I mean, really!

Failed while driving. Steering assist ⚠️. No power steering. Navigation display started blinking.

So, in the Costco parking lot I swapped for a 36-month AGM battery.

My very capable wife brought all the tools. She is amazing. And I am eating a home cooked meal now.

I wish with all the technology we have that we could be warned about the CCA delivered rather than experiencing a on-road failure. My wife could not have steered the SUV without the power steering.

Good question. It'd be nice to monitor the battery and the alternator. I've been burned by both.

My Compustar alarm on my truck monitors 12v strength. I know when the 12v is degrading and needs changing. My DD hatchback, I know when it’s getting weak and needs a new one because the HVAC starts pulsing.

So if your new battery doesn't last at least 51 months I'd sue Costco for false expectations of excellent product.

24-Month Battery Lasted Only 34 Months

Perhaps I'm bad at math. How many months should a 24 month battery last?

^ That was my first thought, as well, from the title

The 72-month battery I bought for my wife's minivan about six years ago lasted 71.5 months. LOL

My battery has made it just fine so far.

I bought it in October of 2011.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
24-Month Battery Lasted Only 34 Months

Perhaps I'm bad at math. How many months should a 24 month battery last?

I seem to get 22 months out of a 24 month battery. Then it gets exchanged for another one that lasts another 22 months. The money I spent lasts 44 months when this happens.

"Look, I promised you 6 weeks, it's only been 8."

Yep. Someone once said this to me, word for word, with a straight face.

Failed while driving...Must have been a dead-short in the battery! Otherwise the alternator would've/should've been pushing plenty of voltage and you wouldn't have been the wiser until you stopped driving.

The thread title was intended to depict the situation...we are glad the battery outlasted its warranty. The sudden failure while driving was unsettling. Had I not borrowed the wife's car, to get oil for the big white truck, she would have driven those last ten miles and probably crashed.

In the big white truck, a 90-day warranty battery lasted two years, and was still working...but I couldn't accept that risk so I replaced it.

I've had good luck with batteries. All the vehicle batteries lasted seven years plus with only one dead. Lawn equipment and ATV as well but I run them until useless. My OEM Kubota tractor battery was about fifteen years old and it still cranked the big block Ford car that I swapped it into after buying a fresh battery for the tractor.
I trickle charge all idle batteries once a month and I generally make few short trips. We also have a pretty mild climate in Kentucky.

I’ve been lucky as well. Even in Florida, my batteries have given some indication they weren’t 100% before they failed outright while driving on the road.

quote:

Originally posted by 4MUL8R:
The thread title was intended to depict the situation...we are glad the battery outlasted its warranty. The sudden failure while driving was unsettling. Had I not borrowed the wife's car, to get oil for the big white truck, she would have driven those last ten miles and probably crashed.

In the big white truck, a 90-day warranty battery lasted two years, and was still working...but I couldn't accept that risk so I replaced it.

Yeah....it all makes sense now.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Genorogers,

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
24-Month Battery Lasted Only 34 Months

Perhaps I'm bad at math. How many months should a 24 month battery last?

Probably the free replacement period of the warranty, after which it is pro-rated. I think the OP is being a little tongue-in-cheek.

Assuming no charging system faults or parasitic drains in the car, 34 months is a poor life for a battery.

Have your alternator checked. The motor should be getting power from the alternator (via the battery) while you're actually driving. Sounds like a bad alternator. But you're also complaining about 34 months out of a 24 month battery. LOL

Here in Sunny South Florida batteries only last 2-3 years usually, the heat kills them fast.

I live in Florida. I tell people no matter what the battery company says your battery should last your,looking at two years on average.
When I had the battery on our Rav4 replaced three years ago I opted for the lifetime battery from Toyota. I was told no matter when it went bad it would be replaced free of charge. It was a little expensive but not much more than their best regular battery. About two and a half years into this battery it went bad and Toyota put a new battery in free of charge.
Sometimes spending a little more pays off.
When the battery on our FR-S needs replacing we will do the same as our Rav4.

Now I’m really mad! It is a bad alternator.

Big ticket repair due to alternator location. Big!

Based on YouTube video I do not want this repaired by a person who has never done this model.

Will get it fixed over the next few days.

that's what a number of us were thinking...

Wife and I were once in a cab coming out of D.C. headed to our hotel in Alexandria on a cold wet rainy night when the dash lights on the cab started going wonky, turn singles stopped working and head lights go dim... and the cabbie is on his radio and it goes out and then he is using his cell but does not know what is going on with the vehicle.... I do and am praying silently.... we coasted up to the entrance to the hotel....