Replace battery every 3 years - needed or not?

[Ed_Flecko]

I'm listening to the AGCO Auto podcast and the hosts says he replaces (and recommends) replacing a battery, faithfully, every three years, whether he thinks he needs to or not.

The host says that as your battery slowly but naturally discharges, it's putting an increasing load on your alternator in order to maintain the electrical demands of the system. He also says by proactively replacing your battery, you're saving wear and tear on your alternator, starter, and the entire electrical system.

I'm not sure I believe all of this - I think he might be overstating the potential problems.

Thoughts?

Ed

 

[LotI]

In CA, probably not.

I've replaced batteries whether they need it or not every 5 years from manufacture in pretty severe temps in WI. I take care of my batteries though and my cars get driven 36k/yr and they're always maintained. If I'm home for the weekend with no plans to go out I put the GTI on a charger. My E450 only does 5k/yr and has a NOCO charger on it 24/7. Never an issue. My motorcycle batteries even last more than 5 years!

Ron, the Car Doctor, also says 3 years and he's in NJ with a lot of customers in the Northeast.

These podcast hosts deal with problem cars and a lot of today's issues are battery related so their advice is sound. If you spend $100-$200 every 3 years on a battery it may save you from hours of diagnostic work at $100/hour.

 

[Tdog02]

It really depends on how you use your battery. Short trips and high temps will kill most batteries very quickly. Discharge to dead and you may not get it back. Older vehicles I wouldn't worry about that but the newer ones where everything is computer controlled... it makes sense. However, I've given up on having everything new on a vehicle. I look for reliability, durability, longevity in parts I replace. I routinely get max life from a battery, even lead acid. 6-10 years easy in most cases. My wife can kill a battery in 2 years no problem at all.

So to answer your question it is all in the usage and upkeep of your current vehicle as to how long the battery will make it. If you have the money then a new one every three years is no big deal, I have to pinch a few pennies to pay bills so I go longer.

 

[2010Civic]

That is so stupid. The battery probably costs just as much as the alternator. I replaced my battery last summer after 7 years. That means I saved an entire battery, plus some.

Also not very "green" to replace something that is working fine. Especially a lead acid battery.

 

[Wolf359]

Kind of a nut job. Mine is 11 years old, an AGM battery. I just replaced my alternator at a bit around 90k which I think is about the average life of an alternator. About $300 for it installed. My AGM battery is $140+. So based on 3 years, I'd probably be on battery #3 and ready for #4 soon. Plus the alternator is a lifetime warranty one so when it goes again, less than $100 to get it installed. So it's cheaper to replace alternators than batteries. Usually the voltage regulator or bearings wear out on the alternator so changing out the battery early doesn't really save anything.

Oh yeah, you can load test a battery to see if it's good. It's stupid to replace something if it tests out fine. Also stupid to replace something without testing it first.

 

[Hall]

You have those folks out there that believe it's better to replace something that's working perfectly fine and they justify it on the basis of "it won't leave me stranded" or "not work when I need it to". You'll never change their minds and they often try and convince you that their way is "right".

 

[addyguy]

Absolute rubbish. Some may die earlier than others, but run it until dead. Got the original battery in the Soul, and yeah, its weak, but works for now.

When it will not take a charge, will change it out.

 

[Bear]

Seems a waste of $. I load test mine a couple of times a year and have had batteries last eight to 11 years ( OEM Delco battery on my 1999 Dodge Dakota).
But I know a guy who changes his oil every 3,000 on his vehicle using Mobil 1.

 

[wrcsixeight]

That recommendation is both contemptible and ridiculous.

An Aged battery only requires a fractional amount more amperage than a new battery to be held at the same voltage.

And if the newer battery were unintentionally discharged, it would demand much more amperage from the alternator than the aged battery to be brought and held to the same voltage.

The misunderstanding of the realtionshop between voltage and amperage that a battery can accept, by most every mechanic, is a bit infuriating when I see these asinine recommendtions by people who simply do not understand, who have never seens an ammeter and what a battery can accept at different voltages and different states of charge.

While short trip driving will never be able to fully recharge a depeted battery, the actualy amount of electricity used to start a modern fuel injected engine takes less than a minute for an alternator which is commaded by its voltage regulator, to bring the battery over 14 volts after starting.

i am apporaching 6 years of age on an AGM battery with over 1000 deep cycles, many thousnads of engine starts.

achieving excellent battery longevity is ALL about proper prompt recharging to full.

Heat does of course play a role, but batteries are murdered by living chronically undercharged, and this is usually becuse of timid voltage regulation, and the fact it takes no less than 3.5 hours, it higher voltages, for an healthy 80% charged battery to get to 100%. This cannot be sped up safely. It is a simple fact of lead acid batteries. No less than 3.5 hours required under ideal voltages to get from 80% to 100% charged, and ideal voltages for fastest recharging are in the mid to high 14's with a 77F battery.

The battery accepts what it wants at the voltage allowed by the voltage regulator, and the closer to full it is, the less amperage it accepts, or to look at it a bit differently, the less amperage is required to maintain that constant voltage.

A aged battery below 80% state of charge will require less amperage from teh alternator to maintin charging voltages, compared to a new one.

The new battery near 100% state of charge will require less amperage than the older one to be held at higher voltages, but the difference is an only 1 to 3 amps, unless there is a shorted cell.

1 amp at 14 volts is 14 watts. Many cell phones will accept 14 watts when charging .
Gee better not try and charge your cell phone while driving as it will overload the alternator.

Freaking ridiculous!!

 

[GZRider]

The concern in modern cars with a failing battery is that one failing do to a leaking cell or a partial internal short can still provide enough power to start the vehicle but will produce too much interference aka 'noise" for the ECU, TCU and some sensors to function properly and can damage/destroy them. Like a computer but with wheels.

 

[blupupher]

Depends on your location.
Down south, 4 years is good for any battery. 5 is really good.
3 years is way to soon regardless of where you live.

 

[spk2000]

Idiot afraid of a dead battery like it's a life threatening situation. It can be in dire circumstances but normally is not.
I have a Walmart battery in my Grand Marquis that is dated 4/12. 7 years and it's a regular Walmart battery. Not the Valu line but mid grade.
Grand Marquis is 96 on original alternator with over 200,000 miles so don't believe these stories. I cannot remember who but there are Youtube videos that did some testing of alternators and disproved this theory as well.

 

[Randy_R]

I got nine years out of two different Delco bought from dealer, not retail or parts store. Sold seven year old 88 Celebrity with original battery. Never lost a starter or alternator.

 

[Ursatdx]

2011 Tundra and OEM battery.
Never opened, starts fine and zero corrosion.

 

[Whipcitywrencher]

Replace when necessary.
How do you replace a 5 yr warranty battery in 3 yrs ?

 

[Chris142]

I replace mine at the first sign of trouble like a slow crank.

 

[Dinoburner]

Have a `06 Honda rancher and a 06 Kubota L5030 with the original batteries, having said that these rigs don`t leave the property very often.
.

 

[Hall]

Originally Posted by rollinpete
How do you replace a 5 yr warranty battery in 3 yrs ?
You pay out of pocket, no warranty claim involved. Now, I'm sure that some will take the battery back to the store they bought it from and cross their fingers when it's tested and hope it doesn't meet the threshold.

 

[Whipcitywrencher]

Originally Posted by hallstevenson
Originally Posted by rollinpete
How do you replace a 5 yr warranty battery in 3 yrs ?
You pay out of pocket, no warranty claim involved. Now, I'm sure that some will take the battery back to the store they bought it from and cross their fingers when it's tested and hope it doesn't meet the threshold.


Yup, exactly.

 

[NO2]

We do ours every 5 years whether needed or not. We've never needed one.