I owned and operated a chain of auto parts stores for about 16 years so saw a lot if batteries come an go, literally sold thousands.
Extreme heat is very hard on batteries followed by extreme cold to a lessor degree.
A battery's warranty rating is a fairly good indicator as to how long a battery will last under favorable conditions (climate, vehicle charging system condition and care of battery). A 42-60-72 etc months warranty rating typically corresponds with the battery's cold cranking amps. The more cold cranking amps the longer expected battery life.
When replacing a battery, at a minimum purchase the cold cranking amps recommended for the vehicle by the manufacturer and it should last 5 possibly 6 years if taken care of and car's charging system is in good condition.

 

did you buy it from the dealer and had them install it?

 

My car was built 2/19/14. Never any problems with the battery. Not a DD and pleasure cruises once or twice a week. On tender for winter storage only.

 

No, I just went to the local parts house that sells ACDelco.
List for $216, got it for $138.
It was a pain to install, and I ended up removing the inside wheel well trim panel to keep from tearing the carpet. Not sure a dealer would even go to that much trouble, but it is very easy to tear the backing.






I have been reading about these new testers that check CCA and seem to give a better indication of the battery condition than even the normal load testers. Also, the battery does not have to be fully charged to run the test... I ended up ordering one...

They have a newer model that is easier to read, and menu operates a little differently.

 

You will find that most batteries are made by Johnson Controls, and
the 'Gold' series batts are basically the same battery, just have a different label. The 'Gold' series batteries are usually warranted for
3 year free replacement, with a prorated warrantee for 120 months.

With proper care, a 'Gold' series battery should last 10 years +.

I have found that batteries sold by Costco are the best value, but
selection/availability may be limited.

 

ACDelco is free replacement for 40 months, and I have never seen a battery warrantied for 120 months, pro-rated or not.
Wow, I know a lot of people, including Corvette owners, and I do not know of anyone that has gotten 10 years from a battery no matter how it is treated, daily driver or on battery maintainer its whole life.

 

Yes the solar is the ticket. I always had dead batteries with my c5 and c6. with the solar I will know before the battery dies on me. Watching Volts or checking voltage wont tell you what shape your battery is in.

 

The Chevy parts dept says the ACDelco gold series battery is a 42 month battery (not 72) and is free replacement for 42 months

 

The first AC Delco Professional grade battery I bought for my C5 was 84 month with 50 month free replacement, and they have been changing the warranties over the years.
I thought the last one I bought for my Stingray was only a 40 month free replacement, but looks like you are right that they are now 42 month...says in on the battery...with no pro-rated replacement period.

Thanks for pointing that out..




Delco still has the warranty information on the 7 year batteries on their website, but I guess they are no longer available..

 

In a C7, not so easy to access to perform a check! If you haven't accessed the battery yourself, suggest you do as the odds of an "auto store" doing it (if they will) and ripping the carpet are high! If you have an AAA person jump your car they surly will!

I have found to make it easier I remove the bottom clips from the passenger plastic wheel well cover. (Can do with my fingers or could use a plastic trim tool, etc.) That is not covered in the Owner's Manual. TEXHAWKO goes further and removes all the fasteners and the cover (not as easy and requires tools!)

The carpet that is under the plastic wheel well cover is not bound. If you don't at least remove the bottom clips and pull the plastic housing away, good chance of ripping that carpet corner as you pull it out! Several posts were a dealer caused the rip!

After replacing my battery with a higher quality AGM, I brought my OEM Delco back to Sears to get the $5 core exchange fee. I told the service manager the issues with removing the battery in case they get in a C7. He said, "We do not change batteries where they are not readily accessible, we recommended they go to the dealer!"

I can understand their concern, as with our Porsche Cayenne the battery was under the driver's seat. It could only be accessed with complete seat removal! Lots of wires and connectors and a special large Torx bit required!

 

I sometimes wonder if this was designed this way to insure the dealer got the job. There should be no way to rip the carpet when exchanging the battery.

 

Imagine how pleased you would be if you took it to the dealer, and they ripped the carpet anyway.

I have even thought about going ahead and cutting the carpet so that the corner can just be removed if access to the battery is needed. At least it would be straight, and much easier to deal with..
Could tape the cutout on the back, or may just use velcro to hold it in place.
It is already held in place by the rear and side trim pieces, so it would not take much.

Photo courtesy of JerryU

 

I would think you would have a better chance of the dealer replacing the carpet if they replaced the battery and caused the problem. I can't see my dealer giving my car back with a ripped carpet.

 

On the cars I keep on a Ctek MUS 4.3 maintainer, batteries tend to last 6 years (I live in Dallas and the heat is tough on batteries)--I just replaced the battery in my Porsche which will be 12 years old in October. The factory Moll battery last 6 years, the first replacement battery was just 3 months shy of 6 years. My 67 Corvette went 7 years on a battery.

Bottom line, if you're using a battery maintainer all the time, I wouldn't pull a battery at 3 years unless it's doing something questionable, like excessively charging or barely turning the car over which suggests it's on its last legs.

 

What if you are actually driving the car everyday as it was designed, including some short trips and non ideal conditions? I am sure not going to put it on a battery charger every night. Would rather just buy a battery every 3 or 4 years, especially since I have 42 month free replacement. Should never have to buy a battery again.

 

TedhawkO--a couple of points: the CTEK MUS 4.3 is not a battery charger, it is a battery maintainer, so yes you can if you wish put it on a daily driver too--every day. You plug it into the rear compartment cigarette lighter. Easy. Secondly, I'll take it as a given that the retailer where you're buying batteries will replace them at 3 years even if they don't fail a load test? Amazing. Never has worked that way in my experience. And lastly the original poster said he keeps his on a battery tender, which is what I was responding to. Pulling a battery at 3-4 just for the heck of it is unnecessary. And while I am not a flaming greenie seems irresponsible to prematurely get rid of a functioning battery. Even if recycled as they're supposed to be, I don't know but is battery recycling the cleanest, greenest of processes ? Just seems like a very bad idea to preemptively chunk a battery for fear.

I've owned a ton of cars, and have lived in Dallas since 1989, before that Ohio. I've never been stranded with my daily drivers, for a battery failure.

 

I keep my C6 Z06 on a cheap Harbor Freight float charger, as I don't drive it regularly. The OE battery went dead after three years, but it was my fault as I hooked up the float charge but didn't plug the charger in. The replacement battery(AutoZone) has been in the car for a little over 6 years an show no indication of crapping out.

The AutoZone battery in my Mercedes DD(driven at least once a week, so I don't put it on a float charger) has been in for 9 years and also shows no indication of failure.

 

What I was really trying to say is that I drive all my cars daily and I do not hook my other cars up to a "maintainer" every night, so why would I do that for the Corvette? (I actually do know the difference in a battery charger and maintainer)
I have had multiple batteries suddenly go out, usually because a cell goes bad with no warning. At airports, in town parking lots, and even a some I was lucky enough to have go dead in the garage, when the car had started fine the last time I drove it...
I have taken a couple back to the local supply house and just told them that the battery was not dead, but would no longer hold a full charge (which was true) and they replaced it with no questions or testing.
One was an AC Delco Professional grade battery with a 50 month free replacement and I let it go close to 4 years before changing it out.

I remember my mother had a Buick and even she mentioned one day that her battery was getting old. Of course, her husband said aaugh, no need to replace it until it goes dead.... Well, the next week it was dead! Go figure.
I guess everyone just needs to do whatever their personal experience leads them to do.. particularly since even though a car is driven daily, there are other factors like length of trips that can affect battery life.

(I don't feel too irresponsible if it saves me another $150 on buying a new battery.. Hopefully, the planet will last a few million more years, even with me being non-eco friendly)

 

Don't have to feel irresponsible changing out batteries!

We have had a Johnson Controls battery plant in town for ~8 years! Toured that facility where at the end of the line they have over 20 labels they put on the batteries that come out from vary large charging beds where they sit it water within an inch of the top! They make for everyone.

They recently put in a battery reclamation facility in town. They recycle everything, lead, copper and the plastic case! They deliver batteries to all the car parts dealers and pick up old batteries on the same trip!

 

Question on that. Do you use a maintainer like CTEK on those batteries, and if so, does one handle the job or do you need two, one for each battery? I have a Duramax and want to use a maintainer. my first set lasted same as you, about 8 years.