TheaterFire

ULPT request: Car battery seemingly always dies weeks after warranty expires. How can I get a new battery before warranty expires?

Posted by gdfbjugvbnj@reddit | UnethicalLifeProTips | View on Reddit | 49 comments

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49 Comments

Pilry_Mead@reddit

Go to an auto parts store and have them do a test on the starter/alternator/battery. My money is the alternator.
View on Reddit #15637798

pyramidhead_@reddit

Hes got a parasitic draw, whichever crappy parts store hes goes to cant find that and will most likely sell him parts he doesnt need. It's not the battery , alt or the starter.
View on Reddit #15657806

Pilry_Mead@reddit

Ok. Youre right.
View on Reddit #15657959

pyramidhead_@reddit

To give more details, in case op is reading this. You've got some electronics somewhere drawing a tiny bit of power when the car is off. Think like the thing that saves the radio present when the car is off, just this is something that shouldn't be using energy. Honestly it's one of the harder things to fix without the right scan tool or meter. Unless you have some hunch, like the aftermarket cd player or something is Jerry rigged, it's going to be a pain to find. The way to find this as a home mechanic is put a lead on each end of a wire and check for continuity but theres so many wires in the car and most arent easily accessible. Many people junk old cars over issues like this when they arent mechanically inclined.
View on Reddit #15659863

saraphilipp@reddit

My evap system has a small leak I'm fairly sure. Every 15 minutes the vacuum pump goes off on my f150. If it sets for two weeks the batteries go dead. The shop I take it to says they can't find anything wrong. I just keep it on a battery tender.
View on Reddit #15691255

10before15@reddit

I often tell XJ owners that they should get a cheap evap smoke machine. It jas helped me on four different vehicles and found a busted pipe in my RV. Well worth the $90.
View on Reddit #15780787

mr_electrician@reddit

Or place a multimeter in current-measuring mode and, with the car off and the keys out, remove the battery cable and place the meter inline between the battery and battery cable. Check the current draw, and if it reads much more than 100mA or so, begin removing fuses one at a time, checking the meter each time for any changes in current draw. When you pull the fuse that is feeding the parasitic draw, the current will suddenly drop and you will know where to start looking for a short or a defective electronic component. It makes the whole process much easier.
View on Reddit #15672113

Pilry_Mead@reddit

Ok. You're right.
View on Reddit #15665342

notsafetousemyname@reddit

I wonder if they have a remote starter draining the battery.
View on Reddit #15662868

OvoidPovoid@reddit

Right? Like the issue isn't the batteries dude lol
View on Reddit #15640008

Pilry_Mead@reddit

What i read was that the battery dies quickly, repeatedly. Must be the mead preventing me from reading properly.
View on Reddit #15640169

OvoidPovoid@reddit

Yeah im agreeing with you lol Dude needs a new alternator, not a thousand new batteries
View on Reddit #15640338

Combatical@reddit

Am I reading this title wrong? A car battery lasts abour 3-4 years. OP is saying it dies just before the warranty not it dies in weeks after initial purchase.
View on Reddit #15680071

saraphilipp@reddit

All my factory batteries last 7 years. You will never find a replacement battery that lasts as long and I don't know why.
View on Reddit #15691057

Additional_Release49@reddit

Reserve capacity. Factory batteries are equipped with reserve capacity, after market batteries go by CCA only.
View on Reddit #15692207

saraphilipp@reddit

I see. I'll grab a new battery from the plant in two weeks when I get over to Fairfax.
View on Reddit #15692498

Jonny_Thundergun@reddit

Don't live in Arizona.
View on Reddit #15682970

Late-Mathematician55@reddit

Or the Middle East. Tires and car batteries will last you two years.
View on Reddit #15685346

Jumbo_Jetta@reddit

But no frame rust!
View on Reddit #15725236

some_body_else@reddit

You want to ruin the battery before the warranty expires? Do something like leave an interior light on overnight or play the radio with the engine off to drain the battery. Jump start and recharge. Do this a few times and the battery will be toast. Or soak the battery in liquid ass.
View on Reddit #15648162

StarGraz3r84@reddit

This is what I accidentally do with my god damn dash cam
View on Reddit #15699602

zeptillian@reddit

They are usually prorated, so if you get it to fail after 90% of the coverage is up, they will give you a refund for 10% of the sell price.
View on Reddit #15697620

10before15@reddit

Wear runber gloves, safety goggles, and an apron. Remove battery from vehicle. Use a flathead screwdriver to pop open the top of the battery cells. You decide where the acid goes, but it will definitely fuk your concrete, paint, or grass. Hook a charger up to the battery for a slow charge. Or, you could use jumpers from another running vehicle. Charge the battery till it smokes a bit. Remove charger. Add small amount of water back to the battery and replace the caps. Wipe clean. Throw clean rags away. Bring back to store. Get new battery every 2.5 years. Cheers
View on Reddit #15637712

ethanjscott@reddit

Dawg they don’t really make serviceable batteries anymore, wtf are you talking about.
View on Reddit #15643045

brentqj@reddit

I just bought a brand new battery for my truck, complete with removable caps on the wells.
View on Reddit #15650719

ethanjscott@reddit

you mean two deep cycle batteries to equal 24v on your big ass diesel truck?
View on Reddit #15695018

10before15@reddit

In my line of work, they do.
View on Reddit #15645890

king_roots@reddit

You work on rv or marine,my friend?
View on Reddit #15660588

10before15@reddit

Oil Field Trash, but I tend to work on a bit of everything.
View on Reddit #15660671

Johnny_Carcinogenic@reddit

They prorate the refund, too, by the year. You'll get 33% of the value at that point
View on Reddit #15645229

10before15@reddit

O'reilly auto parts offers a 3 year free replacement on their Extreme series line. Autozone and many others do the same.
View on Reddit #15646055

Low_Culture2487@reddit

Throw clean rags away?
View on Reddit #15639965

10before15@reddit

Sorry, I meant your cleaning rags. The fluid your dry up is acid. It eats through things.
View on Reddit #15645864

KevinsSmellyDogRuby@reddit

Holy wow, how simple!!!
View on Reddit #15638173

MsA_QA@reddit

Costco has lifetime warranty, I buy one from Costco and once it dies I take it back and they replace it, no questions asked
View on Reddit #15687281

nunyaBiz81@reddit

Don't go to parts store for help they are not technicians. You have one of two things going on. Either you have bad alternator like previously stated or you have a parasitic draw.
View on Reddit #15642203

J-Dabbleyou@reddit

Could very well be a parasitic draw, happened on one of my older cars as the previous owners wired a bunch of aftermarket shit that would constantly pull a slight draw
View on Reddit #15686541

darkhawkabove@reddit

The manufactures know how long they will last. Replace just as the warranty expires if you need reliable transportation.
View on Reddit #15685984

parabox1@reddit

1. Buy battery at Costco 2. Return battery at Costco before warranty runs out. 3. Be happy.
View on Reddit #15674358

Late-Mathematician55@reddit

Dunno if it still holds but Costco used to double the standard waranty length.
View on Reddit #15685269

PDT1950@reddit

Your battery replacement cost will be prorated after the first 90 days/1year. If you’re in the last 25% of the warranty period, your replacement cost will likely be near full price.
View on Reddit #15637280

GATOR7862@reddit

Man idk where you’re getting your batteries but that sounds shitty. That is definitely not the case at sam’s club in the US. I cant speak to other retailers as I have not bought a battery from anyone but them in like 15 years
View on Reddit #15651405

sehtownguy@reddit

Yea autozone replaced a full battery for me one day after warranty
View on Reddit #15663285

uniqueuser96272@reddit

Buy [This little device](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FD6FNWC/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) and connect it to your battery, it will recondition it. For 18 bucks this should double or triple your battery's life. Battery in my truck had warranty expire over two years ago and its still going strong
View on Reddit #15656336

Mcfragger@reddit

I know this is ULPT but honestly man, the battery isn’t the issue. Your charging system is failing. Batteries should last a long time if properly charged. Like 5-10 years. The only time I’ve had to toss a battery was when it overcharged or completely died multiple times. That’s what kills batteries. That being said…:If you want to kill a battery, completely drain it, like STONE dead. Charge it, then kill it again. Do that a few times and your battery will begin to lose capacity.
View on Reddit #15655487

New-IncognitoWindow@reddit

Buy a better battery.
View on Reddit #15638689

Straight-Tune-5894@reddit

Yellow top
View on Reddit #15649329

Sweet_Speech_9054@reddit

Just run the battery all the way down and recharge until it won’t hold a charge anymore.
View on Reddit #15640019

Masterbourne@reddit

Here's an eco-friendly and money saving tip for you. Make generous use of the car battery instead of idling your engine when you are parked. Have a jump-starting portable battery and/or a 12v plug-in voltage meter accessory to monitor battery state and prevent you from being stuck when the battery dies. The battery will last you like 2 years doing this and you can get it replaced within the warranty period.
View on Reddit #15638838