Lifespan of the stock battery

[LibertyFever]

This weekend I replaced my Libby's battery because last summer I drained it dead once too often (poor EVIC wiring ) and now it doesn't turn over all that well. After I pulled out the old one I realized that it was the original installed at the factory, six years old.

Other than the Optima brands just what is the typical lifespan of a stock Libby battery? I've heard a lot of small electronic related issues can be traced back to a weak battery.

 

[LibertyTC]

Stop the drain if you still got one.
Weird stuff does happen when battery gets weak and allowed to fully drain, shortens lifespan dramatically. My advice is once a battery reaches 2 years, get it checked on a annual basis before winter, by having a load test done. Then you will know if the battery will make it through a cold winter. I will use an automatic 10 amp charger 2x per month for 6 hours to bring my batteries up to speed. They like that, and will extend lifespan of batteries greatly! If your battery has removable caps, keep any eye of fluid level and add distilled water to the battery if needed, do not overfill.
My 04 Kj was purchased with full history in July08 and the previous owner had not used the vehicle much with 36k miles in 48months. They probably never charged it, and the original battery had just been changed to a new one, so it lasted 46 months.
The best battery is an Odyssey PC-1500 DT for replacement.

 

[kj924]

My battery is stock and will be 6 years old in May. A battery should last 6-8 years, depending on how well you look after it and maintain it's charging system.

 

[moparman]

Only way to check a battery is with a hydrometer after it is fully charged. That is if there are caps you can open. If you have an alarm, that is your drain. For some reason battery failures are rather sudden in modern cars. I do not believe that Optimas are superior. A friend of mine had 2 of them in his Porsche with constant starting problems over the long term that did not go away until he went to a conventional battery. Battery failures are caused by the constant deterioration of the lead plates in the acid solution. The lead flakes fall to the bottom. There is a gap between the bottom of the plates and the bottom of the battery to allow the flakes to build up without shorting the plates. When the plates get shorted by the flakes that cell goes bad. "Deep cycle" batteries have a bigger gap between tha plates and the bottom. Sometimes a large flake can get stuck between the plates with out falling and there is your battery failure. Other times batteries will fail because the flakes in the bottom build up and short out the cell when you hit a big bump. A battery with one bad cell is hard to notice with a good alternator (which we do have in our Libertys) it will start and run all day until the vehicle sits for a couple days. A battery with 2 bad cells is usually a no start. Conventional batteries are vertical plates with a acid/water solution, Optima batteries are spiral plates with a acid/gel solution. I already changed the battery in my 2006 a few months ago when the battery light stayed on a few seconds longer than normal when starting it one night. Being mindful of the battery failures I have had in my Neons (295K miles between 2 of them) I was at the parts store the next morning. Between my Neons and my Jeep, the failures (didn't give the Jeep a chance to fail) were about 3 1/2 years like clockwork. electrical noise from the battery has caused a few erroneus PCM and BCM replacements. I got my education on electrical noise on a "analog" car back in the 70's on my Mom's 69 Chevy. It had a strange miss and intermittent hesitation. After I went through the carb, distributor, coil, wiring, fuel pump & filter, it was the battery replacement that corrected it.

 

[moparman]

Seeing KJ924's post, I am reminded that everybody's cars and batteries will be different. Anybody that works at a place that sells batteries probably replaces a lot under warranty. I know I did. Which leads me to believe that battery manufacturing is an inexact science. Ask anyone at Exide, lol!

 

[TAHOE]

Which leads me to believe that battery manufacturing is an inexact science. Ask anyone at Exide, lol!

I don't think it's maufacturing, I think it relates to type of use form vehicle. My dad had one in his 86 chevy truck, factory battery lasted 11 yrs. I've known other people with a lot of accessories replace one every 4-5 yrs. Most batteries should last close to their rated months.... just my $.02

 

[J-Thompson]

who cares how long they should last
I figure that they sure dont cost $100 to make so I try to get my $$$ worth
I buy Interstate bateries ,most small shops through out the country sell them
which makes warranty claims easy
Then when they are between 20 and 24 months ,their free replacement period
I leave the lights on
then bring the car to a shop tell them how I had to jump it to get it started
they will put in a new battery which will have a 24 month warranty from that day
I did this twice in the KJ and ,3 batteries, and once in the TJ
I will be getting another new battery for the TJ soon

 

[kj924]

Short commuting, especially in the winter, will mean a short battery life.

I live in a small town, and in the winter when you need the heater on, the rear defogger, headlights, and your drive to work is like 10 mins...batteries will not last long in those conditions. Same as brake pads.....when I turned wrenches for a living, I seen many vehicles come back after a year with the pads worn out...needing replacement....only because we live in a small town where you are constantly on the brakes for lights, stop signs, people turning. Now highway driving is a different animal all together...brakes, batteries, exhaust...the consumables...will last twice as long.

 

[offrovering]

unfortunately most batteries are picky. I like interstate batteries for the money. However you can never use the time frame as an exact science, keep checking it. I put a brand new interstate in my rover six months ago, recently I had some slow starts, ****** shifting, other general power things, turned out the battery was completely bad.

 

[diyman]

Also, it's only my opinion, our kj's charging system doesn't seem to be an heavyweight....but yes, that may
be due to our (low quality) s**t batteries...

6 Years !!!!!!????? (bowdown) I know this should be the norm, but here..... 2 years IF YOU ARE REALLY BLESSED !

Warm weather kills batteries as much as chill... but I still go for it!!!

 

[ptsb5a]

Factory battery toughed out four brutal winters. I replaced it last fall to save me some headache in the middle of January at -40C. Four and a half years isn't too bad for a factory batt. I mean, of all places to save a few bucks during the manufacturing process, the battery is probably one place they cheap out.

 

[brucebotti]

Seems like all automotive batteries are a crapshoot. I had a new 1991 Taurus SHO that the original battery lasted 13 months. I have a battery now in my 1974 TVR, that was purchased in 1994. The car sits 95% of the time including the winter. It has only had to be recharged twice in all that time. The only thing I do to help, is to have a battery cutout switch that I use religiously.
Bruce

 

[kbooneKJ]

Haha I just checked my battery and it's a stock from 2003. It must still be ok cuz I sit in it listening to music for hours at a time and it hasn't gone dead. I will replace it this summer before it strands me somehwere though

 

[LibertyFever]

Wow, guys I never thought this would be such a popular topic. Thanks for all your feedback.

What you're saying is so true, there are far too many variables to guess just how long your battery, stock or aftermarket, will last. I was just curious how many of you were still riding with your stock batteries.

As a footnote I replaced my six year old stock 600 CCA battery with a two year old Energizer 1000 CCA Marine Deep Cycle battery from my YJ. It did a great job in my YJ and it has a Warn M8000 winch.

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Available at Wally Mart for $99.

 

[Porkchop]

I will say the true way to test a battery is a load test. You cant do a hydrometer test on all batterys, the avarage life is 5 to 7 years but that is only an average, use and abuse is everything. Best type of battery depends on how you are going to use your battery and at what temps it will be used. So if you buy the wrong battery for your needs it can have a shorter life cycle do to miss use.

 

[loves_off_roading]

Mine is over 2 years old now and It's still good.

Once It dies I'll probably get a diehard.

 

[tjkj2002]

I will say the true way to test a battery is a load test. You cant do a hydrometer test on all batterys, the avarage life is 5 to 7 years but that is only an average, use and abuse is everything. Best type of battery depends on how you are going to use your battery and at what temps it will be used. So if you buy the wrong battery for your needs it can have a shorter life cycle do to miss use.

With more gizmo's in newer vehicles the average lifespan is more like 3-4 years,might be lucky to get 5.Talking about '06+,older then that seems to get longer.


If you are still using a lead acid battery keeping the science project cleaned off the terminals helps extend battery life.Short trips,cold and hot weather,and aftermarket alarms all shorten life dramatically.



Oh to the poster that must have worked for Exide batteries,never seen one last more then 1-2 months.I was in the military almost 10 years as a 3521/3522/3524 and 63B and replaced more of those crap Exide batteries then I could ever possibly count with everyone's fingers and toes on this board and LOST.

 

[Porkchop]

if you are still using a lead acid battery keeping the science project cleaned off the terminals helps extend battery life.short trips,cold and hot weather,and aftermarket alarms all shorten life dramatically.t.

lol

 

[LibertyOrDeath]

My 2006 was made in May of 2006. I replaced the battery at 65K miles last month.

 

[al7fi]

Replaced the original equipment battery last week at 132K and over 8.5 years. Took delivery of my 03 LE early Jan of 03 from the Lithia dealer up here.
The battery has never been drained or failed to start the Jeep even after a cold soak of several days never getting above -16F and lows of -25 and more (and no it was not plugged in).
It showed 324 CCA out of 600 when I had it load tested and since rumor has kit we are due a colder than normal winter up here, it seemed time to do it. New Interstate now sitting under the hood and yes I can tell the difference in the cranking speed. Rest in peace old battery. You done good!