'02 F250 Dead Batteries

[hunterridgefarm]

I can't beleive the batteries did not last more than 8 years!

Now I have to buy 2 at a cost of $119.00 each, thats like $30.00 a year at 8 years. Guess thats not to bad:thumbsup:

I have noticed it getting harder to turn over, knew it was just a matter of time. I should have went and had them replaced a month ago. Now if I can't jump start it (takes a lot of amps to turn the 7.3) I'll have to do it myself instead of letting the place I purchase from install.

How long have your batteries lasted? Most of mine seem to make it 5-8 years.

 

[Egon]

Sounds like a fairly normal life span.

 

[Diamondpilot]

I am lucky to get 5 years. I have just got in the habit of changing at 3 to 4 years so there is no surprises on a dark cold night somewhere.

Dont feel bad though. The last battery I had to change in a car was on my Saturn about a year ago. Now sold but that battery was about the size of a lawnmower battery and was $93 at Walmart. I ended up getting a Deka at my local mom and pop gas station for $90 delivered.

Chris

 

[slowzuki]

On stuff used everyday? 10 years. Stuff that sits, as little as 2 years.

 

[nike]

Factory set of batteries lasted 4 years.

The next set of batteries lasted five years.
I guess that is the best you get now a days :confused2:

 

[Dmace]

When I replaced the batteries in my old 94 F350 diesel, I went with the cheap $72 Everstart Maxx batteries from Wal-mart and they worked great! 3 years after that I sold the truck and they still were working just fine. Those Everstart Maxx batteries are very good and the ease of returning to any Wal-mart for warranty (if needed) is tough to beat even without a receipt.

While I was replacing the batteries, I noticed the cable from the battery to the starter was pretty worn and it was slow to start even with the new batteries. Cleaning the contacts and replacing the ends on the cable made a HUGE difference in starting power. Check those cables and ground connections real well. If corroded, they will make brand new batteries seem weak.

I just replaced the factory battery in my 03 RAM this year, I would love to get another Mopar battery if it last 8 years but I went with the Everstart Maxx since it was half the price.

 

[wsp617]

I can't beleive the batteries did not last more than 8 years!

Now I have to buy 2 at a cost of $119.00 each, thats like $30.00 a year at 8 years. Guess thats not to bad:thumbsup:

I have noticed it getting harder to turn over, knew it was just a matter of time. I should have went and had them replaced a month ago. Now if I can't jump start it (takes a lot of amps to turn the 7.3) I'll have to do it myself instead of letting the place I purchase from install.

How long have your batteries lasted? Most of mine seem to make it 5-8 years.

Do they say "Motorcraft" on them? If they do, consider yourself very lucky. Motorcraft batteries are JUNK! Being in law enforcement I drive a Ford Crown Vic. I just had the one replaced in my 2009 Crown Vic. I had a Crown Vic a few years ago that I drove for 3 years. Had the battery replaced 3 times in 3 years. All were replaced under warranty so I got stuck with Motorcraft batteries each time. I was talking to a co-worker today. He was just going to the Ford dealership to drop his 2009 Crown Vic off to have the battery checked.

8 years out of a factory battery is very good so I guess I wouldn't be complaining.

 

[groundcover]

Last set on my '94 F350 7.3 IDI went ten years ! That on a diesel plow truck in NH ! I sent an email to Auto Zone to let them know how pleased I was. After ten years they asked for my phone number and called the original sale up on the computer. I also said they should let their IT dept work on our health care problem.

 

[Skyco]

Do they say "Motorcraft" on them? If they do, consider yourself very lucky. Motorcraft batteries are JUNK! Being in law enforcement I drive a Ford Crown Vic. I just had the one replaced in my 2009 Crown Vic. I had a Crown Vic a few years ago that I drove for 3 years. Had the battery replaced 3 times in 3 years. All were replaced under warranty so I got stuck with Motorcraft batteries each time. I was talking to a co-worker today. He was just going to the Ford dealership to drop his 2009 Crown Vic off to have the battery checked.

8 years out of a factory battery is very good so I guess I wouldn't be complaining.

The Motorcrafts that came in my 96 F350 diesel lasted over 9 years before I replaced them just out of fear....best batteries I ever had in the truck. The replacement Champions from Sams only made it about 3 years...the Everstarts in there now are coming up on 3 years so we'll see....

 

[groundcover]

My Motorcrafts held up very well too. Police cars are just about the toughest thing on car batteries that you can find. They have a huge amp load, long idle times, and every time you turn around they have some new toy to hook up to the electrical grid !

 

[lostcause]

i replaced the pair in my ton this fall/winter. the truck is an 01, and it was the third pair as far as i can tell. i think 5 years is a fair span, particularly in a truck with an electric/hydraulic dump body and an electric/hydraulic plow. i don't know how much life all the extra devices take off the lifespan, but i know that when i pick up my snowplow it pretty much brings the heater blower motor to a stop.

for what it's worth, i bought this set of batteries at sam's club. i think it was $68-$69 each. they have pretty much the same rating numbers as batteries from any supplier, and i'm sure they'll hold up well.

 

[VitaBene]

My 99 F250 7.3 went 9 years on the factory batteries. I replaced them with Interstate brand batts 3 years ago. My diesel mechanic sells Interstate in his shop, so I went with them (it was in getting the oil pan replaced).

The 7.3 needs good batteries, as was noted above, they don't jump start well.

 

[Reg]

There used to be flaming arguments about the practice of wiring 12 volt batteries in parallel.
The theory was that they would discharge into each other, sort of alternately, if they weren't a PERFECT match in some way or another.

I was looking through the wiring schematics of the '03 duramax last week and it SEEMS that the second battery is actually on a relay that is called by "key on".
So - if I read them right, the batteries are in parallel while not being charged for only a few seconds - the glow plug period.

If there was an epiphany about this in Detroit I must have missed it.

Anyone remember those old flame wars ?
======================================================
Maybe this is relevant ?;
If what I just wrote is true it is at least possible that the batteries don't get coupled up if/when there are problems with the aux battery relay, i.e. you may be cranking on ONE slightly tired battery sometimes.

Just a thought, maybe Fords aren't like that, maybe I misread the schematics and Chevvies aren't like that either.
(-:

 

[71bronco]

I just replaced the original batteries in my 01 F250 diesel in January .Had a 1998 F250 I sold this summer with the factory battery still in it(I was the original owner). I think I'll stick with Motorcraft:thumbsup:

Jeff

 

[Diamondpilot]

Do they say "Motorcraft" on them? If they do, consider yourself very lucky. Motorcraft batteries are JUNK! Being in law enforcement I drive a Ford Crown Vic. I just had the one replaced in my 2009 Crown Vic. I had a Crown Vic a few years ago that I drove for 3 years. Had the battery replaced 3 times in 3 years. All were replaced under warranty so I got stuck with Motorcraft batteries each time. I was talking to a co-worker today. He was just going to the Ford dealership to drop his 2009 Crown Vic off to have the battery checked.

8 years out of a factory battery is very good so I guess I wouldn't be complaining.

Maybe they have cheapened the batteries up but every Ford Motorcraft battery I have had, over 12 new Fords in the past 14 years, I have never had a battery problem before 5 years. My wife left the head lights on twice in the garage twice on a 03 Mountaineer and the battery went totally dead. I charged it back up and it was still going strong when traded after 5 years.

I think it has more to do with the alternator size and the load your additional equipment puts on it. I am not letting Ford off the hook here. They should know good and well 90% of the Crown Vic's are for service industry. To under size the system is just stupid.

All I am saying is it may not be the batteries. I have a feeling there is other things going on here.

Chris

 

[wsp617]

My mother in-law bought a brand new 2003 Ford Windstar in 2004. It was a left over unit from the year before. When they went to test drive it, the thing wouldn't start. They had to replace the battery....Motorcraft.

 

[aczlan]

My parents have a '99 E350 15 passenger van with the 7.3 diesel in it. They get about 3 years out of a set of Walmart 72 month batteries. I think they are on the 4th or 5th set and have only had to buy 2 sets, the others were warranty replacements (and they are glad to let the walmart people replace the 2nd battery, it is under the frame rail and is a PITA to change out).

 

[oldballs]

My experience with the Motorcraft OE batteries and replacement batteries has been fine. My 1999 Crown Vic and 1999 SuperDuty V-8 batteries were replaced after six years just out of habit. Now on their sixth year, the second set of Motorcraft batteries are still doing fine. I'm happy.

 

[jgriswol538802]

I have a 1995 F350 with the 7.3. I use it to pull a horse trailer so it sits most of the time. Recently I tried to crank it and it would not turn over fast enough to crank. I knew the last few times I cranked it that it sounded "weak", but it did crank. I also knew that the batteries had stickers on them indicating an 11/2002 mfg date so I picked up two new WM batteries and assumed my troubles were over.

I installed the new batteries and it turned slower and failed to crank. I pulled the new batteries out, took them and the old ones to have them tested just in case I had been given a bad new battery. The old ones tested bad, the new ones tested good.

I then pulled the starter and had it tested. It would run on the tester, but only slowly and only for about 5 seconds and then it would cut off. I purchased a starter, replaced ( Would like to talk to the Ford ( International ) engineer that designed the location of the 3rd bolt on that starter ) it and viola, the truck started. The new starter turns the motor noticeably faster than the old one ever did.

I would love to get 9 years out of these batteries, but wouldn't count on it.

 

[jayste]

I'm on my 3rd set in my '99 Super Duty with 7.3L and haven't had these too long.