OEM Battery

[Catmonkey]

I'm coming to the realization that my original battery is almost 7 years old. While I do see signs of it not holding a charge as well as it once did, I'm paranoid to not change it due to age. Anyone run one longer than this without issue? While this is a testament to Motorcraft, what other brands are you using for replacements?

 

[sleek98]

I finally replaced mine this April from my 2012 as well. It was getting a little weak once i put the emp pump in so I changed it before it left me stranded. Its actually in my 1969 mustang right now so I can move it, but that car has basically no electronics so it should run for another year or two in that.

I ended up getting an advance house brand battery using their 20% off code. Hoping it lasts 2-3 years with all the extra fans and pumps that have been added.

 

[barspen]

Been using the stock battery since the beginning and gone through at least 4 of them. The Arizona heat cooks them, so every 20-26 months they have to be replaced.

You can buy a simple to use battery tester on Amazon for about $40-50 that will tell you the Volts, Amps, health of the battery, blown out cells, State of Charge, etc. This way, you can go back to the dealership and replace (typically under warrantee) before it fails and you get stranded. I also have portable jump start batteries in all my cars in case a battery fails and we need a jump. However, I have seen car batteries so messed up, they wont even let you jump start the car.

My advice, test it and replace it with the stock battery before it becomes a real problem.

 

[me32]

I have gone through 1 OEM battery the original, which im sure the 2 of the Alts that died help kill the OEM battery. Then got autozone gold same thing as the OEM battery the last alt killed that one. Go another motorcraft still going on that. Also have a nations alternator and stays on a tender. Seems to be ok. But i think ill try and XS power for my next battery. I like something with more cranking amps

 

[Catmonkey]

I have one of these smart chargers and there is a timer and other electronics that determines if the battery is fully charged or not and sets a sequence of lights to indicate if it's not fully charged after being hooked up for 8 hours. I sometimes have to set it a couple of times before I see a full charge indicator, but I typically use a low amp charge. My cars been down a while, so all I can do is top off the battery. A lot of the time it was not hooked up in the car, as there was no need to drain it needlessly, since it wasn't going anywhere.

Having gotten it running recently, I hooked up a set of Aeroforce gauges this weekend and I'm seeing a KOEO voltage of 12.2v, which isn't really a full charge for a 12v battery, more like a 50% charge. I'm seeing 14.5-14.7v with KOER. I also have a 200+ amp alternator. Now I did have the key on for a good while too while setting up the gauges and could have run it down before I got to that point of it displaying. Last time I had a full charge, according to my smart charger, was a couple weeks ago. The car was running before that, but it's still on the ramps finishing up things like this gauge install. That's sort of when it dawned on me my car will be seven years old in another month. I'm probably going to leave it for the time being, but once it's back on the road, I'll probably change it out for peace of mind.

 

[RedVenom48]

The OEM battery lasted 6 years. One visit to Phoenix in the summer of 2016 while hunting for a job and it cooked it. Literally had a battery boil over while in the California desert driving back to SD. It was smelly as hell driving even with recirc on but it was that or be stranded in the middle of nowhere.

Promptly replaced it with a Motorcraft. 2 years now, with a full year in the desert. Ill have to check the water levels this weekend.

As for a replacement? Id buy a Motorcraft again. Multi year replacement warranty with the first 3 years 100% covered. Hard to beat that.

 

[RLB01]

Like clock work mine goes south every 4 years (bought a 07 new). Always replace with Motorcraft.

 

[1st usa car]

Still on the first battery - 2011 w/ 35k miles and still going strong--- Florida heat kills my other batteries in 3 yrs or less.

 

[merkyworks]

When I needed to replace my battery I just went with a Motorcraft. Wanted to go with a lightweight battery but was talked out of it cause of high amp demand from items like HE fans ect.

 

[SCGallo2]

My original Motorcraft battery lasted 8 years. I noticed engine cranking getting a little sluggish, so I replaced it with another Motorcraft before it left me stranded. My original alternator took a dump last year, and I limped the car to a safe area where it could be worked on and the engine drained the battery to the point where it would no longer start my car. Replaced my alternator and the battery fully charged back up and has been fine ever since. I don't leave a Battery Tender connected to my car, but if I don't drive it for a few weeks, I usually put my Tender on it for 12 hours prior to driving, just to top off the battery charge... probably not necessary.

 

[1 Alibi 2]

Replaced the battery in the 11 after 7 + years, went with MotorCraft..
.

 

[Catmonkey]

I never had much life out of the factory Motorcraft batteries until some of my newer vehicles, so I have to assume my later experiences are not an anomaly. Might get the dealership to install one when I take it in for the air bag(s).

 

[Nutty 5.0]

I used to work for JCI, and their batteries were generally ok and were used in many Ford models from the era (as they made a lot for Motorcraft and others). I'm not sure if that's still the case but in my 12, someone replaced the battery a few years ago with an Autopart made in early 2015 which has been holding up. Usually their batteries have been better. They were supplying Walmart for a while on most and was using them with good success.

Don't ask me how I feel about their Optima's. They've been generally overpriced junk.

 

[RedVenom48]

I used to work for JCI, and their batteries were generally ok and were used in many Ford models from the era (as they made a lot for Motorcraft and others). I'm not sure if that's still the case but in my 12, someone replaced the battery a few years ago with an Autopart made in early 2015 which has been holding up. Usually their batteries have been better. They were supplying Walmart for a while on most and was using them with good success.

Don't ask me how I feel about their Optima's. They've been generally overpriced junk.

View attachment 1494752

For awhile, Lexus was making us report in our warranty ticket the manufacturer of the failed battery. From what we could tell in the field, Toyota Motor Corporation was.... displeased in the failure rate of the JCI batteries. lol

 

[RBB]

My original lasted 7 years. My car was down for about 6 months with the motor out last winter and I didn’t put it on a tender. I have no doubt it would’ve kept on trucking if I had.

 

[Snoopy49]

I have always had great service from the Motorcraft batteries in my 95 F-250 PS Diesel and the 5 1/2 year old battery in my 13 GT500. I wouldn't hesitate buying another one, if needed.
It was my understanding that there are only a couple of battery manufacturers in the U.S.

 

[4rd Toys]

I'm completely the opposite- If I know I'm NOT riding/driving my GT500, I've just automatically disconnected the ground cable & covered the post.

After 6 years on the original battery, no problems.... it's kinda annoying that when I connect the "ground" cable again the HIDs light up for a second or two though...

But yeah, If I left cable connected for three weeks or more without driving/or firing-it-up .... I would connect/plug-in a battery tender the night before just in case.

She would fire right up on the first start....

But I'm kinda of "cheap" with Optima batteries in general in my other rides- I've made sure to swap it out "within the month" their 36-month warranty which was about to-run-out regardless....

So I've gotten 6 or 7 years out of Optimas in general before having to buy another.... God I miss their REAL warranty/Guarantee- On the Lightning I went 9 years & three of their batteries before they changed everything.... plus the uninformed staff @ Autozone price matched the same battery in the Lightning for $145 back in 2015....

 

[JBN]

I run an optima yellow, been on my car 2 years and no issues. It’s on a tender during the snowy months. Prior was also an optima yellow. After about 5 years it started losing its charge every now and then. Replaced it before it became a real problem.

 

[SID297]

I've never had any luck with Optima. JCI flooded have been generally good, as have Deka. Odyssey have been the absolute best.

 

[Recon]

I’m an Interstate dealer and have them in almost all of my cars. I’ve had only one issue out of my personal cars, and that was due to deliverer’s recommendation. Battery was in my Roush for 7 months and couldn’t hold a charge, even after idling for 20 mins and a quick little drive. Car is doing great since it actually has the correct battery in it now. I’ll buy some tenders before this winter comes.


Pick your poison.