How can I tell if I need a new battery?

How can I tell if I need a new battery?

A friend of mine tested it and it measured 10.9 volts. Is that bad or
good? It's a 2000 car with the original stock battery. Should I replace
it now, or wait a year or two more? What are the signs/symptoms that I
might need a new one or that it's getting bad?

Thanks!

 

That voltage is too low. What you want to do is test the voltage while the
car is running. If the voltage is in the 14 volt range while running then
your battery is most likely shot. Load testing is a good way to test a
battery.

CaptainKrunch

 

That's not always a good indicator though. I just had to buy a battery
about a week after testing it, both with load and without - tested just
fine. Like I said though, a week later and it couldn't even run the radio.

I'd say wait until it dies, unless you depend on the car crucially. Or
you have money that you want to spend.

 

I have to agree with CaptainKrunch on this one. If the voltage is about
14 V with the engine running and 10.9 V otherwise, then the charging
system is fine and the battery has already failed. Trying to save money
by delaying the replacement is short sighted as a bad battery will wear
out you alternator prematurely.

Since the car is a 2000 the battery is about 4 years old, and it is not
unreasonable for the battery to die at that age.

 

thanks all for the advice, i appreciate it. my next question is should i
spring for an Optima battery? or it it not worth the extra money? i
don't have a high power car stereo or anything.

 

Just replaced the original battery in my '94 Integra. it was turning over
slower than normal. It turns over a lot faster now.

 

I think for about 1/3 the price the stock battery is just fine. I got a
good one at Costco a few years ago for about $40 I think. If you are going
to mount the battery in the car or the trunk, or live in a very high heat
area I would spring for the Optima. But since you don't and you are not
running any heavy load accessories just go with stock and don't forget to
check the water level if it is a non-maintenance free battery.

CaptainKrunch

 

one of the reasons i am considering Optima is because i park the car
during the week, all week with the alarm on (i take public transit to
work).

 

Costco battery was rated the best.





How to turn off 'Maintenance Required" light:

1. Hold trip/reset button on dash
2. Turn key to "ON" or start engine
3. Hold button til light goes out

 

Usually a weakening battery will show signs of turning the car over more
slowly in the morning if you have a really good ear and listen to the sounds
your car is singing.

A no load voltage of 10.9 is low, but may simply indicate that you are not
doing long enough driving trips to fully charge the battery.

Personally I would probably change it out because a new battery is
inexpensive and getting stuck with a dead battery is a real PITA.

John

 

The Optima sounds like a good fit for your usage as you are cycling the
battery through a fairly deep discharge cycle on a weakly basis. Cost wise
replacing conventional batteries more often is probably your cheapest route,
but convenience is worth something, and changing batteries less often
certain is high on the convenience scale.

John

 

i ended up getting an Interstate MT-51R. i decided to replace the stock
battery now, rather than wait until it dies and i'm stranded somewhere
or something. the Interstate has 500 CCA (stock battery has 410). i
decided an Optima at $129. was not worth it for me. Plus their book
didn't list an officially sanctioned Optima for my car (2000 Civic Si).

Costco has a Kirkland 410 CCA 51R battery that is rated at 100 months,
for just $35.! darn, i should have got that one but i saw it after i had
already got the Interstate put in..

 

I wouldn't fret avout it. Both are, AFAICT, made by Johnson Controls,
usually rated the best bormal batteries and Interstate has a reputation for
the best disrtibution system. In that respect shelf-time is very
important.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

actually Optima is owned by Johnson Control but not made by them. Optima
is still a separate, smaller facility and Johnson just bought them.

 

When was that available? I remember when I got my '95 Integra GS-R,
I looked for the 51R every time I popped into Costco. I ended up
getting a new DieHard in '99, and an ACDelco battery again last year.
I probably didn't need a new battery, but got it as a preventative
measure.

As a generic battery question - anyone know where to get a serviceable
battery? I heard they have a longer useful life in hot climates as
long as they're properly checked and topped off.

 

i was in Costco yesterday and they had several 51R batteries in stock
right on the shelf.

 

I thought it was clear that I meant the Kirkland and the Interstate.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

Just to let everyone know honda batteries are made by interstate

 

Nope. In fact AFAIK, Interstate does not make batteries - they distribute
them, usually made by Johnson Controls IME. The U.S. built Hondas I've
seen have had AC Delco and the Jap built have had Panasonic. Not
impossible that Honda has switched to say maybe Johnson Controls in the
last two years - I don't know. Now that Honda is importing from the U.K.,
it's a good thing that Lucas has gone to corporate heaven.

Rgds, George Macdonald

"Just because they're paranoid doesn't mean you're not psychotic" - Who, me??

 

This is incorrect. They are made by Johnson Controls. Johnson Controls
is manufactor of or owns the company for the following battery labels:

DieHard
Equalizer
Kirkland Signature (Costco)
EverStart
Motocraft
Optima
ProStart
TrueStart
Duralast
Mitsubishi
Mazda
Honda
Eveready
Power Connection