Battery died
03-18-2017 | 11:18 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 08-26-2014
Posts: 41
From: Cape Coral
Battery died
Thank you for that info. I have a plug in 12 volt digital readout that told me when the first battery was going bad and my 2nd, too- it plugs into the cigarette lighter socket. When I turned off the engine the voltage would drop down to 12.6V pretty fast and the next morning it would be 12.3V- 50% charge. Well, that means you are on borrowed time. My replacement group 90 battery just died after 2 years and I know why. When I pulled it out, I saw the J4 code on the side, which meant I had purchased a battery in Dec 2014 from the Napa warehouse that sat for 10 months, while the plates got sulfated!- reducing capacity! My sales receipt was in another state, so getting Napa to replace it was a fruitless ( they don't track the battery serial #)- So I went with a Walmart H5 battery. It is about 1/2" taller and still fits OK. At least I know, it will be a free replacement at any Walmart within 3 yrs= no receipt needed, as they scan the battery's serial number at time of sale. The group 90 OEM battery, is basically the same size and power as a group 42 battery, which was originally made for a low compression VW Beetle 1200-1500 cc engine! The H5 has about 30% greater CCA and it has the vent tube hole. too. I just hope it lasts. GM went too cheap on the battery, IMO. I have 65,000 miles on my 2009.
03-18-2017 | 11:43 PM
#2
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Joined: 05-01-2014
Posts: 8,174
From: California
Wouldn't J4 mean October of 2014? So it was only maybe 2 months old when you bought it? Sometimes batteries, like anything else, are just not up to snuff.
Do you have any info on that 12 volt device, a link, or manufacturer and model number, sounds interesting!
Too bad you weren't able to get a hold of your NAPA receipt. Glad you've got a good battery now!
Do you have any info on that 12 volt device, a link, or manufacturer and model number, sounds interesting!
Too bad you weren't able to get a hold of your NAPA receipt. Glad you've got a good battery now!
03-19-2017 | 12:03 AM
#3
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Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 25,345
From: Fredericksburg,VA
Tell that to the people that are shocked that their 2006 needs a battery after only 10 years.
If you had a receipt NAPA should have honored their Nationwide warranty.
I had 2 Walmart batteries last less than a year, but my factory battery lasted for 5-6 years.
I detached this from the thread on how a charging system works.
If you had a receipt NAPA should have honored their Nationwide warranty.
I had 2 Walmart batteries last less than a year, but my factory battery lasted for 5-6 years.
I detached this from the thread on how a charging system works.
03-20-2017 | 04:14 PM
#5
Senior Member
Joined: 04-20-2011
Posts: 847
From: Ohio
Wouldn't J4 mean October of 2014? So it was only maybe 2 months old when you bought it? Sometimes batteries, like anything else, are just not up to snuff.
Do you have any info on that 12 volt device, a link, or manufacturer and model number, sounds interesting!
Too bad you weren't able to get a hold of your NAPA receipt. Glad you've got a good battery now!
Do you have any info on that 12 volt device, a link, or manufacturer and model number, sounds interesting!
Too bad you weren't able to get a hold of your NAPA receipt. Glad you've got a good battery now!
I'd like to know about that ,too....
03-20-2017 | 05:40 PM
#6
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Joined: 01-23-2009
Posts: 25,345
From: Fredericksburg,VA
04-01-2017 | 11:06 PM
#9
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: 08-26-2014
Posts: 41
From: Cape Coral
The Napa guy said J4 meant January2014-
Take your pick of plug in battery testers- I think mine cost around $6.00
I recharged it one time with a hitech charger that ran a desulfation cycle and it went to 100% charge , but that only got me another month of service and the storage capacity dropped right back to where it was-
I live in Florida and it seems that 5yr batteries crap out in 3 yrs or less. My Fiat 500 was purchased new in July of 2011 and I put in 2nd new battery a few months ago - 50,000 miles= 25,000 miles per battery. 3 years for the factory battery- 2 years for a Walmart 5yr battery and the replacement was free, as it failed before the 3 years full replacement was up. My 2014 Dodge Caravan needed a new battery last fall- gave out in 3 years at 22K miles.
Take your pick of plug in battery testers- I think mine cost around $6.00
I recharged it one time with a hitech charger that ran a desulfation cycle and it went to 100% charge , but that only got me another month of service and the storage capacity dropped right back to where it was-
I live in Florida and it seems that 5yr batteries crap out in 3 yrs or less. My Fiat 500 was purchased new in July of 2011 and I put in 2nd new battery a few months ago - 50,000 miles= 25,000 miles per battery. 3 years for the factory battery- 2 years for a Walmart 5yr battery and the replacement was free, as it failed before the 3 years full replacement was up. My 2014 Dodge Caravan needed a new battery last fall- gave out in 3 years at 22K miles.
04-01-2017 | 11:48 PM
#10
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Joined: 05-01-2014
Posts: 8,174
From: California
Well, the NAPA guy was mistaken. If J were for January, what would they do for June and July? No, J is the 10th letter, designating the 10th month.
This is one way auto parts, among other things, are dated. Sometimes the letter I is skipped, usually with a stamped date code, to avoid confusion with the the number 1. If the date code is cast into the part, I is usually not skipped. I don't think it gets skipped with batteries either.
Another method is called Julian dating, which is all numerical. Code 32 would be February 1; 364 would be December 30.
That stinks about having to keep replacing batteries, at least you were able to use the guarantee to get a new one.
The fact that you're having similar experience, with 2 different vehicles, makes it a little unlikely that it's a problem with the charging systems. Do you, by chance, play the radio when the engine is off? Just trying to think of some reason(other than heat, which certainly can be hard on batteries) why your batteries are dying prematurely.
I just read your first post again, kinda looks like you may have a parasitic drain. Something to look into.
This is one way auto parts, among other things, are dated. Sometimes the letter I is skipped, usually with a stamped date code, to avoid confusion with the the number 1. If the date code is cast into the part, I is usually not skipped. I don't think it gets skipped with batteries either.
Another method is called Julian dating, which is all numerical. Code 32 would be February 1; 364 would be December 30.
That stinks about having to keep replacing batteries, at least you were able to use the guarantee to get a new one.
The fact that you're having similar experience, with 2 different vehicles, makes it a little unlikely that it's a problem with the charging systems. Do you, by chance, play the radio when the engine is off? Just trying to think of some reason(other than heat, which certainly can be hard on batteries) why your batteries are dying prematurely.
I just read your first post again, kinda looks like you may have a parasitic drain. Something to look into.