Battery question.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 445
Likes: 284
From: Leawood Kansas
Battery question.
My 2015 C7 Z with 12,000 miles still has the original battery and is not showing any signs of it wearing out. It stays on factory battery tender when not in use. Stays garaged so no freezing temp start ups. What are your thoughts on replacement? 5 years seems like a long time on an original battery. Thanks!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 1,001
Likes: 9
From: Austin Texas
Replace for a peace of mind
My 2015 C7 Z with 12,000 miles still has the original battery and is not showing any signs of it wearing out. It stays on factory battery tender when not in use. Stays garaged so no freezing temp start ups. What are your thoughts on replacement? 5 years seems like a long time on an original battery. Thanks!
didn’t get it home and two days later it won’t start. I had to put it on a tender and keep it hooked up so I can have it started. Called my dealer and picked up a new one with more amps for about 160 with core. If you are worried, replace it and be done with it.
I will hook mine up every time I leave town. I leave for about 3-4 weeks for work at a time.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2018
Posts: 677
Likes: 145
I would replace immediately. Tons of gremlins with dying battery, and be happy that you got great performance from the original. I replaced mine a couple of months ago on my 2016 Z06 showing no signs of failure on original battery.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,821
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
My 2015 C7 Z with 12,000 miles still has the original battery and is not showing any signs of it wearing out. It stays on factory battery tender when not in use. Stays garaged so no freezing temp start ups. What are your thoughts on replacement? 5 years seems like a long time on an original battery. Thanks!
If your battery is doing fine then don't worry about replacing it. I have had AC Delco batteries last 7 years without any particular attention paid to their state of charge. There can be issues replacing your battery. One is tearing the carpet where it fits under the interior quarter panel when you open the battery compartment. Another is breaking the remote sensing ground wire that is attached to the main battery ground cable. The remote sensing wire is a small gauge wire and doesn't have a lot of slack. If broken it will give you a charge system fault. Then of course there is the issue of getting the battery out as there isn't much room to get hold of it and lift it out of the car. That makes me a firm believer in not changing until it is absolutely necessary.
Bill
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 12,260
Likes: 4,749
From: SE WI
I think you answered your own question by saying 5 years is a long time on the original battery. But there are people like Bill that are ok using it longer. Just personal preference and what you're comfortable with.
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 164
Likes: 42
From: Bozeman/Livingston MT Sometimes Texas
There are relatively simple tests available that can better quantify battery condition. The best test still is a load test where a fully charged battery is subjected to a calibrated load, usually 50% of the rated cold cranking amps for a specified time and measuring the remaining voltage left in the battery. There are other tests that can show the quality of each interior cell. Some parts stores can do testing without battery removal. Lots of good batteries have been replaced without condition verification. I'd get a test performed and proceed from there. (A note about battery purchase for any application. Buy the largest cold cranking amp rated battery you can
afford that fits in the space available.)
afford that fits in the space available.)
Last edited by shopteacher; Sep 14, 2020 at 09:36 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 3,271
Likes: 182
From: Manassas VA
If the battery can pass a load test then certainly for the immediate future it is O.K. That said be aware that at any time a piece can flake off one of the plates and cause a cell short which makes the battery useless. The more times the battery has been charged/discharged the greater the probability this will happen.
My experience ,over the years, is the dam things always go dead when the car is in some remote location where service is a PITA to acquire or when you are in a hurry to get somewhere, like to catch a flight. For this reason I usually get a new battery for all my cars every 5 or 6 years even if they are still alive.
My experience ,over the years, is the dam things always go dead when the car is in some remote location where service is a PITA to acquire or when you are in a hurry to get somewhere, like to catch a flight. For this reason I usually get a new battery for all my cars every 5 or 6 years even if they are still alive.
Last edited by ronsc1985; Sep 14, 2020 at 12:01 PM.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 7,382
Likes: 3,501
From: Lake Havasu City Arizona
Here is my opinion. These batteries fail like they are falling off a cliff. They work very well...and BANG! you're out of business. Cheap insurance to have a new one installed. They don't seem to gradually fail It's just all at once for the most part.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2014
Posts: 526
Likes: 61
From: Vero Beach FL
St. Jude Donor '15
Replaced mine with an Optima AGM
I replaced mine twice in my 2015, the first one under warranty. I’ve used Opitma’s several times In the past with great results. A bit more money but well worth it.
Paul
Paul
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 10,789
Likes: 894
From: Northern Illinois
Oldtimer
This isn't Corvette related, but the battery in my 2018 Malibu Premier went dead about 2 weeks ago. I went out one morning and my car wouldn't turn over. There was no indication prior to that that anything was wrong. I had just gotten back from a 2,000 mile+ road trip out West the week before. I'm glad it decided to go dead at home and not out in the middle of nowhere. In my 71+ years I've never had a 2 year old battery go dead.