Motorcraft OE Batteries

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I was wondering today, as I cleaned under the hood of the focus, who actually makes Motorcraft OE batteries these days? Last I recall, it was Interstate wasn't it? The last long-term experience I had with a MC battery was the OE one on our old expedition, which lasted from late 02 until early 2009 or so before it started to fail to start it during cold weather.
 
Pretty much JC from what I noticed....and some Interstate thrown in there too...

Makes me wonder if all the batteries will be JC....
 
Funny you ask this. I just replaced my wife's dead OE Motorcraft on her Focus. It was a Johnson Control. Replaced it another Johnson Control Duralast.

I am fairly happy with a OE battery lasting 5 years considering the vehicles we own are operated in everything from hot desert in the summer to cold alpine forest in the winter.
 
I have seen MC batteries last 10 years as OEM installs.Amazing.Funny you cant get that out of an IS,as I have seen a lot fail in 2-3 years.
 
The ford batteries were always well known for lasting longer than they should. I think this will be the last winter on my Focus' OE battery. It's coming up on 4 years old this spring.

As a rule, I replace my batteries every 4 years.
 
My 2006 Ranger still has its factory original Motorcraft battery. I tested it with a battery tester recently and it still puts more cranking amps than it's rated for.
 
Originally Posted By: 97f150
Perhaps my wife's Fusion is an exception to the rule. About 4 months ago, the original battery went belly up and was replaced under warranty.


There is no absolute on wet batteries anymore. The "wet" lead acid battery has reached it's evolutionary max. Technology has finally beat the wet battery and it is why we'll be seeing the dry cell, agm and lithium batteries slowly take it's place.

Even the best wet batteries can fail very quickly. They still have a place in the market but as time goes on and the other types get cheaper we'll see fewer wet batteries. I have pro-rated a lot more batteries in the last 5 years than the 25 years prior. I don't blame the batteries but their inability to keep up with the times.
 
We replace batteries under the NVLW occasionally. Usually it involves someone leaving lights on or a power port plugged in charging something excessively.
 
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Johnson Control makes the batteries for Ford as well as Interstate.


Enersys/odyssey make the MK7 line for Interstate.
 
My Focus battery lasted about 4 years. I don't expect much more than that out of a battery.
Replaced it with a DieHard. I noticed a big difference right off. Even when my Motorcraft was new it didn't crank as well as the DieHard.
 
I guess I should throw my $0.02 in on these.

I have had 2. One came in the escape and one came in my 2006 Mazda 6i. It was odd how they both died.

Escape:
Purchased Escape new in April of 2007. Battery died August of 2012.

Mazda6i:
Purchased new in April of 2006. Battery died August of 2011.

It was almost the exact same number of weeks that the two lasted.
 
We've had many Motorcraft batteries with absolutely fantastic life spans. The OE from the Expedition lasted from new (build date is late '01 IIRC) until December 2009. 8 years. The Exide that we replaced it with bought the farm this past winter at only 4 years old so it was replaced with a Motorcraft.

The OE one in my '89 Town Car lasted something like 10 years. My dad's '03 Town Car still has its original battery
crazy2.gif


The one in their Expedition (a '00) lasted 8 years......

Just great batteries.
 
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