The Battery That Doesn’t Quit

[u/GasOk8207]

For the past 8 months during tire & oil changes I’ve been told the battery for my 2018 Nissan Sentra is about to die. The thing is, it’s not showing any signs of faltering. Now the battery has a lot of residue and I’m starting to get nervous. My question is, shouldn’t there be signs that the battery is getting low? I’m looking for blinking screens and slow starts but not finding any.

If it sounds like I’m playing it fast and loose it’s because I’m a penny pincher and I don’t like waste.

[u/Brigand253]

When the battery in my car (2006 GTI if it matters) died, it left me stranded when I stopped at a 4 way intersection. Fortunately, I was only about a block from my house. It started perfectly up until that point, even right up to the point where I was left stranded.

[u/prairie-man]

"battery has a lot of residue" is that another way of saying, the battery case is dirty and the terminals have corrosion and are covered with funny colored fuzz ? clean it. very easy to do. use a strong mixture of water and baking soda along with a stiff brush. water rinse.

A properly operating charging system will maintain the battery at a full charge. When a battery has reached the end of it's life, it will not have enough power to crank the engine's starter. A jump start will get you going again - to purchase a new battery.

I'm with you - not spending hard-earned money until something needs to be replaced. Don't misunderstand; I'm also a believer of preventative maintenance.

[u/AwarenessGreat282]

The best sign is slower cranking. Then one day, no crank whatsoever. Your call how much you wanna play the battery lottery. But Murphy will dictate when it fails.

[u/noohpyT]

You may start to experience weaker cranking but it still starts, or maybe it wont crank at all. Batteries are expensive no doubt but wouldn't it make sense to be proactive and spend the money so you aren't stranded? Something to think about

[u/stuffedbipolarbear]

Assuming it’s never been changed and it’s the factory battery, 7 years is a long time. You might live in a warmer climate? Typically lead-acid (factory) batteries are good for 5 years.

If you’re that concerned, take it somewhere it can be load tested without bias (selling you a battery) to see actual capacity. In the US, I’ve heard AutoZone can do that for you.

[u/phraca]

Not sure how someone changing your oil can determine your battery is about to die, unless they are doing a load test. Sounds like they want to sell you a battery. If you're worried about it, most auto parts stores will do a load test for free.

[u/Stellar_Stein]

If this is your original seven-year-old OEM battery, I would preemptively change it, soon. Automotive batteries typically last 3-5 years and yours is on borrowed time. The warranty is a good guide: a three-year battery lasts about three years, etc. Almost all of my batteries died within 3 months of their warranty date, +/- 3 months. Those replaced before the warranty expired were replaced free, under warranty. Many warranties are now pro-rated.

Buy yourself some peace of mind for $100-$200. I once missed a solar eclipse because of an unreliable battery. Had I spent the money, I would have had a different experience.

[u/djltoronto]

Who and why did they tell you your battery was about to fail?

What diagnostic techniques did they use to come to the conclusion that your battery is about to fail?

If they used an electronic tester that does not put a load on the battery, and they are exclusively recommending a new battery based on the internal resistance measurements, I would do what You are doing, keep going until there are signs

[u/lol_camis]

Batteries are one of those things that a shop will tell you to replace looooong before you actually need to. So this isn't surprising to me at all. I wouldn't be surprised if you get another year out of it.

[u/airfryerfuntime]

You're being told it's dying because every time they test it, it's showing above nominal internal resistance. What's happening, is the lead grids are starting to become sulfated.

While it is still able to output enough current to crank your car over, it's on death's doorstep. When internal resistance creeps up like this, they tend to just completely stop working one day once the sulphite crystals cause an internal short. One that happens, it'll very quickly drop down to about 3v. It'll probably end up leaving you stranded somewhere.

[u/Kathryn_Cadbury]

I only changed the battery on my 2013 Fiat 500 late last year. No sign it was going, car was just completely dead one day. Apparently I got about 8 years or so out of it more than I should have as they are notoriously bad (Start/Stop version)

[u/bchooker → u/Kathryn_Cadbury]

Actually those are the better batteries. Some use EFBs now, but almost all are AGMs which are superior to conventional flooded batteries. 8 years is about the minimum expectation for a well maintained AGM. I say 5 for average people, but a good quality AGM could last 10-12 years easy if properly maintained.

[u/Kathryn_Cadbury → u/bchooker]

Oh OK thanks for the clarification. Car's only done just over 50k miles since new (work is less than 15 miles away) and it is well looked after. I'm in all the 500 groups everywhere and the general consensus is that Fiat 500 batteries from stock were awful. Not something I experienced of course but you start to think it when the noise is so loud on that topic.

[u/KnittinKityn]

I had a 2006 Toyota Corolla that every time I went to the dealer, they claimed my battery was going bad and needed replacement with a battery less than a year old. I refused the replacement and bought a jump starter instead. For the next 4 years, I kept getting the same claim that the battery was nearly dead. The last trip for repairs was to a different dealer who said there was nothing wrong with the battery.

If you're in an area that regularly gets below freezing winters and the battery is 5 years old or more, I'd recommend replacing it. Otherwise have it checked at Autozone and/or carry a jump starter.

[u/Aggravating-Task6428]

They generally are good for 5 years and then die completely unexpectedly and without warning. Get a spare battery And toss it in the trunk with tools to change it. They don't degrade much if they're 3/4 charges and just sitting.

[u/logikaxl]

I had a car with 11yr old battery, and noticed that it started to crank slower and worse. Went to a local shop and bought a new battery. Right in the parking lot, I couldn't start the car anymore, and ended up changing it in the parking lot. Now that's penny pinching 😅

[u/BlackWolf42069]

If you get more than 5 years out of a battery you got a good deal. And if you're a penny pincher you don't want to be towing it cause that ain't cheap. Get it replaced.