Preventative Maintenance, New Battery?

[wormwood1978]

2008 Trailblazer, 65,000 miles, Michigan and Maine winters. Factory Battery. No problems yet but should I replace the battery now or wait til or goes or give it yet another year?

I haven't had a single battery issue yet with this vehicle. Last week, I load tested it and everything was still good. I'd say the coldest I'm looking at is -5 to -10 a few days a year, with the average January/Feb in the +teens.

 

[therealsethallen]

A good solid cranking battery is decent insurance against coming out to the truck at 6am in February to a dead one. I just replaced the one in my 9-7x, which had Saab stickers and was dated 1/2010 with a new Interstate Green and White, 78-Series Side Post, expensive but worth it, even though the six year old battery was probably fine.

 

[Mooseman]

You're on borrowed time with that 8-9 year old battery.

 

[DAlastDON]

I did not have a single issue out of mine starting the engine under normal conditions. Thought it turned the engine over quickly. But i had a problem with the fact that i could not play the radio at low volume for no more than twenty minutes and still start the engine. Had it load tested at auto zone and they said it was fine. Believed them until i asked what they CCA feedback was. They said it was in the green and i asked again for the actual numbers and they said 475 CCA. That was not fine. Should have been putting out 600+ CCA. Went to advance auto parts and picked up a AGM battery and have played the radio at low volume up to forty five minutes with no problem starting the engine. As far as i know it was the original AC Delco battery but could find no date markings on it.

When i purchased the battery i asked for the sales rep to install it in the parking lot. Was quite entertaining watching him struggle to first get the battery cooler back on with the carrying handle still attached to the battery. I was about to tell him to cut it off but he somehow go it on. The entertainment continued as he struggled to get the lugs started with anti-corrosion rings. Better him than me.

 

[MAY03LT]

IMO it's better to replace it on your terms then the trucks terms. They crap out at the worst possible times, like when you load up your pickup full of trash/yard debris and have just enough time to make it to the dump and....clickclickclickclickclick.

 

[wormwood1978]

I will probably replace it then this fall. I'm looking at the Autocraft Gold (Advance Auto) for $132 minus a 15-20% coupon brings it to around $110. Should I be looking at anything different?

 

[littleblazer]

The oem in the sierra died after 7 years. It went from fine to bad. We were digging the first pool and had all the trucks on the street with 4 ways on so we could pull in the equipment. Not ten minutes later would it start. Same thing with the radio only would last 40 minutes. Load test for CCA was 800 on the dot though. I'd replace it imo.

 

[Redbeard]

And then there is this thought: If your battery is a bit "tired or old" what needs to work harder than needed to attempt to keep it charged? You may have enough juice to start your vehicle, but if the alternator starts placing 100% current to your battery trying to charge it fully up, yet never can, you place a burden on the alternator. When alternators are putting out high current much of the time they often die quickly. So I ask this: what is cheaper/more cost effective/not placing you possibly in harms way(read dead battery in a bad area of town)? The last alternator I purchased about 15-20 years ago was $180. For me I prefer to change my battery than my alternator. Easier too. Here in Florida we are usually on borrowed time after 24 months.

just my 2 ¢

"One of the true tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem

before it becomes an emergency. Integrity is the most valuable and

respected quality of leadership. Always keep your word." --Ronald Reagan



''Life's tough, pilgrim, and it's even tougher if you're stupid.''

--John Wayne

 

[Mooseman]

That's true also. My son just killed the alternator in his Sierra because it was able to start the truck, it had an issue that would make the alternator push 100% amperage all the time and kill it.

 

[shovenose]

IMO Costco has the best deals on quality Interstate batteries with a no-hassle return/warranty policy. I got a full cash refund after buying a battery for a project truck, using it for 6 months, then I sold the truck, put the old battery back in, and returned the new one for a refund because I didn't need it. Also, the current battery in my Envoy is from Costco and it's going on a few years with no trouble.