5 years 8 months on stock battery

[hisilver]

Hello.
As stated I have 5 years and 8 months on my stock battery on my 06 silverado. It has always started fine, never a problem. Should I change it out before winter? I do have 2 long trips to take, dont want to be stranded somewhere. Also, what is the longest you have gone on a OE battery?

 

[L_Sludger]

It's not uncommon for OE batteries to go for 8-10 years, depending on the climate. Heat is what kills batteries, so .. if I were you, I'd get the battery load tested, check the fluid level, and check the state of charge on a cold morning after being driven the day before - if the voltage is decently high (around 12v) then I wouldn't hesitate to run that battery for a good while longer. Batteries are expensive things. They are important, but it doesn't make sense to replace them before their time is up.

 

[Colt]

I'd change it.
I change my stock batteries at around 4-4.5 years.
I don't wait for a battery to fail.

 

[Mr Nice]

I woud I would keep the battery, The factory Honda battery in our 1998 Civic Panasonic the lasted 10 years.

You can buy a battery usinin the AAP discount codes.

 

[mechtech2]

Why not change it?
Sure, you nay get another year out of it - maybe a bit more.
A classic case of preventative maintenance.

 

[hisilver]

Well, if I do change it, I will probably pony up and get the same one from the dealer, as it has lasted this long. Hmm, I guess I will see how much they want for one.

 

[SteveSRT8]

Here in Florida 5 to 6 years is typical, even for the best. We occasionally get more but it's rare.

I agree, heat kills them fastest, cold will sure reveal their weaknesses, though!

Just buy the one with the longest non-prorata warranty!

 

[GMBoy]

Originally Posted By: hisilver
Well, if I do change it, I will probably pony up and get the same one from the dealer, as it has lasted this long. Hmm, I guess I will see how much they want for one.


Before buying from the GM dealer, check an AC DELCO parts place first. You can go to ACDELCO.COM and search for places to buy their parts. When I needed a new battery for my Corvette, I wanted an AC DELCO battery to be as close as OEM as I could be. Dealer price was $$115 where the same battery was $95 at a AC DELCO dealer.

 

[ARB1977]

If its cranking leave it alone. Keep jumper cables for when it does die.

 

[eljefino]

You could always, er, test it for free at a parts store.

The OE Delco batteries are not as good IMO as Motorcraft.

A long trip is easy on batteries. Stay in the land of 12 volt cars and you'll be okay for a jump start.

 

[jim302]

5 years on a car battery in NC is a reasonable life span. You might get lucky and make it a few more years, but the chances in it failing soon are greater than the chances of it lasting much longer.

A very large number of the 8+ year experiences on an OE battery are for Panasonic batteries used in some Japanese cars and/or are in cooler climates.

Heat damages the battery, and the results of this damage often show up when it is cold. Having the battery tested is strongly recommended.

By the way, AC Delco batteries are made by Johnson Controls who also makes batteries for Advance, AutoZone, Interstate, Costco *some* Wal-Mart (watch the dates to make sure it is fresh), and others. Any of the higher end batteries made by Johnson Controls should be roughly equivalent to what you have now.

Whether you replace the battery or not is up to you. Even a new battery can fail, but an old battery is of course more likely to fail. If you can deal with the inconvenience of a bad battery at any time, waiting until it fails isn't necessarily a bad idea. Otherwise, if you're worried about getting stuck, replacing it is worth considering.

 

[Bill in Utah]

Still on the orginal one in the;

2000 Silverado
2002 Silverado
2004 Sierra
2005 Corolla

Common on all of these? AC-Delco batteries. Our no name that came in the Subaru leaked from day one and needed to be replaced just after I sold it this summer

Personally I just watch and see how they perform. Once they start slowing down on the start and are getting older I then change them.

Bill

 

[GMBoy]

The one thing nobody mentioned is that an older battery may be overworking your alternator..even if it "seems fine" you could have a bad cell. Have it tested or replaced.

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

The OE battery (AC Delco) in my '01 Silverado died during a stretch of hundred-degree days in June or July 2010. It just wouldn't turn the engine over one day. That was the first time a battery died on me in the heat--I guess because all the others were in carbureted vehicles and died from trying to crank in the winter.

I noticed a lot of sickly sounding batteries in parking lots last summer.

 

[artificialist]

Here in Florida, cars that get more than 3 good years from a battery either:
Have it located somewhere other than the hood
Use an AGM battery
Or it has the Panasonic OE battery that is found in some cars that are actually made in Japan.

What makes a Panasonic OE battery so good?

 

[bustednutz]

My Panasonic Batt in my Mazda only lasted 3.5 years and 30,000 miles. Not impressed with it at all.

 

[JHZR2]

The battery in my mother's 97 Plymouth breeze is still original and running strong!

 

[Donald]

Have someone test it where they put 1/2 the CCA for 15 seconds and measure the voltage, temp compensated. Not the 50 or 100 AMP load some do.

Hydrometer?

 

[CaspianM]

97 Camry battery lasted til 2009. 12 years
03 Sienna still on original battery but this summer heat seems has partially damaged the battery and needs replacement.

 

[Donald]

Of course on a pure money stand point, you don't save a lot by waiting. For easy math lets say the battery is $60, which you could probably get one for at Walymart for. If it lasts you 6 years, thats $10/year its costed you. So if you are at 5 and seeing whether you can get to 6, you are talking about $10, thats two Grande coffees at Starbucks. You are actually at 5 years + so its even less if you are trying to get to 6.

Time to pick up a pack of the felt washers also, but get the washers only, some places package they with battery terminal protectant and charge too much.

With batteries I think it makes sense to get towards the top, as in the best Interstate sells or MAXX at Walymart assuming its a JCI battery. Not sure I would go for an Optima. And ask they don't use a 3/4" impact to tighten the battery hold down bolt/nut as it can damage the case causing leaks.