Can a modern car battery fail abruptly and completely?

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Can a modern car battery fail abruptly and completely?

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946 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1586617 5-Jul-2016 18:57

There is usually a date code stamp or sticker used for warranty purposes, usually 2 years. If it is older than that, then agree with others that this is a sign the battery is on its way out.

richms

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#1586633 5-Jul-2016 19:25

Measuring idle current with a multimeter will not show many problems. I had a factory amp on the car stereo that would turn on when the stereo was turned on, and not turn off. So it all looked fine with a multimeter because it never turned on from having the negative disconnected.

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Rikkitic

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#1586641 5-Jul-2016 19:32

joker97: Have you ever seen anything that fail gradually?

First half the right light, then half the left light then half the ...
Or a coffee machine makes half a coffee, then 2/3rd ...

Things just give up :(

Not sure I get you. Batteries can and do fail gradually. I have experienced that many times. But the technology keeps changing and I'm just not sure what happens with modern SLA batteries when they expire.

Plesse igmore amd axxept applogies in adbance fir anu typos

linw

2849 posts

Uber Geek

#1586643 5-Jul-2016 19:36

Must admit I am getting a bit chary about my 6.5 yr old battery. Haven't noticed any signs, like slower cranking, but it can be a right royal pita if it suddenly dies on you.

Prudence v tight arsedness!!

ubergeeknz

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Vocus

#1586814 5-Jul-2016 21:43

gzt: Only reason I'm asking on connection the spark looks more than this : )

Things have capacitors which charge up initially, causing a small inrush (enough to make for a spark) but the current will drop off quickly.

andrew027

1286 posts

Uber Geek

#1586952 6-Jul-2016 09:50

Batteries certainly can fail quickly.

I had a 2007 Toyota RAV4, and over the first four years or so I never had any hint there was a problem with the battery - no slow cranking, no unusual warning lights or battery meter readings on the dash. Then one day I drove from from Wellington to Feilding to visit in-laws. Left early (no problems starting the RAV) and stopped for breakfast in Levin. Went back out to the car after being parked for 20 minutes and it was completely dead. AA came, did some tests, changed the battery, good as gold.

RUKI

1402 posts

Uber Geek

#1587716 7-Jul-2016 15:38

In Lead Acid wet batteries the sediment builds up to the point when it short-cut the electrodes - that is when it "fails suddenly"

Re: other comments as above:

Re "mulimeter": I had very bad experience with multimeters from Jaycar (lifetime warranty :-() they do not measure DC current actually. Swapped 3 times - the same fault. Gave up as I have other means of measuring current, including DC current sensors which go around the wire.

Re "bulb in series": easiest to take off your car (e.g. in one of the rear lights) is 48W - i.e. 4 amps. If the battery drains <1A (which still a non-desirable drain) you may not see the light out of it - so you can't capture the drain.

Other stuff:

Modern Lead-Acid starter batteries (e.g. sold by Toyota) I found being less expensive then in Repco and lasted me little over 3 years (Repco lasted less than 3 years)

Desulfator circuitry which you can build yourself (not hard, I've done that) provides pulses into battery and slowly rejuvenate slightly sulfated battery (no effect on severily sulfated). But that need to be used in parallel with the charger, otherwise you'll drain battery quickly.

Found some installers of Audio equipment in Auckland are not doing the good job by permanently attaching amplifiers to the battery without any switch. That drains battery quickly. Saw on my friends car after they complained about new battery being flat fast after not driving for a while...

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Rikkitic

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#1587722 7-Jul-2016 15:59

Follow-up question: After abruptly and totally failing, can the battery work normally for awhile following a recharge? That seems to be what is now happening with mine.

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Athlonite

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#1587725 7-Jul-2016 16:09

Well yes it can and will fail generally just outside the warranty period which is usually 2 years now instead of 5 like it used to be. Top reason for failure inadequate size and rating for the vehicle if your battery has failed and it something like an 320~340 CCA rated replace it with an HD 9 plate 450~520CCA battery

RUKI

1402 posts

Uber Geek

#1587984 8-Jul-2016 09:50

Athlonite:

Well yes it can and will fail generally just outside the warranty period which is usually 2 years now instead of 5 like it used to be. ....

The last one I bought from Toyota not long ago (few months) had 3 year warranty on it.

robjg63

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#1588051 8-Jul-2016 11:20

Why dont you try and check how old the battery is - find the date codes:

http://www.batterytown.co.nz/Content/123

3 years is average for a battery (sometimes less, sometimes more).

I had a 1982 Mitsi Mirage that I sold to my brother in the 80s. It had the original battery (with Todd Motors marked on it) - it lasted an amzing 10 years. They certainly dont last that long now.

I agree that in the old days batteries seemed to start to 'wilt' and gave a bit of warning. These days they seem fine one day and are dead the next. Perhaps the electrics of he cars are such that once the voltage drops a little the car just wont look at the battery.

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Rikkitic

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#1588079 8-Jul-2016 11:48

I intend to look at it again and try to find dates when it stops raining. I didn't see anything when I checked it previously.

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703

131 posts

Master Geek

#1588783 9-Jul-2016 13:02

My OEM battery is still going after 6 years. I don't want to replace it yet as nothing aftermarket is as good (I looked up the OEM part number it it retails for US$700).

Hope it last another 4 years (I've seen imported cars with the original OEM battery still in them after 10 years).

plod

272 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1588793 9-Jul-2016 13:23

Just replace the one in my 2008 corolla, I think was an original. The cold mornings finally killed it

jeffnz

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#1588812 9-Jul-2016 14:18

Athlonite:

Well yes it can and will fail generally just outside the warranty period which is usually 2 years now instead of 5 like it used to be. Top reason for failure inadequate size and rating for the vehicle if your battery has failed and it something like an 320~340 CCA rated replace it with an HD 9 plate 450~520CCA battery

if it was 5 years warranty we must be talking a very long time as I've been involved with them , on and off for over 30 years and its always been a standard 2 years.

HD (heavy duty) is marketing speak and means little, 9 plates is generally under 350CCA anything over is and under 450 is 11 plate.

Generally batteries have more than enough power to start the vehicle but marketing people have pushed higher CCA for years.

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