I was wondering, since we will be heading into our 4th or 5th winter, what the lifespan of the factory battery has been.

Only applies to US CRDs, since I don't think others came with the Optima.

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05CRD: GDE Hot ECU & TCM tunes, Provent, Cat filter, Facet lift pump, TransGo kit, Florida TC, Samcos, stainless brake lines, HDS thermostat, Renegade light bar,
RL super sliders, Bilstein adjustables, Al's Gen 4.5 Arms, 235/85-16 Duratracs, DTT rear, Elocker front, EVIC+TPMS, Turbo timer, McNally pillar gauges, Weeks Stage II kit.

The Optima didn't even last 1 year.

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06 LIMITED 100000miles, MAGNAFLOW, HOMEBUILT CCV FILTER, POLAR PAD, 02 AIRBOX, CUMMINS LIFT PUMP, SEGR, PILLAR GAUGE POD, CAT FILTER MONITOR, SPYDER TRAX, ALWAYS A LITTLE TWO STROKE OIL OR BIO, WATER/METH INJECTION

76k and it is still working fine

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Sold 05 CRD Patriot Blue, hole in the roof, Trailer tow, factory skids, LSD, Saris load bars, Michelin LTX M/S
Current Bright white 2010 Dakota Quad Cab 4x4 V8

76k and going strong

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2005 CRD "Ol' Blue"
Red Ryder carbine-action, two hundred shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing which tells time.
My build page- RL Komodo Rear and TJM Front Bumper, armored, lifted, JBA Steel D30, 4.10s and ARB air lockers.

65k and still fine

only two years from mine. first one failed at ~40k

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Manure green 2005 CRD sport4x4, GDE Hot tune, Cat Gut, OE skids, Draw tight hitch, Duramax lift pump, 160K on multiple varieties of fuel, XM radio, Escort live with Redline, fog light mod, GPS, Icom IC7000 all band radio call sign KC9QPF, Grabber AT2s on Soft 8s, FIA grill blanket.

123,000 miles and cranks like new

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2005 CRD Limited - Inferno Red - 152,000 miles
-GDE EcoTune -
-Gasser Airbox -
-Cummins Intank Lift Pump-
-Fumoto Drain Valve-
-Samco Red Hoses-

Mine's going strong even given the desert heat that munches batteries. I would think that it won't make it through another summer, but getting four summers out of a battery is the most I've ever gotten.

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2006 CRD Limited Dk Khaki
InMotion S-II, GDE TCM, Cummins Lift Pump, Mishimoto CAC hoses
Cooper Discoverer ATP LT245/75, Rola roof basket, JCR S3 sliders
OME lift+JBA UCA's, custom front hitch receiver, Mile Marker winch
All J Products rear cargo shelf
Sips biodiesel as if it were 12 y/o Scotch

61000 miles and working great still.

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2006 Liberty CRD Limited ordered new from factory. Born on date 2-2006 GDE
eco tune. Updated fuel filter head. No lift pump. Stock glow plugs.
Silverado 4x4
Corvette
1962 Ford Falcon
2005 John Deere 5425
1968 1\2 ton 4x4 short bed Chevy

Was that supposed to be model year ar year built? Since mine was built Nov 2005 I checked off 2005. Remember with these Opt batteries, they love to be slow charged overnight to stay problem free.

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2006 Black Jeep Liberty CRD Limited
K&N, Samco Hoses, Michelin 245/70-16 LTX A/T2, Fumoto F-102, V-Force Muffler, Mopar, Hitch, Trailer Wiring, Skid Plates, Slush Mats, Rear Shelf, Predator Stage 1, Transgo, ORM & CodeReader, Facet 40109 Pump
"IT'S A DIESEL THING, YOU WOULDN'T UNDERSTAND"
Certified Services Auto & Truck Repair

Optima was on sale so I kept using it. I don't like cleaning battery terminals, Optimas don't gass.

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2006 Pearl Green CRD
Magnaflow 2 1/2" Cat Back
KJ Extra Leg Room Brackets, Carter Lift Pump, V6 Airbox, ORM
Fuel cooler, Oil Separator, Progard 7
Gauges EGT Boost Trans Temp Oil Pres, Michelin LXT AT2 245 70 R16
7,000# Draw Tight hitch, PML EX Deep Trans Pan
Centrifuge, SunCoast, Transgo, RAM TCM, InMotion Stage 2
Wife's 99 TDI VW Beetle

A weak battery can mimic a failed alternator pulley - dumping so much load on the alternator when you first start up that it produces the same dreaded squeal as a failed pulley.

I replaced the original Optima after 2 1/2 years/ 30K miles - that's when I finally realized the battery had a bad cell - but it had already been displaying signs of a bad battery only 6 months after purchasing it, not noticed at the time due to other issues being more of a concern.

I'd started getting the pulley squeal for a couple minutes on startup. I used a plug-in digital voltmeter to troubleshoot what was going on - very obvious from the outset - battery had a dead cell, alternator was going into max load as soon as the engine cranked, took several minutes to boost the battery back up and get system voltage to even 14 volts.

Once the battery was replaced, pulley squeal went away.

Good cheap insurance - a $12 digital voltmeter that plugs into the dash outlet, available at most any place that carries auto parts. If your battery is dropping well below 12.6 vollts at rest, time to think about having it tested or replaced.

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Mitchell Oates
'87 MB 300D Diamond Blue Metallic
'87 MB 300D - R.I.P. 12/08
'05 Sport CRD Stone White
Provent CCV Filter/AT2525 Muffler
Stanadyne 30 u/Cat 2 u Fuel Filters
Fumoto Drain/Fleetguard LF3487 Oil filter
V6 Airbox/Amsoil EAA Air Filter
Suncoast TC/Shift Kit/Aux Cooler
Kennedy Lift Pump/Return Fuel Cooler

mine still has the factory optima. this morning it seemed to crank a bit slow so I took it to advance auto parts and had it checked. the only thing they said was it seemed like it needed to be charged. they told me to charge it a few hours, clean the terminals and check to be sure that the altinator belt is tight. I'm changing the oil, oil filter and feul filter tomorrow so I will do it then.

I still think a new battery could be in my future before winter.

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2006 Liberty CRD Limited Deep Beryl Green Metallic Clear coat, Fumoto valve, MH ProVent (removed), GDE Eco tune,
OME 790/948 springs, OME struts, OME N132L shocks, Jeepin by Al A-arms, Hercules Terra Trac AT2 245/75R16
Weeks Stage 1 EGR delete, 5 volt steel glow plugs

May '05 build, bought in Nov. '05, still on original battery through four Phoenix summers.

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'05 Lt. Khaki Sport; 245/75R16 Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac Tires
Fumoto/Shell Rotella 5W40/Napa Gold oil & fuel filters, Dodge Cummins Lift Pump
SEGR, GDE Hot Tune & Transmission Tune, Aux. Transmission Cooler, Euro TC
front receiver hitch pending,
Factory Skids
Frankenlifted

Did all CRD's in the US come with an Optima? I bought mine a year ago and it has a 72-month Mopar battery in it. Have never had a problem in 32K miles with it.

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In this war of lines, so many have been crossed. Where will it all stop?

2006 Deep Beryl Green CRD Sport *SOLD 1/22/12*
Provent, V6 Airbox, Fumoto, Samcos, GDE ECO & TCM Tune, Euro JK TC, Magnaflow Catback
245/70/16 Destination A/T's
Boiler's Radiator Skid Plate
Jeepin' By Al 2.5 inch Adjust-A-Strut Lift, JBA Gen 4.5 UCA's (6/5/10)

Yes they came with Optima batteries and they had a MOPAR number on the lable Some dealers replaced them under warranty with regular batteries

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Atlantic Blue 06 CRD Limited (his)
Joined by a 2000 XJ Classic (hers)

Going into the fourth Ottawa winter with the original Optima. Still cranks like new even at -30C.

102,000 miles and no problems through 4 Michigan winters and almost 5 summers. (The original owner lived up north.) I've even killed it a couple times by leaving my CB, XM and GPS on over a few days without driving it.

Of course now I've jinxed it. I should probably go out and buy a new one tomorrow.

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1998 TJ Gasser - Just for fun!

Sold in January 2012:
2005 Sport CRD
New to me March, 2007 w/22k miles
165,000 miles and still going strong
Factory Tow Package, Added Courtesy Lamps,
New Style Mopar Fuel Head,
Cooper Discoverer ATR
Mopar Slush Mats (JUNK!), Fumoto Oil and T-Case Drain Valves

POS, lasted only one year, 28,000 miles. Have lead-acid conventional 1000amp (850 cca) battery that is still going strong 2 years later.

2006, OEM Optima, 50,000 miles, severe winters, never a problem.