Stock Battery - R.I.P. - 9/20/2001 to 9/1/2008

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:22 am

yellocoyote wrote:

It happened. Death at just short of 7 years old, and just over 105K miles. Memorial services were held at 3:30pm this afternoon. :cry:

I ran up to the grocery store for last minute Labor Day supplies, and it was somewhat hesitant to start in the parking lot. I said out loud, 'just get me home.' It did get home, but when I went to start it to put it up on ramps in the driveway, it died.

Not bad for the stock battery, methinks.

Rather dumb to push it that long, take it as a learning lesson not to let it happen again. You don't need it to fail in a way such that it actually causes a problem or is dangerous.

CrossBones · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:28 am

yellocoyote wrote:

It happened. Death at just short of 7 years old, and just over 105K miles. Memorial services were held at 3:30pm this afternoon. :cry:

My condolences to you and yours. :wink:

What did you do with her after the memorial? I got $10.00 for mine the last time I had to say good-bye to one.

tommudd · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:30 am

I switched mine out a couple of weeks ago after107,000 miles, still tested good, but then its only a 04 :wink:

But yours did good, hope you said some nice things about it before that final moment before throwing that first shovel full of dirt on its face :roll:

drum roll please :cry:

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 1:28 am

What battery did you get to replace your dearly departed?

JJsTJ · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:14 am

Sir Sam wrote:

Rather dumb to push it that long, take it as a learning lesson not to let it happen again. You don't need it to fail in a way such that it actually causes a problem or is dangerous.

Pretty harsh there eh?

I'm amazed it lasted that long! W/ my luck it would have waited until I was on the top of a mountain or out in the desert to decide to give up.

TAHOE · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 8:24 am

Pretty good for a battery to go that long. Longest I saw was the AC delco in my Dad's '86 pickup, finally died after 10 yrs of service, I was amazed. I just changed a buddy's in his chevy venture van, it lasted 6 yrs, the whole terminal fell out of his, never saw that before.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:49 am

Can I ask how a dead battery could "fail in a way such that it actually causes a problem or is dangerous."

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 10:57 pm

sleeve84028 wrote:

Can I ask how a dead battery could "fail in a way such that it actually causes a problem or is dangerous."

Can you honestly say that you can't think of a time when a vehicle that wont start, or stalls and then wont start would be dangerous?

Sir Sam · **Posted:** Tue Sep 02, 2008 11:04 pm

JJsKJ wrote:

Sir Sam wrote:

Rather dumb to push it that long, take it as a learning lesson not to let it happen again. You don't need it to fail in a way such that it actually causes a problem or is dangerous.

Pretty harsh there eh?

Batteries are one of my pet peeves, I don't know how many times I have bought a vehicle that was about 5 years old with the original battery, and since the car was wrecked/parked/who knows for a few months and the battery allowed to drain down it killed it.

Plus I just see WAAYYYY too many people who push them to their point of failure. I admit, "run till failure" is probably the least problematic with a battery, but it is still not a good idea.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2008 7:33 am

I see the point and can say that a lot of people run a battery till failure. But only because there are very few warning signs of a battery dying. Age of the battery is one thing, but the only time you have trouble cranking with a bad battery is after it's too late.

Blue KJ in PA · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2008 7:37 am

There was a time when dead or near dead batteries were easier to deal with. I limped home from college with a bad alternator and thus dead battery by keeping moving...when I got caught by red light it would stop and I'd get a jump to go on again.

These days though there is not the near death warnings from batteries like in the old days...when my stock battery died on my KJ is was slow to start one cold morning and then when I went to leave work later in the day...while pouring rain...it was totally dead. Luckily I had read in here that I was close to the end of the battery life and had a new one waiting in the back of my Jeep.

There was a lady yesterday who was driving in the middle of a busy 4 lane road and had a battery die...no power so no four way flashers...she got rear ended a few minutes later.

sleeve84028 · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:10 am

Well there you have it.. It can be dangerous.

I will change my tune about the 8 year old battery in the wifes Sebring now.

tommudd · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:55 am

Used to be in the good old days if the battery went dead you could either charge it up or jump it and head for home or the garage to replace it.
Now days when the battery dies, IT IS DEAD!!!

I knew mine was maybe getting close, so when I found a great deal on a Red Top I went ahead and bought it, it sat in the garage for two weeks and then I just had to install it! :twisted:

Looked so pretty sitting there :lol:

TAHOE · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:49 pm

I run mine till they die...cause I'm cheapo and hate spending the money before I have to. On the other side though, with all the newer cars being computerized, a dead battery could cause other issues with the electronics. I know my wife's 97 blazer will not start without a full charge, the fuel pump is designed to use a certain voltage, FP won't run even though we have enough juice to turn the motor over. I have to buy one here shortly to start my firebird that's been idle for 3 yrs.

Jayme, I would say if the battery reaches it's "life span " on label, then go ahead and change it.

iambob · **Posted:** Wed Sep 03, 2008 4:26 pm

I always have my battery/alternator tested when I get my Jeep inspected. (Got to make appt inspection expires this month.) Last year my stock has a 74 %charge, so I bought an Excide. Wanted a Optima Yellow top could not find one, then in short time later Advance began selling them. See my luck.

Stock Battery - R.I.P. - 9/20/2001 to 9/1/2008

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