Battery Confusion

[DLK]

I believe my battery is going bad on my 2006 M35x. The symptom is the car cranks for a second or two instead of turning right over. I think this means the batter is starting to go.

Being proactive (and not wanting to be stranded anywhere) I began to immediately look for a battery. However, I am getting conflicting sizes, depending on who is selling the battery. Some places say it is a 24F. Some say it is a 27F. On this board, someone said it is a 34R. Can people tell me which sizes they used successfully?

P.S. The Interstate was rated #1 (in 24F) by Consumer Reports, but it only has a 30 month warranty, it is $20-30 more than most of the slightly lesser rated batteries, and they seem to have longer free replacement periods/warranties. What to do...


DLK

[loystock]

Group 34R is the OEM spec with 75 AH and 720 CCA or better. Group 24F or 35 are alternate types. The alternate batteries are at least an inch higher then Group 34R so make sure it will fit in with the battery cover installed.

The battery dimensions per BCI:
-Group 34R: 10-1/4"L x 6-13/16"W x 7-7/8"H
-Group 35: 9-1/16 x 6-7/8 x 8-7/8
-Group 24F: 10-3/4 x 6-13/16 x 9

With all the gadgets and headlights settings in the M35/45, the battery typically last for 3 years. Except for Derek and Odyssey, batteries in the US market are from Mexico with majority of them made by Johnson Controls (DieHard, Duralast, Kirkland, Interstate, Optima, etc.)

[EniGmA1987]

I am in need of a new battery now too, so this info would be very helpful.

The DieHard Platinum is the best battery as far as I remember.

[qship96]

Yes, the Diehard Platinum {$189} was the top rated battery in Consumers Reports test for the last 2-3 years....it is an AGM battery, and actually a identical rebadged Odyssey made in the USA by Enersys corporation for Sears- quite a bargain considering the identical Odyssey pc 1500 retails for 300-350$$ 4 year full exchange warranty and 100 month prorate- I am going on 2.5 years use of one in my Q. More info at www.odysseyfactory.com

[loystock]

"qship" is correct about the DieHard Platinum branded Odyssey batteries. But for whatever reason, you cannot find a Group 34R (Reversed Polarity) DieHard Platinum from Sears (though Odyssey makes 34R) and most likely will get a Group 35 which has a lower but acceptable CCA. And please, DO NOT install Group 34 (normal polarity) as this will 'fry' you car's controllers (not covered by warranty...OUCH!).

If you want to keep your 'presets', have a battery tender connected to the battery cables during replacement. BTW, battery R/R is DIY but is not straightforward. Aside from the pax and battery covers, you also have to remove the rubber trim below windshield, pax side only, to fully access the battery.

[gavnator]

Is the car still under the basic warranty? IF so, I believe Infiniti will replace it all be it pro-rated. My battery went right before the basic warranty and Infiniti pro-rated it. I ended up paying $50.00 for the replacement. If you get 4 years out of an original battery your doing well as there are 3 issues. 1) where it's located; lots of heat, 2) the size and output of the OEM battery, and 3) all the stuff it has to power. So I'll be looking to replace the new OEM in about 3 1/2 years.

[DLK]

Well my car is five years old (bought it used) and I have had it for 2 years. It does appear to be the original battery. So more questions:

Can I use a regular battery tender (i.e. my Battery Tender Jr.) to keep all my presets?

Has anyone used a 24F successfully on a 2006? Aren't all 24F batteries the same size? If one fits, shouldn't they all fit?

How do you remove the passenger side trim that everyone keeps talking about which gives them a hard time?

I'm not sure paying double is worth it for the DieHard Platinum, especially since the other batteries have a 3 year free replacement period and a 100 month warranty (at least the Duralast does.)

According to Consumer Reports, all of the Group 35 batteries were well below 700 CCA, usually around 650 or so. I don't think this is acceptable since the OEM stat is 720 CCA.

I am a little confused about the "reversed polarity" issue. I though the issue is that the positive terminal is on the right. I don't see how you could fry anything if the correct terminal is hooked up. Polarity is polarity. Positive is positive. If you get the wrong battery, you should not be able to connect it because the red battery terminal will be on the left, and the Infiniti positive cable is on the right, correct?

[loystock]

Well my car is five years old (bought it used) and I have had it for 2 years. It does appear to be the original battery. So more questions:

Can I use a regular battery tender (i.e. my Battery Tender Jr.) to keep all my presets?
=>A 12VDC Battery Tender with at least 1 Amp capacity, provided all car electrical loads are off, should be sufficient. Older cars have parasitic drain of @ 50mA but the M will have much higher than that (I have not take any measurement yet).

Has anyone used a 24F successfully on a 2006? Aren't all 24F batteries the same size? If one fits, shouldn't they all fit?
=>Car batteries conform with BCI specs so 24F dimensions should be the same regardless of brand. I believe that 24F will fit in but it's your responsibility to verify that. Note that the 24F is 1.125" taller than 34R so you have to make sure that the battery cover can be closed AND the battery clamps/bracket have enough threads to accommodate the taller battery.

How do you remove the passenger side trim that everyone keeps talking about which gives them a hard time?
=>Clips are used everywhere. You have to remove the pax side cover (clips underneath), then BATT cover followed by BATT lining (5 clips). Then remove the rubber trim halfway to expose the split on W/S plastic trim. Remove 2 plastic clips, then the plastic trim below pax side W/S (AC air intake) only. Disconnect battery cables and remove the BATT bracket (2 nuts). Remove battery and clean the connectors. Battery installation is just the reverse. Note that the rear clamp/bracket is hooked to the firewall.

I'm not sure paying double is worth it for the DieHard Platinum, especially since the other batteries have a 3 year free replacement period and a 100 month warranty (at least the Duralast does.)
=>As always, you are the owner...your call. I've used OEM as well as batteries from Costco with no problem.

According to Consumer Reports, all of the Group 35 batteries were well below 700 CCA, usually around 650 or so. I don't think this is acceptable since the OEM stat is 720 CCA.
=>Batteries within the same group can have different CCAs so you have to check if the battery you are looking for meets or exceeds the spec. And you are right, Group 35 (shorter) batteries in general have lower CCAs than 24F and 34R.

I am a little confused about the "reversed polarity" issue. I though the issue is that the positive terminal is on the right. I don't see how you could fry anything if the correct terminal is hooked up. Polarity is polarity. Positive is positive. If you get the wrong battery, you should not be able to connect it because the red battery terminal will be on the left, and the Infiniti positive cable is on the right, correct?
=>The problem is that some people have no clue about polarity or simply not paying attention. As installed, 34R battery pole on RH side is positive. A Group 34 battery has the same dimensions but has reversed polarity as installed. And there is no way that you can connect them correctly due to short battery cables. So if someone accidentally connected a 34...it will be an expensive learning experience. And it already happened to a forum member so I hope that will be the LAST.

[DLK]

Some answers:

My battery finally kicked the bucket yesterday morning. I put my Battery Tender Jr. on it, and went to work. While at work I called the Infiniti dealer. According to the parts department, the battery is a 24F, not a 34R. I also search the owners manual over and over, and no battery size or specifications are listed.

When I got home, the charger indicated the battery was still not charged, despite over 10 hours on the charger. The car did start, but took some cranking. When the battery was good, it turned right over.

I proceeded to take the covers off to get to the battery. A little difficult in a somewhat dark garage, but with the aid of a flashlight I was able to get all of the pieces off, and get to the battery. I put my charger on the positive terminal, and grounded the negative to the car, just as if I was charging the battery, The negative cable came off easily, but the positive was very tight and took a good bit of work. However, I noticed the light on the battery Tender jr. was not on. For some reason, with the battery out, the circuit was not completing. This charger has a chip to prevent overcharging. I have probably lost all my settings.

I pulled the battery out. I did not remove or unclip the fuse box. I did not find it necessary. I then measured the battery. It is clearly a 24F, not a 34R. The important thing about measuring is you include the posts in the total calculation. While the boxy part is just shy of 8 inches, WITH the posts included, the battery is just shy of 9 inches. Since the width and length of the 34R and 24F are the same, I can see how this could be confusing.

I used this chart:

http://www.rtpnet.org/teaa/bcigroup.html (see the footnote about including terminal posts when determining size)

Today I will get a replacement battery and install it.

DLK

[DLK]

Ok so here is the scoop. I decided to buy the Everstart Maxx24FN based on the price ($77) and it being the number 2 rated battery by Consumer Reports. The Walmart near work had it in stock. I had my old battery in my trunk, and I stopped down after work. The battery was clearly labeled "3 year Free Replacement" and "Made by Johnson Controls". I did not see anything about the prorated warranty period. I inquired about this to two different employees and was told by both that there was only the three year warranty, no more extended warranty. Apparently, this is a recent change. Another oddity is that the battery guide on-site listed the battery as a "27F".

With Walmart out, I decided to go for another Johnson Control product, the Autocraft Gold battery at Advanced Auto Parts. there was an online coupon for $30 off any purchase over $75. The battery was 89.99 before core charge. Since the core is charged online, I called the store and they said they would credit the core when I brought it in. Total online purchase price - approx $76. I went up to the Advanced Auto store. I went in with my core. The clerk did not know what to do and took my print out and went into the back. I walked over to the battery section and there was one 24F left. Dated 8/10. I highly doubt it was made in August and sitting on the store shelf already, but I guess it is better for warranty purposes if I lose my receipt. I yelled to the clerk that I had it, and carried it over to where my old battery was sitting. THEY ARE THE EXACT SAME SIZE. The only difference is that the new battery has small flanges at the top where the carry strap connects. Otherwise, height, width, length are identical. now it is possible that my battery was not the original Infiniti battery, since I am not the original owner, however, it definitely was AN Infiniti battery, and the dealer had told me it was a 24F, so I consider that issued closed.

They had some difficulty crediting me for the old core, as the second employee who was helping the first clueless gent had made an error. The manager came over and credited my card $12.00 for a core 1-2-3. Everyone was very nice. total cost, approximately $66 with tax. Not too bad. Coupon is "Big30" if you need it. Got home, installed the battery with very little difficulty, although I was unsure just how tight to make everything. I decided to err on the side of too tight. I began replacing all the surrounds, and it took me a minute to figure out the secret to re-installing the clips. (You can't just push them in. You have to raise the center part, get the washer part flat, then click the center down into place.) As a consequence, I lost one clip, but is is one of four or five for the battery surround, and it seemed secure. Now that I know how to put them in, I will pick one up at the dealer next time I am there.

I was correct that my Battery Tender Jr. was not supplying power for lack of a circuit. I supposed if I had connected it to the negative cable it would have worked, but that is not what the instructions say to do, since it is a smart charger. But all I lost were my radio presets and my seat memory. Oh and the trip-ometer seems to have been reset, oddly enough. XM still worked (but had to reset preset stations), so the person who lost their signal maybe had other issues going on.

All in all, a somewhat vexatious experience due to the size issue (so many different sites with different size listings), but the actual removal/reinstall was not as bad is it would appear when you open the hood.

DLK

[qship96]

Plan on repeating the process in another 36 months.

[Ilya]

Has no one on this forum heard of Optima batteries? Many members on Maxima.org use the Optima Red or Yellow top and swear by them. I had one in my Maxima and it was great.

[qship96]

Has no one on this forum heard of Optima batteries? Many members on Maxima.org use the Optima Red or Yellow top and swear by them. I had one in my Maxima and it was great.

Optima quality has gone down hill since Johnson Controls purchased the company and moved production out of the USA....google "optima battery problems" and read owners recent experience......lots of complaints of short lifespan and other issue, unlike the early examples of the brand. Odyssey has moved into the number one spot over the last few years{and available under the Sears Diehard PLATINUM relabel for significant savings} The Odyssey retails for $300-350.

[DLK]

The Die Hard would have been triple what I paid. That's not much of a value, unless it is lasting three times as long (9 years? doubtful). Now that I know how to get the battery out and in, the next time will be a snap, so no worries in three years. And if it dies before three years, free replacement will be in effect. And the Diehard Platinum was not rated by Consumer Reports in the 24F size. The Interstate MTP-24F was #1, Everstart#2. The DieHard Gold was mid-pack.

DLK

[Ilya]

Did not know that. I got my Maxima one probably 2 years ago and sold it with the car. Had no problems with it at all.

[DoN_BLaZe34]

Has no one on this forum heard of Optima batteries? Many members on Maxima.org use the Optima Red or Yellow top and swear by them. I had one in my Maxima and it was great.

had both a red and yellow top in my Millenia with no issues..

[The00Dustin]

I was correct that my Battery Tender Jr. was not supplying power for lack of a circuit. I supposed if I had connected it to the negative cable it would have worked, but that is not what the instructions say to do, since it is a smart charger. But all I lost were my radio presets and my seat memory. Oh and the trip-ometer seems to have been reset, oddly enough. XM still worked (but had to reset preset stations), so the person who lost their signal maybe had other issues going on.

I had my battery changed by a local mechanic with no battery tender, and did not lose my XM either. I didn't re-read this entire thread, but I think I have read it or some other similar thread before, and if I remember correctly, the XM loss tends to come with extended battery disconnection, not a quick battery changeout disconnection.

[DLK]

I was correct that my Battery Tender Jr. was not supplying power for lack of a circuit. I supposed if I had connected it to the negative cable it would have worked, but that is not what the instructions say to do, since it is a smart charger. But all I lost were my radio presets and my seat memory. Oh and the trip-ometer seems to have been reset, oddly enough. XM still worked (but had to reset preset stations), so the person who lost their signal maybe had other issues going on.

I had my battery changed by a local mechanic with no battery tender, and did not lose my XM either. I didn't re-read this entire thread, but I think I have read it or some other similar thread before, and if I remember correctly, the XM loss tends to come with extended battery disconnection, not a quick battery changeout disconnection.

Mine was actually disconnected for almost a whole day....still came back no problem.

[About Tree Fiddy]

I know this is an old thread but it really helped me today when my battery was dying on my '09 M35 so I thought I would revive it for any newer members.

When this thread was active last year I made sure to bookmark it knowing I would need it sooner or later especially with the desert heat I live in. It seemed the car had been cranking a little slower than normal the last few weeks but I thought maybe it was my imagination. Then yesterday when I came out of the store it almost didn't start. Same thing today so came home and checked this thread because it has lots of good info.

I ended up getting a 24F, 84 month, 3 year free replacement for about $100 and wanted to confirm what the others posters had found out. The 24F matched size perfectly with the OEM battery that came out of the car. Replacement wasn't as hard I thought it would be. All the covers just unclip and come right off then just go back on the way they came off. The hardest part for me was getting the rear hold down hooked up.

[06M4.5]

I got a Sears Gold battery a few days ago.

and yes the red top optima battery is not what they used to be.

I also had 2 red tops in my 97 Maxima

[davidyal]

I need to replace the 24F battery on my M35 as well.

Autozone sells their Gold for $100 with a 3yr/84 mo warranty
Walmart has the Evermaxx for $80 with 3yr/no prorated warranty.

Both have same CCA. Any suggestions which is more worthwhile? IN the past I've just gone to Costco, but they don't offer a 24F here in Texas.

[The00Dustin]

Everyone here is going to tell you the battery will only last 3 years. That being said, if they are correct (and since you live in TX, they probably are), the pro-rated warranty should probably pay significantly more than the $20 difference, depending on whether or not they can properly diagnose the bad battery.

[Twizz]

I know nothing about batteries and all of the 24F stuff. I recently added a sub and some hids as well as an air horn. They all require power and I don't want to kill the battery or put stress on the alternator. I was looking at some batteries and saw an optima. I was just about to get it, but I decided to come. Check here first. Has anyone ever had one in their car ? Also, I want the yellow top, but their site is saying that the red top wood be the only one I could use for my car. Would anyone have any insight into this ? Thanks

[06M4.5]

I got a Sears Gold battery a few days ago.

and yes the red top optima battery is not what they used to be.

I also had 2 red tops in my 97 Maxima

/\

[options28]

Just had a Diehard Gold group 24F (north) installed by Sears. Price was $105 and $20 for installation, everything worked when the installation was completed and I didn't have to reset windows, sunroof or radio presets. I chose the Diehard Gold as it is maintenance free and the battery location in the M35 is hard to get to in order to service the battery. This battery also scored well in the most recent CR testing.

[Twizz]

What battery would you suggest for my particular uses ?

[06M4.5]

some info on sears gold:

Group Size 24F
700 CCA (cold cranking amps)
120 minutes RC (reserve capacity)
36-month free replacement limited warranty*
100-month pro-rated limited warranty*
Maintenance free automotive battery
Carrying handle
Flush manifold vented cover
Application code B-11


Meets OE requirements for many automotive passenger car and truck vehicle makes such as Toyota, Honda, Acura, Nissan, Mazda, Infiniti, Mitsubishi and others

[Twizz]

some info on sears gold:

Group Size 24F
700 CCA (cold cranking amps)
120 minutes RC (reserve capacity)
36-month free replacement limited warranty*
100-month pro-rated limited warranty*
Maintenance free automotive battery
Carrying handle
Flush manifold vented cover
Application code B-11


Meets OE requirements for many automotive passenger car and truck vehicle makes such as Toyota, Honda, Acura, Nissan, Mazda, Infiniti, Mitsubishi and others

If I'm not mistaken, doesn't the M require 720 CCA ??? Again, I am looking for a deep cycle battery if possible. It's not a necessity, more like a want. I just don't want summer to come around and I have all of my electronics running with the AC on and lights. Don't wanna stress out my electrical system