Automotive Batteries, Engineered to Fail Just Passed the Warranty date!

[Chris Burchfield]

You can't tell me it ain't so!  2007, 3500 Ram purchased in May.  This last week she's been acting quite strange relating to the electronics.  Long story short took her back this morning for the third time and the machine told them I needed to replace both batteries.  These are only good for 36 months.  Well, five month out of date for the OEM batteries.  Mopar replacements 650 amp., $380 plus tax installed.  No thank you please.  I have had good experience with a company called Batteries Plus.  I purchased one of their six cell premium batteries for a 1998 Ram with good results.  I've also had them rebuild two of my Dewalt Drill batteries for less than the price of one new battery from the Blue Box Store.  So for $186.80 I get two 850 Cold Cranking Amp batteries.  They have all kinds of other batteries for cell phones, watches, lawn tractors and I don't know what all.  We have three here in Memphis.  If your in need of a battery remember this thread.

[paul case]

my experience on those warranty dates is that they usually dont make it but at the discount store i buy some of them from they pro rate the warranty and the last year is worth less than the exchange rate!  i swapped 3 in the last year out of farm equipment that were replaced free of charge.  pc

[Magicman]

My camper battery was a bit less than 3 years old.  I'm getting everything ready for a Colorado trip in two weeks so I took it out today for servicing.  Only 10.7 volts.  I put the charger on it, and then changed my mind.  Heck, I'll take it to AutoZone and see what they say.

The little guy put his tester on it and then got my customer information.  He then handed me a new battery and said "no charge".  It was one of those blue Duralast deep cycle batteries.  Made me happy.    :D

[Mooseherder]

The batteries in my Dodge Ram 3500 are original from May of 2004.
Knock on wood. :D
They've outlasted the A/C, U-Joints and 2 sets of tires.

[paul case]

oh you dun it now,you are going to require a jump start in the near future for that remark. pc

[johncinquo]

You don't own batteries, your only renting them for the number of months your willing to pay for up front.   :D

I have found they do last longer if used or charged constantly.  The vehicle that sits a lot will have a dead battery long before the car that gets driven every day.   I put trickle chargers on all my motorcycles, quads, lawnmowers, they all seem to last a lot longer.

[Jeff]

The batteries in my Dodge Ram 3500 are original from May of 2004.
Knock on wood. :D
They've outlasted the A/C, U-Joints and 2 sets of tires.

I am positive that this will cost me money, but my 1999 chevy with 334,000 plus miles on it has the same battery in it that it had the day I bought it used from my boss in 2000 with 13,000 miles on it.

Knocking on my wooden desk...

[pigman]

Jeff, you might as well go get a new battery this afternoon.  :(

[Randy88]

Started counting batteries this summer and came up with over 80 and its no wonder I never get done replacing batteries, we buy the longer warrenty batteries say at least five years that way we don't have to replace them as often, my folks had a car, chevy impalla they bought new in 78 and when my sister traded it off in the mid 90's it still had the original battery in it, so we bought a lot more just like it and they never lasted more than four years in anything we put them in, so go figure.      So if your luck holds out Jeff you won't have to worry about another battery for your pickup unitl the truck reaches over 600,000 miles on it if you put in a new one today?

[bill m]

Check the output of your charging system. If you are putting out to much voltage you are cooking the battery and it will not last as long as it should.

[Jeff]

You are not going to believe this. I just went out to start the truck as I am going to get a couple tires put on the back of it.  Its stone dead. :-\

[pigman]

I told you so.

[Magicman]

I am positive that this will cost me money 

Actually, he told himself so.   ;)   

[SwampDonkey]

I usually got about 8 years out of an original battery in a car or truck. I had a Dodge Ram that was worn out at 168,000 km not miles. A/C, transmission, front universals (one died at 20,000 km : ), two wiring harnesses replaced (one at around 50,000 km), shifting lever about broke off (taped up), heated mirrors dead by 50,000 km. Fog lights replaced twice. Original tires trashed within 6 months, one cracked rim.

All in all, a big heap of junk. :D

[Ed_K]

 Jeff,you knocked on the wrong wood. SD is your frame rusted out as bad as my 94 ram.I welded some angle on both sides of right front frame rail to rehook the stablizer bar,and two bumps later it ripped out and spread angles.I'm thinking 1 ton for a pickup but they probbly don't have heavy frames either.
Wally world batts,and take back every yr for replacement .

[Jeff]

Jeff,you knocked on the wrong wood.

You don't know the half of it. Now I don't have a functioning truck at all.  :'(

Started out with a dead battery. Dont know why, I jumped it and it took right off  and the battery charged. I mean it was dead dead. Not a drip of juice in it.  So, got it going and went to the tire store to get a set of used good rear tires for winter.  Left from there and came home. Fueled the truck up to go to houghton lake.  Got to houghton lake and pulled in a gas station to get a pop.  Pulled back into the main drag and I see a vehicle switch in to my lane behind me but looking like it was going to run over me.  So I hit the gas to speed up and hear WHAM! Tammy and I both said what the heck was that!!??  I looked down and my speedometer was floating funny. Crap, I thought I broke a speedometer cable. Then it started working right.  Drove up the road a bit and turned into the craft store we were going to stop at.  Went in, then came out to get in the truck to leave.   No reverse. No second gear.  I guess the tranny blew.  No oil leaking or anything.   We got it turned around and I drive it home.  First gear would run the tach up to about 3 grand then it would shift right to third and skip second. No funny noises, just wont shift right and no reverse at all.

I'm either jinxed or cursed.  I don't know what I'm going to do. Can't afford another truck and I think this one may be way too much money to fix

[Warbird]

I'm sorry to hear that, Jeff.  Start checking junkyards for used transmissions?  You and a buddy can swap out that transmission pretty easily.

[Jeff]

At one time I could.  I could not even throw a 1/2 ounce bottle of Rust Reaper 20 feet at the pig roast this year.  I think changing a transmission has left my realm of current abilities

[Reddog]

Most likely the reverse cone broke, a common weak point in those GM trannys, surprised it lasted this long.
Find a tranny shop you can trust. While you are at it look for a new rear end.

Edit: watch out for junk yard trannys for that truck, you could get one worse than you have. ;)

[isawlogs]

That really sucks , sorry to hear this. Wish I was closer to go give you a hand in remove and replace the trany, did that a few times .. last time it was 20 below  :-\ 

   Feel for you bro  :'(

[Corley5]

When it rains it pours  eh eh  That's a lot of miles on any auto tranny.  I'd be pricing rebuilt ones from Carquest etc.

[SwampDonkey]

Ed, I ditched it for $3500 and sold the cap for $300. Book value was $7500, but with all the work, that made up the difference. When I have to start putting big money on a vehicle I visit a few car dealers for a new one.  :D :D

[Reddog]

Don't feel bad Jeff, the tail pipe just let lose on mine today.  :D

[Jeff]

Trade ya.

[Reddog]

Maybe in a few years.