OEM Battery life

[barron64]

My oem factory battery crapped out after 2.5yrs with no warning. Just dead and car in deep sleep mode. Warranty covered a Motorcraft replacement which will hopefully last longer.

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[NoVaGT]

Check the battery water level once a year. A top-off can keep a battery running longer.

Please tell me OEM batteries are sealed, and there's no "topping off" of water.

I thought that ended decades ago.

 

[jimmerheck]

I check my battery water about every 6m and top off as needed. My car was built in 5 of 2016, so my original battery has lasted just over 5 years.

 

[WildHorse]

Yeah Mines starting to show 'no key detected' (yes I changed the FOB battery) & the other day double honked for no reason. Time for a battery methinks.

 

[Stangnut]

Mine only lasted 2 years. (10k miles & 25 months) and I wonder if it has anything to do with the memory seats sucking juice every time I turn the car off. Had it replaced under warranty.

Forgot to mention mine did give me a "warning" (slow) crank before it died.

 

[Reddirocket27]

Moral of the story is, batteries are incredibly cheap nowadays, not really serviceable, and subject to extreme weather. Every 2-3 years just pop a new one in.

 

[Johnnybee]

Please tell me OEM batteries are sealed, and there's no "topping off" of water.

I thought that ended decades ago.

Not really. When they created “maintenance free” batteries more than several decades ago, they simply had figured out to slow the evaporation rate, meaning the battery lasted to what the buying public considered an acceptable life. Modern cars use far more power, and constantly, which has been somewhat mitigated by sleep modes and so on. The Mustang’s battery can be serviced, the tops can easily be pried off. I checked mine at just over 2.5 months and it took a considerable amount of water to top up. It also was just below the “good” range on my hydrometer, in all cells. If you never touch it, then yes, you are likely not going to get much over three years out of it.

 

[WD Pro]

Not really. When they created “maintenance free” batteries more than several decades ago, they simply had figured out to slow the evaporation rate, meaning the battery lasted to what the buying public considered an acceptable life. Modern cars use far more power, and constantly, which has been somewhat mitigated by sleep modes and so on. The Mustang’s battery can be serviced, the tops can easily be pried off. I checked mine at just over 2.5 months and it took a considerable amount of water to top up. It also was just below the “good” range on my hydrometer, in all cells. If you never touch it, then yes, you are likely not going to get much over three years out of it.

I would have been tempted to fully charge it before you did what you did.

Levels are tidal depending on depth of discharge and SG also varies accordingly (SG is also influenced by temperature so temp compensation should also be considered if we are being a bit anal about it).

It’s ‘possible’ that doing what you did has given you a higher than required electrolyte level and therefore a slightly reduced SG (compared to the original design values).

I wouldn’t worry either way though, seems these things could take a crap early in life regardless of what you do to them … lol

WD

 

[Bullitt0819]

Son reports it did have a couple slow starts... I have a trickle charger. Will see if it will hold a charge.

To clarify, a simple 'trickle charger' is cheap, and there's a reason for it. There are two types of power supplies in electronics: constant voltage and constant current, which behave just like their names imply: a constant voltage supply will modulate current to maintain the selected voltage across varying resistance, and a constant current supply will apply voltage as required to keep current at the specified level. Cheap 'trickle' chargers are constant current--e.g. 2 amps--and will keep increasing voltage to produce 2 amps of charge; you can easily overcharge a battery with a trickle charger (I know, I destroyed a battery by leaving it on a trickle charger for too long). If you use one of these, keep a close eye on the battery voltage lest you overcharge (a bad voltage regulator can cause overcharging as well).

What you want is a 'smart charger;' these will supply current to bring a battery up to a desired voltage--about 12.6+V for a 12V battery (each cell produces 2.1V)--then will shut off temporarily, then apply a 'float charge' to keep the battery in optimum condition. Some claim they can desulfate lead-acid batteries by applying a voltage spike pulse periodically. My experience is they can revive a dead battery if it's not too far gone. My preferred brand is BatteryMinder, but there are others.

My '08 Bullitt would go through batteries like clockwork every 3 years; its batteries were nominally Motorcraft, but were made by Interstate. Interstate, and most other brands, are now made in Mexico (possibly due to lax environmental laws and cheaper labor). My preferred battery is Deka, made in Pennsylvania by a family-owned business (NFI). They are the best quality I've found, and aren't any more expensive than Mexican batteries. Some parts houses carry them.

 

[catdaddy]

3-7 years, I work in a ford service department. It's abit of a crapshoot really

 

[Bullitt0819]

3-7 years, I work in a ford service department. It's abit of a crapshoot really

Yep. I do think using a smart charger helps battery life, esp. on cars that sit for long periods.

 

[CJJon]

Just checked my battery = 11.45V

Sigh.

 

[dirtwarrior]

that is normal voltage

 

[ORRadtech]

Just checked my battery = 11.45V

Sigh.

that is normal voltage

Not really.

More like nearly discharged.

CJJon, You might try charging it with a good charger then having it load tested. That will tell you the true condition of the battery.

 

[CJJon]

Not really.

More like nearly discharged.

CJJon, You might try charging it with a good charger then having it load tested. That will tell you the true condition of the battery.

I have a battery tender that I must leave connected or the battery dies in short order. That low voltage was after it was parked for two days without the tender connected.

Time for an AGM...

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