Author	[Modern View]
TonyIN 03-06-2013 19:59:06 72.49.12.76 Report to Moderator	Having just made an 1 1/2 hr round trip to jump start the wife's car then another 30 minutes getting a new battery and swapping it out, I'm thinking maybe someone on here can answer a question that's bugged me off and on for a while. Years ago, when the battery in one of my cars would start getting to its last leg, you could tell. You had some warning, usually some hard starting. In the past 5 to 10 years, every one of my vehicles has had a battery go without much warning. Driving the car, everything's fine. Come out an hour later and it's done. Again, a variety of cars. Now, most of these batteries have been at the end of their year rating, but there's just no warning anymore. So... did they change up how they make batteries? Is it the cars themselves with the newer starting circuits that don't give you that telltale hard start when the battery gets weak? I'm leaning towards the newer cars (made in the last 15 years). My tractors seem to give some warning. Thanks Tony [Reply]   [No Email]
TonyIN 03-07-2013 16:25:45 72.49.12.76 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   Thanks - figured I would get some good info. For now, I think I'll attribute it to the newer style plates breaking inside the batteries (most all have checked out as a dead cell...) and the newer ignition systems, fuel pumps, etc. I like George's idea for the battery tester, but I know I will not keep up with checking the batteries until too late.... I will keep a better eye on the gauges prior to starting, but unfortunately only the truck has that gauge. Guess some manufacturers don't see the need for that... Thanks for all the input Tony [Reply]  [No Email]
El Toro 03-07-2013 08:22:58 108.3.218.181 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   Our service center checked our battery and told me the battery was getting weak. Three weeks later the battery died. It was the original battery and was 5 years old. I installed a Walmart battery as I get about 10 years use from them. I use their batteries in all my vehicles including my garden tractor. I did replace the battery in it as it was 10 years old. Since that snow storm was all over the news I decided to start the tractor and it fired right up and I filled the gas tank. The storm missed us and I'll pull the snow blade attachment next month and install the sleeve hitch so I can plow the garden. Hal [Reply]  [No Email]
wilson ind 03-07-2013 08:08:45 70.239.85.123 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   3 years ago grand daughter drove to gasoline station. shut off, no start. I happened to be close. Would not respond to jumping. Installed new battery, Was maniatence free battery. I took battery home, Drilled hole in top, filled with water. Battery is still starting old truck on farm. [Reply]  [No Email]
Bill in IL 03-07-2013 07:01:15 132.3.49.79 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   Had one go out in a tractor last fall like that. It was an old 6080 allis. Started it pulled it out of the shed. An hour later it wouldn't do anything... 2 dead batteries wired in parallel on a warm enough fall day. [Reply]  [No Email]
Denny 5 03-07-2013 06:48:55 69.76.61.238 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   My wifes 02 Explorer is still going strong with the orginal battery in it, little over 106k on it. And this is thru the cold WI. winters, but I do know it is about ready to go. [Reply]  [No Email]
mkirsch 03-07-2013 06:27:07 64.80.110.74 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   The batteries probably aren't actually dead. More likely what happened is one or more of the lead plates inside broke, so the battery can't make a complete circuit. What I've been told is that modern batteries are made with perforated lead plates to reduce cost. They used to be made with solid lead plates, which were much more robust. The plates erode as the battery is used, and eventually one of them gets thin enough that a good jolt, like a car door slamming, causes it to break in half. That's why you get out of a perfectly good running car and come back to a "dead" battery 5 minutes later. [Reply]  [No Email]
oldtanker 03-07-2013 06:04:20 66.228.255.239 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   The design of the newer starters as mentioned being more efficent plus an electric fuel pump, computer, injector system and the ignition system all pulling from the battery at start leads to the "no notice" battery failure. Rick [Reply]  [No Email]
JF in CT 03-07-2013 06:00:17 71.88.46.81 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   Had the last 3 batteries in 3 seperate vehicles do exactly the same thing. The issue I have is that it seemed like each one died within a week or two of the warranty running out. 2 year battery died in exactly 2 years, 5 year in exactly 5 years. One of them was in a vehicle that is 23 years old so no new starter technology there. I think there is a commie conspiracy here with some kind of timed cutoff switch. [Reply]  [No Email]
George Marsh 03-07-2013 05:29:11 50.104.195.160 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   TonyIN, If you want to know ahead of time that your battery is on it's last leg get a battery conductivity tester. I bought a Midtronics BT300. It measures the actual CCA and will tell you your battery is no good before you find out the hard way. George [Reply]  [No Email]
John B. 03-07-2013 05:10:01 38.114.64.177 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   The new style starter on cars now days have permanent magnets in them so they draw less amps than the old style ones that had field windings to feed current thru so this makes it hard to tell while cranking that your battery is going dead. These new starters can turn over good even when the battery is on its last leg. You were lucky you were able to jump your wife's vehicle. My wife was pregnant with our first child and when she came out of a store our pickup would not start. I couldn't even jump it. We ended up putting a battery in it and it ran fine. The old battery developed an open circuit internally. Ran fine when she parked to go in the store. [Reply]  [No Email]
showcrop 03-07-2013 04:59:19 71.43.129.102 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   The original battery in my '04 explorer went 2-3 months ago. It seemed strange that it started the car cold, But after forty miles or so I noticed that it was not running right and the volt meter was way down. I nursed it to a service station where they found it was on;y the bad battery. [Reply]  [No Email]
Dick2 03-07-2013 00:58:24 174.19.219.132 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   Common occurrence in the AZ heat. Go to the store, come back out in 5 minutes and battery is dead. I've had them die in 1 month; most do not make it through the warranty period. However, the Japanese batteries that came in a couple of our Toyotas lived beyond the warranty. I've had a couple batteries from WalMart that lived almost 5 years, which is better than most batteries do in this climate. [Reply]  [No Email]
petetherookie 03-07-2013 03:58:11 76.179.85.142 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to Dick2, 03-07-2013 00:58:24   My 2000 Camry"s original battery lasted 10yrs. May have lasted longer but I weakened it using a DC AC invertor on it for 4 days during a ice storm. Set car to idle at 1800 rpm and power the frig and freezer. Pete [Reply]  [No Email]
504 03-06-2013 20:57:34 199.127.54.155 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   The old stuff(tractors) always turned over a few times when starting, the newer stuff with all of the fuel injection and electronic ignition systems start as soon as you touch the key. You really have to pay close attention that the batteries are failing. I also have had a battery fail after driving three miles, shut it off, and five minuets latter it was so dead it would not light the dome light. [Reply]  [No Email]
petetherookie 03-07-2013 05:39:51 76.179.85.142 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to 504, 03-06-2013 20:57:34   "the newer stuff with fuel injection and electronic ignition". Totally agree. Btw the injectors and the ignition, cars with low compression, worn valve trains etc. continue to start and run a lot longer. In the days of carbs, low compression, low vacuum your engine was a none starter when it got cold. Our 2002 GM 3.4 v6 with leaking head gasket btw 2 cylinders on rear bank, rattles like a diesel at start up, but still starts and runs ok once warm. If it was old school carb'ed it would have been put out to pasture a long time ago. Only used as our dump run and spare vehicle at this point. As its transverse mounted under a minivan hood no way I am changing that rear bank head gasket. Pete [Reply]  [No Email]
ss55 03-06-2013 20:47:34 173.31.19.80 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   You can check the battery voltage before you start a vehicle. Turn the key to the "ON" position, check the volt meter on the dashboard battery voltage, then procede to start the car. I rarely check it unless I'm concerned about a battery. [Reply]  [No Email]
ShadetreeRet 03-06-2013 20:35:44 184.4.20.29 Report to Moderator	Re: Batteries. Dead ones? in reply to TonyIN, 03-06-2013 19:59:06   I have had two batteries go bad without any warning in as many years, and they were on older vehicles. So I don't know if it's the battery or the vehicle The way I look at it, there are so many warning lights on the new vehicles I don't see why they couldn't put one more that would tell you if the battery is weak. [Reply]  [No Email]