Malibu Needs New Battery?

[RoGuE]

Last Tuesday I went to start my car (after I had driven for 12 miles about 2 hours before), and it gave the starter quick spurt of power and failed. I tried again afterwards and it started after a few cranks. Since then I've used it most every day since then and it has started strong and quickly. This past Tuesday it did the exact same thing, failed on the first try, barely worked on the second and then also worked perfectly an hour later. Does this seem like a bad battery situation?

The battery is the original factory ACDelco, and the car was manufactured September 2006 so I assume it is that old.

 

[crazyoildude]

maybe the starter relay or starter? id the theft light blinking?

 

[OVERKILL]

Almost sounds like starter heat soak, but that would be unusual for a stock vehicle without long-tube headers, LOL!

 

[mechanicx]

It's probably the battery. 4.5+ year battery life in the south is about par for the course or better.

 

[johnachak]

I would say the battery too. I always change my original batteries at 4 yrs.

 

[RoGuE]

No, no warning lights were blinking or anything like that. The starter just blipped for a second and then cut off, and then slowly cranked on the next attempt. I just found it really odd that it did it intermittently.

I figure it's the battery too. Now it's down to the choice of batteries. My top two choices are the Duralast Gold, or the Autocraft Gold. They are both 700amp batteries, whereas the stock ACDelco is 525amp.

Another factor is the Duralast is $95 while the Autocraft is $95 but I can use a $35 off AAP coupon for the Autocraft making it $60. Are they still both mostly identical Johnson Controls batteries?

Duralast Battery

Autocraft Battery

 

[HTSS_TR]

The OEM battery is almost 5 years old, time for a new one. I would go with Autocraft if it has 3 years free replacement warranty and 75-80 months prorated.

 

[GMBoy]

Everyone's correct. Time for a new battery. The average life of a battery is 5 years with people getting as many as 8 years or as few as 3. Today's cars and their electronics require a good battery.

 

[RoGuE]

Strangely enough I can't find any warranty information on the page for the Autocraft Gold. Am I just not seeing it?

 

[HTSS_TR]

Duralast Gold has 3 years free replacement, not sure about prorate but IIRC it is 80 months. Check/call AAP about warranty of Autocraft Gold.

 

[eljefino]

The advance "silver" battery has a 2 year warranty. So "Gold" must be better.

I've had consistent good luck with the (silver) mid-line JC battery, and the "top shelf" walmart yellow, which at the time it was made seven years ago crossed to a JC gold.

 

[RoGuE]

I just called and the Autocraft Gold is 3 years/84 months prorate. If it is indeed a JC I figure thats the way to go for $60.

 

[RoGuE]

I'll go and get the new battery tomorrow, if nothing else for the peace of mind.

One other concern I have is my stock battery is 525CCA, and after doing a bit of research on older threads here, you should get as close to the original CCA as possible (because of thinner plates and wearing out prematurely or something like that), but the stores keep suggesting a 700CCA battery. Is this okay?

 

[eljefino]

700 is fine. 525 was a bean counter cheap decision; a very cheap battery can make that in the form factor given. I see you're somewhere warm. I would still get the silver (2 yr warranty) over the gold, not just because it's cheaper, but because they might make it with fewer, thicker plates.

 

[artificialist]

I have never had a problem usingg a higher CCA than the OE battery. In fact, I have gotten more life out of the higher CCA batteries when compared to batteries that have identical CCA to the factory battery.

 

[RoGuE]

Okay, thanks all.

I tried looking for the Autocraft silver and it wouldn't let me find any on the website with my battery type so I just got the gold.

I had them test it at Advance before I removed it and their tester showed it had 12.7 volts, but only 373 CCA (from its rated 525 CCA) so that seemed to be a pretty good indicator that the battery was bad.

It starts up great now.