So my battery bit it!

pokefan · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:26 am

2006 w/ all of 52k on the odo. It just went all of the sudden without warning. Not a single bit of trouble, never a hickup and I go to start the KJ after work yesterday and it was dead. I checked and all my doors were shut and nothing was left on. I was thinking of having my alt checked to make sure it's still up to par. I just don't see how the battery would just kill over like that. I was planning on a yellow top when my battery went but this just wasn't the time and had to settle for the O'Reilly premium batt for the time. Anyone else think I could have an alternator issue? If so I'll probably try to get a 200amp alt and upgrade for a bit more stereo juice! :twisted:

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:32 am

Nope - those stock batteries are junk in my opinion. I mean I was lucky to get the mileage out of mine that I did, but most of them fail after 50K miles of use or a couple years.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:41 am

mines the same, 106,500 miles on the stock 2004 battery, just like the Energizer Bunny ...still going :wink:

ObiHann · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:51 am

What would be the biggest battery I can fit on my 02 kj? The batter that is in it now is fine, but I wouldn't mind something a bit better than what the dealer puts in it, and since I have a working one already, a spare isn't bad to have

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 10:52 am

2004 but only 47K. That's 4 yrs on the battery though.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 12:59 pm

Mine bit it once I stopped using the KJ as a daily commuter. (recently switched jobs) and catch a ride to work now... So all the parking I think killed my battery. 6 years of service. But the point is that they go when ever they feel like it. I wouldn't be suprised to see a few last the lifetime of the vehicle, but the majority will die sooner or later.

If you want a battery with better cranking power. Look to the Optima line. They fit right in the battery tray and give a generous boost in the starting power.

Xodius · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 1:25 pm

LOL, wow, I am surprised you get that with the stock batts.

My KJ is a 2002 and I am on the...5th battery. Granted it is hot out here so that eats them up but the last 4 have been quick turn arounds. Shortest time frame was less than 3 months and the battery actually exploded. I kid you not, I cleaned the terminals outside, checked the connections kept the hood up, luckily turned it on and BOOOOOM! The top came flying off acid everywhere and my eyes were like saucers! My neighbors came a running asking if I was ok and even they were amazed at it. They looked at the connections and all was good but *shrugs* who knows, bad batt. FYI, it was leaking some acid but not more than usual, lol. Swapped it out and now I am on that battery for about...well...nearly a year. So far so good. The one that exploded was from Checker Auto and was their Marathon battery. I know it got my heart going, lol. Oh and before everyone jumps on it was the alt or something else, everything was tested and there are no probs not even electrical, or so they say. It runs and purrs just right.

I did find out that I should have my head lights on all the time when I drive so I do do that now. When this battery goes I am going with an optima I think, maybe another Jeep one...we will see. The one I have now is also a Checker but just a basic run of the mill battery.

If you got 50K out of the stock I think that is good. But what do I know.

tommudd · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:01 pm

Why do you have to have your head lights on all the time?? just curious!???

pokefan · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 5:26 pm

I was thinking the same Tom...

Xodius · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 6:24 pm

Well according to the Brit at the Checker he said that Jeeps have a tendency to overcharge their batteries, hence on possible reason for the Boom. Now normally I would not put too much merit in some of these guys but he has a early 80's Wrangler that is pretty decked out but you can tell he beats the crap outta it. He said that if I plan on keeping my KJ for more than 3 years to have the lights on whenever I drive, more specifically when I am on the Highway. So, since that day I have been and so far no problems. Granted he could be full of it. Any of you hear about this philosophy?

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 7:03 pm

Well, I don't know about your theory but I drive with my lights on all the time for safety reasons (my other vehicle has daytime running lights and I am used to it).

My '04 was 4 years old last month and has 36K and is still on the first battery and has always been driven with the lights on.

If you are going through batteries like that it has to be electrical or the desert temps that the KJ is being subjected to.

DryBones · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:28 pm

my wifes 02 original battey went around 75k in a WalMart parking lot. I just went back in a bought a replacement and changed it right there in the lot.

I also run my fog lights in the daytime for the safety factory and it looks cool

InCommando · **Posted:** Thu Jul 03, 2008 8:28 pm

Xodius wrote:

Well according to the Brit at the Checker he said that Jeeps have a tendency to overcharge their batteries, hence on possible reason for the Boom. Now normally I would not put too much merit in some of these guys but he has a early 80's Wrangler that is pretty decked out but you can tell he beats the crap outta it. He said that if I plan on keeping my KJ for more than 3 years to have the lights on whenever I drive, more specifically when I am on the Highway. So, since that day I have been and so far no problems. Granted he could be full of it. Any of you hear about this philosophy?

Please take anything you hear from a McAutoparts person with a big grain of salt. The chance of finding one who knows what they are talking about outside of what their software tells them is slight. A few may even know something, but they are in a minority.

To some degree, the charging system is a "demand" system and the more you demand from it, the more often it will be cycled on. That is why they have a voltage regulator function. So, driving around with your lights on to save the charging system is 180 degrees from correct.

JEEPS have different charging systems than every other Chrysler?? :roll:

And does anyone really think that everyone who keeps a car longer than 3 years has to keep their lights on all of the time? Cmon, now.

That "early 80's" wrangler ( they were first produced as 1987's, BTW) probably does not share one part with a KJ. That era was also made up of some very poor years for Jeep as far as electronics go. Even if what he says means anything to his Wrangler, applying this to you KJ just doesn't make sense. And on top of that, his "3 year" rule is just wrong.

iambob · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 1:54 pm

When I got my Jeep inspected last year I asked the tech to check my alternator & battery. The alternator still was good, but the battery was under 80% charge. I looked for an Optima yellow top and could not find one. I went with the Excide 60. Soon after I bought it and with my luck the Advance Auto I go to started carrying the Optima yellow tops. The Excide works great and will have both checked out again in August when the Jeep goes in for the annual check up.

tjkj2002 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 2:29 pm

Cobolt-60 wrote:

Well, I don't know about your theory but I drive with my lights on all the time for safety reasons (my other vehicle has daytime running lights and I am used to it).

My '04 was 4 years old last month and has 36K and is still on the first battery and has always been driven with the lights on.

If you are going through batteries like that it has to be electrical or the desert temps that the KJ is being subjected to.

GM vehicles with the daytime running light(just about all of them since the '90's) have the highest failure rate for alternators and batteries due to the DTRL.I'd keep the lights off and have less problems in the long run.

The KJ's charging system is very different from most due to having a battery temp switch that will not let the alternator charge the battery over a certian temp so running the lights to save the charging system and battery in the summer is actually doing more harm then good on a KJ that is not properly set-up to run DTRL system.If you can not see a vehicle in the daytime you got bigger problems and should not be driving.My lights stay off until it is dark,foggy,or in a middle of a blizzard and if anyone say's they didn't see my KJ should be admitted to a mental institute for being just dumb.

Cobalt-60 · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:34 pm

tjkj2002 wrote:

GM vehicles with the daytime running light(just about all of them since the '90's) have the highest failure rate for alternators and batteries due to the DTRL.I'd keep the lights off and have less problems in the long run.

The KJ's charging system is very different from most due to having a battery temp switch that will not let the alternator charge the battery over a certian temp so running the lights to save the charging system and battery in the summer is actually doing more harm then good on a KJ that is not properly set-up to run DTRL system.If you can not see a vehicle in the daytime you got bigger problems and should not be driving. My lights stay off until it is dark,foggy,or in a middle of a blizzard and if anyone say's they didn't see my KJ should be admitted to a mental institute for being just dumb.

Actually the current 'car' is an '07 VW, but I also had DTRLs on my '98 Corolla and in the 8 years (and 98K miles) that I owned it I never replaced a headlight bulb, alternator or battery. I wonder why the GM DTRLs are so bad?

Troy, that is good to know about the charging system in the KJ. May need to re-think my strategy. :shock:

The use of the lights in the daytime has nothing to do with not being able to see but to enhance other ability to see me!!!

The same reason that all mototcycles and all new cars sold in Canada now I believe, are required to run with headlights on. While my KJ is bright blue, it still is nowhere near as visible as yours. :lol:

I live in metro-Atlanta which has the longest average daily commute of any major city in the country and some of the fastest drivers (if you are driving less than 10 MPH over the posted speed limit expect to get passed on the right by a garbage truck!!!) :lol:

Xodius · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 3:51 pm

InCommando wrote:

That "early 80's" wrangler ( they were first produced as 1987's, BTW)

Ok it was a CJ something, I can't remember the exact number for it...cj5 cj8 whatever. It is a wrangler styled body. :roll:

Joe Jeeper · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 5:29 pm

2003, 59K miles, original battery.

snowsport · **Joined:** Tue Oct 18, 2005 11:52 pm **Posts:** 1211

Speaking of DTRLs, I've seen some motorcycles with pulsing DTRLs that are really noticeable. Actually, noticeable to the point of being annoying.

But you definitely want to be seen when you drive a bike, so they do their job. Personally, I'm not sure that DTRLs are needed. Only a few times in weird atmospheric/lighting conditions have I noticed they helped at all, to see another vehicle coming that I might not have noticed that far off.

I replaced my battery last year as a precaution. Got the Odyssey in there now, and it seems to be a good battery. I don't know if DTRLs that everybody has here are hard on batteries. It seems they usually last about 5 years or so, which isn't bad considering some of the extreme cold they have to work in sometimes. It's a dry cold, though, so maybe that's it.

JeepinMaxx · **Posted:** Fri Jul 04, 2008 8:34 pm

114K on our 2002. DD Original battery. 4 seasons of winching. Still going strong. RedTop when this one dies.

So my battery bit it!

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