Car battery life

[Cod]

Anyone with a guess as to what a reasonable car battery life is for small fry commuter?

Our 2005 Toyota Avensis has completely shutdown, with zero electricity coming into the car circuit. I'm scrubbing the battery contacts and will run through the fuses this evening. I can understand why it's dead, but I don't quite understand why it's not even running the indicators etc. which is why I thought it must have been the corrosion on the negative contact...but nope. The indicator on the battery shows a black dot, not a white one, so that should mean it's not dead - just deep sleeping.

That said, I've bought another battery on my way home in case there is no point in jumpstarting and seeing this current battery through winter...

..since maybe three and half years is a reasonable amount of time for a battery in Finland that gets killed by seat heaters, short run trips etc.

[Pursuivant]

Also look in TM they had a survey of the different batteries. I've got one from Motonet thats really "juicy"... Biltema batteries suck.

[sinikala]

..since maybe three and half years is a reasonable amount of time for a battery in Finland that gets killed by seat heaters, short run trips etc.

3.5 years is disappointing, but not particularly surprising. Although I'd hope to get 5 years out of a car battery, even heavy duty batteries are usually guaranteed only for 3 years.

Short runs and starting in the cold can decrease battery life for a number of reasons, not least of which is that cold engine = harder to turn over = starter motor draws more current.

You should jump start the car, take it to a garage and ask them to test it to see it's fe*ked. If you buy a replacement, you buy a heavy duty battery. Heavy duty is basically a bigger battery, delivers more current (amps) and for longer (more amp hours), and naturally, will take more hammer for longer than a standard battery under similar conditions.

And they are usually guaranteed for longer.

This all costs money, but results in a car that starts when you want it to.

[Pursuivant]

also if the alternator isn't charging properly and the battery doesn't "suck it in" with a lower voltage... but having the battery drain to a total zero might imply there might be some place shorting, which is bad... I had my power doors shorting and a really annoying fault at that.

[dave071061]

I can understand why it's dead, but I don't quite understand why it's not even running the indicators etc.

Some cars will shut down the electrics if they drop below a certain point, it´s so that in the event of a short or leaving the lights on you don´t wreck the battery which can happen if you drain it too far.

I would try recharging the battery and then if you didn´t leave the lights on or anything get the electrics checked out.

[Rob A.]

I can understand why it's dead, but I don't quite understand why it's not even running the indicators etc.

Some cars will shut down the electrics if they drop below a certain point, it´s so that in the event of a short or leaving the lights on you don´t wreck the battery which can happen if you drain it too far.

I would try recharging the battery and then if you didn´t leave the lights on or anything get the electrics checked out.

Yeah...my "rule of thumb" is that if a car battery is about five years old, it doesn't owe you much....it could last a bit longer....but.... Three and a bit years, though, is kind of short, particularly since it's a car made by a reputable manufacturer...

I would get the battery charged up...maybe get hold of a trickle charger...it's always nice to have one around anyway for those times you actually do accidently drain the battery....

I would then see what happens....and maybe be prepared to have to do something further....in cold climates, alternator problems are not unusual.... and that's an easy fix...though the part might cost a bit...

I would work on the assumption, at least initially, that it's likely going to be a simple problem...particularly, again because it's a Toyota....

But always be prepared for the unexpected, though.... I once found a beer bottle cap stuck in some sound damping material under the back seat of a BMW....it was covered with paint overspray....so I know it happened at the BMW plant...if the cap had worked loose, it probably would have driven me crazy trying to figure out where the noise was coming from ....very un-BMW-like, I would say....

[Cod]

..well I got to the bottom if it easily, m'Bird left both of the front reading lights turned on over two days. I drove around 70km this morning to recharge it after jumping it.

Does beg the next question of how far do you need to drive to get some charge back in the battery. The battery indicator still shows a 'black' window which means it needs to be charged. A green indicator means it's ok and white means 'time for a walk in the snow'.

I bought a battery from Motonet on the assumption that this one is caput, fair point on the heavy duty battery option.

I don't think Motonet will take the battery back - I should have jumped it from the Twingo. I imagine that if I store the Motonet battery warm and recharge it in 2 years when this one really does go flat, it should be ok.

Interestingly I noticed that the negative battery clamp if wickedly corroded - like impressively. I've wedged it into place but will need to replace this. The screw clamp is shot and various parts have dismembered. The point here for me is that I need to keep an eye on this, since some grease on the terminal on a yearly basis would have kept this much more healthy. The twingo is similar, but not as bad. The electrical load on the battery in the Avensis is much higher because of all the accessories, so there's lots more oxidation I would guess.

Thanks for the feedback Gents.

[raamv]

Generally, batteries need a 30-45 minutes of the alternator running to do a basic "charge" update.
But if the batteries are completely drained, then you need to check the purified water levels as well as the acidity levels in the battery. A battery liquid test will cost like € euros and will tell you if you need to add more "purified water" or not..

[Mattlill2000]

then you need to check the purified water levels as well as the acidity levels in the battery

I don't this check can be done with the "sealed" batteries that are currently being sold.

[raamv]

then you need to check the purified water levels as well as the acidity levels in the battery

I don't this check can be done with the "sealed" batteries that are currently being sold.

hmm mebbe I didnt think about that!! Oops!!

[mrjimsfc]

If the fluid levels in the battery are not up to the proper level it won't charge properly. That same situation contributes to a much shorter lifetime for the battery (dead cells etc.).

[meplusthree]

I don't think Motonet will take the battery back - I should have jumped it from the Twingo. I imagine that if I store the Motonet battery warm and recharge it in 2 years when this one really does go flat, it should be ok.

I am sorry but I believe you will be disappointed ! Once the acid has been put in the battery its life clock will start ticking and even if you leave it uncharged in a cosy place you will probably find that after 2 years the plates will be covered in white furry sulphur deposits and it will be dead.
IIRC it is better to keep lead acid batteries charged so you will have to give it a charge every couple of months.