Battery didn't last for 3 years?

Nissan Rogue forum - Includes Nissan Qashqai and Nissan Dualis as well.
datechboss101
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So I just started a new job as a delivery driver for Pizza Hut and went to my local dealer for a multi-pointer inspection to make sure everything is safe and sound. Looks like the battery failed the test and came up with a result of 426 CCA out of 550 CCA. This made me disappointed since this battery didn't last me at least 3 years of ownership of the Rogue, but gave me 67k trouble free miles. And then the dealer also pointed out that I needed to do a Power Steering Flush. If I am correct, there is no power steering for the Rogue. If I am wrong, please tell me where in the world is the power steering fluid located? Also, why did the factory battery failed this early? (Never happened to the Honda's that we own).


rowlands57
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Get a second opinion on that battery at Advance Auto or Autozone. They do it for free and if you do need a battery they'll install one for a whole lot less than the dealership.

04pathse
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These days the average life is around 3-4 years for a car battery.

You can get an Exide Extreme group 35 battery at Home Depot for around $100 and install it yourself, not hard to do at all.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Exide-Extre ... /204852597

Cheapest group 35 battery at Autozone is around $160.

As for the power steering fluid it should be in your owners manual in the maintenance section.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wom_SIJmM8w

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casperfun
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Please tell me that was not a Nissan Dealership, because if they told you to get a power steering flush, you need to run away as fast as you can since they don't know their own car, a scam,

Or your 16 or either a woman they are trying to take advantage of.

Since the Rogue has electronic steering. :wtf2:

My batteries usually last exactly 5 years, even though i killed many times by leaving my aux driving lights many times. :cry:

I use a maintainer now since my vehicle is loaded with electronics. Hope it lasts longer.

Also buy it online before going to advance auto.

I bought 2 batteries for various cars we own, and I use the online coupon for that particular day.

The first battery I used a 20% off coupon and the second battery a 25% off coupon which took off $40 plus the $20 trade in credit.

Good savings.

Once there a lady was also trying to do a battery exchange but she called it in by phone and tried to get the discount verbally on the phone she explained.

They trying to confirm the employee who gave it to her and if it was even the right store she was at.

In my mind, I said it was so easier doing it online with their website.

Just bring your order number, they look it up. Boom....done.

Sometimes I help install it or do it all by myself like with my Rogue some time ago. :werd:

Lone Wolff
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If you have a Sam's Club or Costco membership, get your battery there. Much cheaper cost plus a better warranty than you can get from Auto parts stores. At least around here anyway. $75 at Costco for a Group size 35 Interstate battery, 640 CCA with a 3.5 year full replacement warranty.

Rogue Jarhead
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Is the battery still working? Does it still start your car easily? Then it is fine.

A power steering flush? Really? That is a dealer ploy. It’s called a wallet flush.

If you’re worried about the battery go to Walmart or Home Depot and buy a multimeter. Take a YouTube class on its usage and check your battery periodically. Walk away from the wallet flushers.

amc49
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Batteries do not last all equally the same, I used to sell them and the 7 year ones can go bad in 2 years but not common. I saw most go like said 3-4 years averaged out and regardless of what the battery is rated at. Letting them sit will kill them even faster and how I saw a lot of them die at 2 years. The collector car guys use the expensive ones then they do not keep them charged up with a trickle charger. I let cars sit a lot and I always remove a battery cable to make them last as long as 10 years in a few cases, I have a 2 year one right now that is over 6 years old and still starts and runs the car. When they sit they last longer due to no vibration from running but you MUST keep them charged up. I had one Walmart 3 year last 11 years sitting a lot.

Batteries run from 12.3 to 12.8 volt when in good condition and they begin to show problems at 12.2 or lower and easily measured with a volt meter. Or, another way to do a cheap man's loadtest without taking it to the store. A loadtest though will show issues above and beyond what simple voltage can show and batteries DO do some pretty weird things at times. I got the volt numbers quoted above after doing hundreds of tests on all brands of cars to work out the range there.

The cars each require a certain CCA of battery but if it is picked to be above what the engine actually requires real world you can still start and run for a while at under the 'spec' CCA but be ready for trouble. Things like the gauges doing a sudden sweep, or the trans won't come out of park with the brake pedal hit when they don't normally act up can tell you battery problems are just over the horizon and coming fast. Another one very subtle but there, the engine either hesitates for a fractional second to click the starter over to whirl to start, or anything at all sounding different in the way the starter spins up can be telling you the battery is about to go.

datechboss101
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I actually had a concern when I took the Rogue to the local Autozone, who was the first ones that told me that the battery failed the test, and just told me that the voltage was perfect and that the battery was going bad. I was thinking about the 84-month warranty on it, since Honda typically does the 100-month warranty. And matter of fact, I am actually looking at spending my first paycheck on proper tools for once! It starts up fine and gives the correct 12.x volts, and I left the topper and my phone plugged in for like 5 hours yesterday (even with the engine off), and another 5 hours tonight!

The PS Fluid thing, I have done it on my driveway about 2 years ago, which might have costed the Accord of its original starter and my driveway with PS luidF stains. But I have never seen a PS Fluid container in the engine bay of the Rogue at all.

I will shop around for a better CCA battery, even if I have to get a bigger battery. Also forgot to mention, dealer didn't say anything about changing my oil (which has roughly 280 miles left before light comes on) or replacing the dirty EAF, but mentioned a CVT Flush (which I told them that I already did it) and brake fluid flush (which my local mech did roughly 20k miles ago); and when I pulled up, my SA was there and said that I was his regular customer to another SA, and that SA told me to bring my Rogue in whenever I plan on replacing the battery with a new Nissan battery with my regular SA.

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casperfun
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Personally, I wouldn't get a nissan battery replacement.

Mine crapped out on a long 600 mile trip. It was the original and only lasted exactly 3 yrs.

Seems to be the norm.

Bought a non oem at advance auto during my trip.

That one lasted 5 yrs before it started acting wierd.

Didn't want to take chances so I replaced it.

It was a very sturdy battery throughout the years.

I killed my battery half a dozen times overnight by leaving my aux lights on, and was able to jump back to life and business as usual. Sometimes used radio too long with other accessories too.

Very happy with at least 5 years, since 3-4 is the norm.

Battery maintaining this one so my alternator will not have to work has hard. Want my battery at peak optimal condition and hopefully last longer.

My last battery was averaging 14.2-14.3 volts at start and leveling out at 13.8 and went between 13.4-13.8 with all my electronics.

I made a mistake by putting fluid film on the connectors of my present battery to prevent corrosion and I eventually lost my connection and wouldn't start.

So I recleaned with baking soda mixed in water and wire brushed cleaned all the connections and really cleaned it thoroughly.
This time used my normal dielectric grease.

Turned out nice.

My new battery goes as high as 14.5 volts right after starting in cold weather while in peak condition now after maintaining every once in awhile with a slightly higher averages than my previous one. As noted, 14.5 is the highest max limit to safely keep as an alternator charging voltage. Of course mine doesn't stay there continiously. But I know it's in tip top shape.

:mike :mike :mike :mike :mike :mike :mike :mike

datechboss101
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So far I haven't seen any issues with the Rogue showing any signs of a bad battery, and its still working, even while having the topper plugged in and having my phone plugged in charging (I am using G-Maps since factory navi sucks).

However, I did some research on Autozone's Duralast Gold battery with 640 CCA, and looks like even with a 5 year warranty that battery doesn't live up to its expectations. We have an Advanced Auto Parts battery in the Accord (640 CCA rating I guess) and its working so far for the past 1.5 years, but the local store doesn't have it in stock. I am still thinking about that 7 year (84 month) warranty that Nissan has for the battery, but I am not excited about their price for the install.

FantomLightning
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When I got my Select I replaced the OE battery in the middle of the first winter I had it. It was already starting to get weak and take longer to start. Basically all OE batteries are designed to be the cheapest **** they can get. Not to mention new cars are far more power hungry and put more demand on batteries, even with the best AGM batteries the two Saab 9-3s in my family generally kill them at 3 years like clock work and that's common looking at forums.

What I found when looking at batteries for my 9-3 is that generally the O'Reilly Auto Parts top AGM battery is made by one of the leading US battery companies (can't remember the exact name as it's been a while). Normally I'd suggest an Optima, but as they've moved production out of the US and Mexico I've heard nothing but bad things about their reliability. Plus the O'Reilly batteries are less expensive than the Optimas as well.

Overall I don't put anything in my cars anymore other than high end AGMs, it costs more but I find it worth while for the extra life/durability they provide. Plus can't put a price on not having to worry about if your car will start or not...

amc49
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I hate to be the one to tell you but AGM batteries are a farce. The only thing they do is to resist vibration better than normal batteries do and why they are used for off-road and rough service. The warranties on them are not as high as the normal ones can go and they do not last as long real world either, I used to sell them. Optima were the worst and way before they went to another country. The O'Reilly brand ones (Johnson Controls) are not even true gel batteries and cannot be mounted in any position like true AGM can, they still use liquid electrolyte rather than the gel type AGM uses and why the latter resist vibration better. 3 years for AGM is about right while top shelf Motorcraft liquid acid will go way longer (5-6 year on 7 warranty) although nobody goes as long as the long warranty says, well, maybe a few.

I found that you got better value with lesser warranty as they come closer to fulfilling the total period than the longer ones which more commonly do not. I currently run 2 year warranty ones and on 3 years two cars now and what they typically do. With 2 years I make money on the batteries (close to $70 each) and extra changes take 5 minutes each. Part of that savings is due to generalization of the battery instead of using the exact size and configuration of the OEM one most would use there. If you learn to read the cars and check batt volts every so often then you can pretty much tell when the battery is close to expiring, I have on the last several I've changed and not stranded once. When the battery drops to 12.2 volts at surface charge dissipated it's time to get a new one.

The AGM battery people that came into the stores to instruct us how to sell didn't care a whole lot about me grilling them about why they wanted us to tell (lie to,actually) the public about how much longer AGM batteries lasted with the warranties being as short as they were. When I pointed out that commonly the AGMs did not last as long as upper end conventional ones did they tried to shut me up by changing the subject. Another fun day in auto parts, I was continually stepping on toes left and right there.

Yours and do as you will with it...............

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casperfun
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amc49 wrote:
Tue Dec 18, 2018 5:39 pm
I hate to be the one to tell you but AGM batteries are a farce. The only thing they do is to resist vibration better than normal batteries do and why they are used for off-road and rough service. The warranties on them are not as high as the normal ones can go and they do not last as long real world either, I used to sell them. Optima were the worst and way before they went to another country. The O'Reilly brand ones (Johnson Controls) are not even true gel batteries and cannot be mounted in any position like true AGM can, they still use liquid electrolyte rather than the gel type AGM uses and why the latter resist vibration better. 3 years for AGM is about right while top shelf Motorcraft liquid acid will go way longer (5-6 year on 7 warranty) although nobody goes as long as the long warranty says, well, maybe a few.

I found that you got better value with lesser warranty as they come closer to fulfilling the total period than the longer ones which more commonly do not. I currently run 2 year warranty ones and on 3 years two cars now and what they typically do. With 2 years I make money on the batteries (close to $70 each) and extra changes take 5 minutes each. Part of that savings is due to generalization of the battery instead of using the exact size and configuration of the OEM one most would use there. If you learn to read the cars and check batt volts every so often then you can pretty much tell when the battery is close to expiring, I have on the last several I've changed and not stranded once. When the battery drops to 12.2 volts at surface charge dissipated it's time to get a new one.

The AGM battery people that came into the stores to instruct us how to sell didn't care a whole lot about me grilling them about why they wanted us to tell (lie to,actually) the public about how much longer AGM batteries lasted with the warranties being as short as they were. When I pointed out that commonly the AGMs did not last as long as upper end conventional ones did they tried to shut me up by changing the subject. Another fun day in auto parts, I was continually stepping on toes left and right there.

Yours and do as you will with it...............

My optima yellow top I bought in 2012 lasted exactly 5 years, this was b4 Mexico I assume.

The yellow top I got last year, from mexico? Don't know how long it will last tho.

The autocraft silver in a lexus is250 lasted 5 years too so I replaced it with a gold autocraft last month.

Also replaced both a toyota corolla & camry batteries at the same time with a silver autocraft because the lexus battery treated us alright.

Coincidentally, the camry had oem from 2010. So 8 yrs was pretty good.
I wasn't paying attention to the battery in my sister's 2003 corolla. But it was always dying. So we bought a new one.

Also got a 2006 camry on an advance auto battery, I presume autocraft, it's really old and still going strong.
Have to check the date on battery tho.

My 2cents. :wavey:

FantomLightning
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The first Optima my family had experience with was 10+ years old, it was actually sold with the vehicle it was in still working perfectly. Doing some more research now it looks like they switched to JC, when I originally looked for my Saab it was East Penn/Deka that was making O'Reilly batteries. Glad you brought that up as now I know to start my search again next time. Over all personally I'll stick with AGM, I've had far better luck with them over the years plus with the roads I drive, and the fact my vehicles do make it off road they've been worth it to me.

EDIT: it looks like the Super Start Platinum AGM is still East Penn/Deka as they both look identical... So make of that what you will

amc49
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Been a little bit since I worked for them and they could have easily changed vendors as they did it with major lines every time you turned around. Almost every month we were doing product reboxes on hundreds of parts when maker changed, we reboxed or relabeled the old manufacturer into the new ones. Why I say so often to open the box and look at the part, often it is not the same brand as the box. The major chains jerk the vendors around so much now it's frightening, they now have as much power as Walmart.

I know I had no preconceptions about the AGMs as I didn't even know what they were at first but working with them I found out quick enough. LOTS of warranty issues with the Optima and a lot of dissatisfied people as well. I began to compare warranty vs. cost to show them the difference and many then picked regular battery type for the next go-round. To be fair, a lot of the AGM were used in what most considered specialty vehicles like collector cars and the like, they tend to not drive them often and I feel the AGM type does not live as long like that if not trickled as they sit. I got back a lot of 2 year old Optima as dead and upon questioning sitting not being used fit there a lot. I began also to train people you get more life out of them by disconnecting battery lead; if a PCM'ed type car it helped battery life a bunch.

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KoiMaxx
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Mine just crapped out today, wouldn't even crank more than 60rpm. Thing is only around 26 months, and I don't have any custom electronics installed. It sometimes gets below -4 here, but thankfully car is in a garage. Just really miffed about it since there was an event I really wanted to go to but had to cancel. Thanks Nissan!

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casperfun
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KoiMaxx wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:08 pm
Mine just crapped out today, wouldn't even crank more than 60rpm. Thing is only around 26 months, and I don't have any custom electronics installed. It sometimes gets below -4 here, but thankfully car is in a garage. Just really miffed about it since there was an event I really wanted to go to but had to cancel. Thanks Nissan!
Pretty sad, what was the manufacturer's date on that battery if you don't mind me asking? :rolleyes:

tedc
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KoiMaxx wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 12:08 pm
Mine just crapped out today, wouldn't even crank more than 60rpm. Thing is only around 26 months, and I don't have any custom electronics installed. It sometimes gets below -4 here, but thankfully car is in a garage. Just really miffed about it since there was an event I really wanted to go to but had to cancel. Thanks Nissan!
How often do you drive this car? My wife and daughter each drive a Chevy Cruze. My daughter's is 8 years old with the original battery. Every time I test it, CCAs exceed sticker specs. Same battery in my wife's 1 year newer car showed a big drop in CCAs at 5 years. I had to replace it. But that car sits for days at a time, especially in the winter. I now try and run it more often with the new battery. When I tested the CCAs on my 2018 Rogue, CCAs were less than sticker specs since new. Same on two other Rogues I tested. Not happy that it is under spec, but it has not dropped any lower in the past year.

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KoiMaxx
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casperfun wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:43 pm
Pretty sad, what was the manufacturer's date on that battery if you don't mind me asking? :rolleyes:
Funny you ask, it doesn't seem to have one unless it's pretty small and located exactly under the battery bracket. It's the original battery so I'd assume sometime in 2016-17?
tedc wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 2:04 pm
How often do you drive this car? My wife and daughter each drive a Chevy Cruze. My daughter's is 8 years old with the original battery. Every time I test it, CCAs exceed sticker specs. Same battery in my wife's 1 year newer car showed a big drop in CCAs at 5 years. I had to replace it. But that car sits for days at a time, especially in the winter. I now try and run it more often with the new battery. When I tested the CCAs on my 2018 Rogue, CCAs were less than sticker specs since new. Same on two other Rogues I tested. Not happy that it is under spec, but it has not dropped any lower in the past year.
It's my daily driver. I drive around 20miles in the city on weekdays and sometimes go out on weekends so i would think it's running long enough for the battery to charge. I connected my smart charger to it and it automatically went to reconditioning mode. It takes around 4-5 hours for one cycle, and the battery was around 12.16V when i checked with a multimeter after around an hour.

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casperfun
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Speaking of oem batteries, mine lasted exactly 36 months from walking off the lot with my rogue.

Thought it was pretty crappy when it did die.

I use a maintainer routinely now.

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KoiMaxx
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casperfun wrote:
Sun Feb 16, 2020 4:05 pm
Speaking of oem batteries, mine lasted exactly 36 months from walking off the lot with my rogue.

Thought it was pretty crappy when it did die.

I use a maintainer routinely now.
Yeah, I'm seriously thinking of demanding a replacement since it should still be under warranty. It would net me at least another two years before I'd need to pony up for a new battery.

RGOLD
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Mine lasted 34 months and was replaced under warranty...

johnnybeerotten
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We're heading towards 5 years with our OEM battery. You have to remember that these are not really "maintenance free". At least annually you should pop the top off of the cells (I use a putty knife) and top them up with distilled water. Most people never do this, the battery evaporates the mix over time, gets low and dies.

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KoiMaxx
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I wasnt aware of that. Just assumed they were sealed types. I'm having it warrantied out so I'll just do that with the new one.

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KoiMaxx
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So, had it checked by the dealer during my routine maintenance... they reported it was still performing around 90%. I still have a few months before 3 years, but since the weather's warming up now it's going be pretty hard to replicate the issue. :(

Rogue Jarhead
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Sounds like the big cables to the battery posts are either dirty or loose. Pull each cable and clean them. Use a file or wire brush, any auto parts store should have a wire brush device made specifically to clean the battery terminals and cable ends. Then reattach the cables and make sure they are tight. Don’t over tighten them or you’ll strip out the ends.

They look like this.

https://www.amazon.com/Schumacher-BAF-B ... 765&sr=8-2

You put one end over the terminal and twist in only one direction, and the other end pulls apart to clean the cable ends.

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KoiMaxx
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So... car just stranded me twice over a week of each other. Thankfully I have roadside assistance, but waiting for an hour in the cold is not something I would say I enjoy. Brought it to the dealer this morning, and tried to get it replaced under warranty (3 years last August). No go unfortunately, and they were even denying I had reported anything back in Feb. If they think they're going to get my money for a replacement, I'd rather go anywhere else to get a better unit for what they intend to charge me.

Bright side is I've just finally used up my maintenance credits with them, so I'm looking forward to maintaining my Rogue by myself.

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casperfun
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I hope to god that advance auto guy told me the truth that my optima battery was bad because I think my starter is going kaput. So yah, bought a new starter after buying a new car battery.

Most are made by a few companies.

Go to Walmart and get a everstart battery.

Heard good things about them.

I overpaid at autozone for a duralast.

Same thing but different sticker. Perhaps plates inside too.

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PalmerWMD
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I remember I once bought a House brand battery at .. hmm it was either an Autozone or advance auto.
I got it because it was AGM cell battery and 24F (one size up from 35 for Xterra)
Less than a year later it crapped out on me.

Sometimes I wonder if it wasn't weak from the beginning off the shelf.

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This subject has been beat like a rented mule, but here's my experience (lifetime ownership of 89 cars, currently with 16). Some of my cars sit for six months at a time, and some are driven daily, so I've got decent data to work with.

Disuse and heat are your #1 and #2 killers. A car that's driven 7 days a week will maintain a battery for (in my estimation) twice as long as a weekend driver. Our 2014 Xterra has the original OEM battery, but it's parked indoors always, and gets driven AT LEAST twice a day.

Next killers are lack of maintenance and (believe it or not) a wet engine bay. Putting an unused battery on a trickle charger if the car won't be driven for more than a few days will extend its life. Regularly checking the specific gravity with a hydrometer should be a quarterly task. Pressure washing your engine bay? Bad idea. You wouldn't dunk a 9V battery in a glass of water, but stupid people wash their engine bay all the time. Derp!

Next on the list? Damaging the terminals. Know those nifty carriers that latch onto the terminals to lift that heavyass battery? Throw them away. The seal is delicate and the terminals can create microfractures in the seal, allowing air to enter, acid to leak, and oxidation to occur. On a similar note, over-torquing terminals and tapping a terminal down onto the post also shortens the life of your battery. Stop it. Loosen and spread the terminal, THEN install it, and tighten it gently, while supporting it from the top.

Last but not least? Clean terminals allow full voltage to pass both TO the starter and FROM the alternator. If you've got cauliflower on them, you're failing already. Remove and clean the terminals with a wire brush (you can also dip them in water/baking soda before drying thoroughly), coat them with dielectric grease (cheap insurance) and reinstall.

AZ heat is brutal on batteries, and I've seen a WalMart cheapo battery last 5 years and I've had Optimas crap out after 18 months. Maintenance seems to be more important than brand. Go maintain your battery. :)


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