might be able to do better, going to check. Not sure I'll go much higher than 390 though since the car is not driven a whole lot and when it is the trips can be short, i.e. the alternator might not keep a higher CCA unit fully charged under that spotty usage.
 
Any options for a larger battery? I replaced the Element's standard Group 51R (~500CCA) with a Group 24F (~700CCA). 4 years now, still working great.
 
Yep, my 2016 Forester has the OEM Fisher-Price 390cca toy in it as well. Same with the 2012 and 2014 Subaru vehicles I had. You will notice a disturbingly slow sounding engine crank when it's really cold out, even with 0w20 in the sump.

Seems silly to me how Subaru markets them as such great winter vehicles, yet the OEM tires and battery are marginal, as is the HVAC system.
 
Wow, just shopped around (online) and batteries have gotten Stupid Expensive. North of $100 even for low end stuff. Probably going to take the $98 deal the dealership parts dept offered and not worry further. If the car was a daily driver, I'd pony up for more, but through the week it sits in the garage and I commute in a "company" car.
 
Are you a Costco member? You need a Group 35. It will be much less expensive and higher CCA.

I just put a Group 25 in my '13 Outback. Cost me $72, has 640 CCA, and a 42 month full replacement warranty. I can't recall exactly, but the OEM battery was rated far less for CCA. I want to say it was 480?
 
My friend had Subaru change out his battery under warranty to a larger CCA battery. Its a joke of a factory battery to be sold in Canada.
 
years ago my friends new mustang a small V-6 refused to start + just clicked when it got really cold + being parked outside on a windy hill did not help!! it had a 390 CCA in it, luckily i found a 525 CCA to fit the small OE battery box!! OE save $$$ as well as lb's with cheap small weak batteries that work best in hotter climates but not in the cold, for every degree under the CCA test temp the CCA drops making a weak battery even weaker even if its new!!!
 
I just put in an Odessey group 25 with 850 CCA. Couldn't be happier and I'm not worried about the cost. The stock battery would die if you used the auto hatch while loading and unloading, lame! Dealer said the car must be running to use anything electrical, double lame!
 
Originally Posted By: FastLane
My friend had Subaru change out his battery under warranty to a larger CCA battery. Its a joke of a factory battery to be sold in Canada.


Same thing happened to my SIL's 2016 Forester while under warranty. I'm not sure of the CCA rating of the replacement battery though.
 
Originally Posted By: LoneRanger
Originally Posted By: Miller88
I was reading on subaruforester.org that the factory battery for my 18 2.5i manual is a 390CCA ... I belive it by how slow it cranks!


Yep, just found that on a search here on BITOG. 390 it is.

Dealer parts quoted $122 retail but $98 after pro-rate w/ core. I think I might be able to do better, going to check. Not sure I'll go much higher than 390 though since the car is not driven a whole lot and when it is the trips can be short, i.e. the alternator might not keep a higher CCA unit fully charged under that spotty usage.



If it fits in your battery tray the alternator will keep up.
 
But an Odyssey Battery in it. All theirs have nice CCA in the same size as original OEM because of their Virgin Lead and tighter spacing.
 
I think group 35 and group 26r fit.

Sams club has some pretty good prices, otherwise its hard to beat AAP with coupon code.


Absolutely dont worry about the battery not being fully charged by the alternator.
That will happen with any size battery.. a bigger battery is not a liability.
 
If it sits throughout the week, it may discharge a bit from having lower capacity and little charging unless you have a battery tender. A bit more capacity might be better.
 
The Subaru OEM replacement made by Interstate is now 550 CCA w/ 30 month free replace, just finished fetching it (with the other car) and putting it in. For no more than the old Forester gets used this should be fine.
 
Lots of options at Pep Boys for Group 35 right now for Black Friday weekend the Bosch batteries are especially good buys with 35% discount code and stackable rebate.

PB Group 35 Link

Personally the Bosch AGM with 650 CC8 & 4 year free replacement warranty would be my pick at $93.49 after discount & rebate. Second pick Bosch flooded design for $70.99 with 585 CCA & 3 year free replacement warranty after discount & rebate.
 
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I think you are right Nygotha. The Bosch AGM battery is the way to go. Group 35 with 650 CCA and 110 min reserve capacity. Rather stout for a group 35.
 
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