How long did your OEM battery go?

deezelpower

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Location
Martha Lake, WA
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI, 2015 Audi Q7 TDI
I had an A3 1995 Jetta GL (2.0) that we bought new here in WA State (Campbell Nelson), and sold it two years ago with 145K. It had the original battery in there! :p

My 2004 (TDI of course!) is still going strong, at 70K miles now.

Just curious if folks here have had a similar experience.
 

Dorado

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2001
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
TDI
New Beetle TDI, 2002, Cool White
5 years and 51k miles on the original OEM on our NB TDI. I needed to add distilled water once a year for the last three years. Other than that it worked perfectly until a month ago I drained it by listening to the radio while working on the car, and after that it could only charge 75% (still could start the car every time!).
 

Strack

Veteran Member
Joined
May 10, 1999
Location
HAckensack, NJ USA
The batteries which allow filling will last longer than the permanetly sealed units. I bet you can get up to 7 years on average depending upon your location. In warmer climates, the battery will last much longer. In severe cold environments, you can expect 3-4 years as typical service life.
 

deezelpower

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Location
Martha Lake, WA
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI, 2015 Audi Q7 TDI
I wouldn't exactly call Seattle's weather tropical :D hehe...

My dad had our '95 Jetta serviced quite regularly, so i'm certain it got topped off regularly, I guess helping achieve the 10 year life.
 

wjdell

Top Post Dawg
Joined
May 17, 2006
Location
Central Florida
TDI
06 Jetta TDI DSG PKG 1 17" VV Campy White/Beige
if its a good battery and it never gets depleted a 10 year life is normal. You can run it dry several times and abuse them and they will charge for 5 years, not always but often. MY OEM's always seem to do better than aftermarket.
 

DieselDriver2003

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
Location
Demarest, NJ
TDI
2006 New Beetle GLS 5spd
I have a original battery from a 2001 Jetta and so far no problem. I am not planning to change it anytime soon.;)
deezelpower said:
I had an A3 1995 Jetta GL (2.0) that we bought new here in WA State (Campbell Nelson), and sold it two years ago with 145K. It had the original battery in there! :p

My 2004 (TDI of course!) is still going strong, at 70K miles now.

Just curious if folks here have had a similar experience.
 

hagar

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2005
Location
Columbia, SC
TDI
2002 white Jetta 5sp & 2006 Mercedes CDI
In Phoenix you were lucky to get 2 1/2 years out of a battery. My Toyota Supra turbo needed a new battery about every 10 tankfuls and new tires about every 20, and it was NOT very gas efficient.. :eek:
 

Acidhead

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2005
Location
Toms River N.J.
TDI
2004 Jetta tdi
I change my battery every three years or right before the winter in the third year.Yes I know I could go longer. I feel that after 3 years I've gotten my money's worth. Beside I'm not crazy about hearing "click" when trying to start up a car in winter. In my big truck I've got 4 batteries and I change 2 every year. By doing this I've never had a problem with my cars and truck. Plus I feel its easier on the altenator. Just my opinion..don't flame me.
 

Smokerr

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Alaska
TDI
Passat Wagon GL,2005,Silver
Strack said:
The batteries which allow filling will last longer than the permanetly sealed units. I bet you can get up to 7 years on average depending upon your location. In warmer climates, the battery will last much longer. In severe cold environments, you can expect 3-4 years as typical service life.
You have that wrong. Battery life is based on temperature of 72 to 77 degrees (dpeends on who you talke to). Hotter, shorter life. Colder, longer life.

The higher the temperature, the lower the life. As the underhood temp gets hotter still, in the states, batteries suffer. Colder, they last much longer.

This is not to be mixed up wiht the lower output of the battery in the cold, which affects how much power it puts out, but does not affect the life.

As we run a whole lot cooler to cold up here, the batteries last a lot longer. 10 years is not at all uncommon. At 10 years I change out if its the out of town vehicle.
 

deezelpower

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2004
Location
Martha Lake, WA
TDI
2004 Jetta TDI, 2015 Audi Q7 TDI
Smokerr said:
The higher the temperature, the lower the life. As the underhood temp gets hotter still, in the states, batteries suffer. Colder, they last much longer.
That makes sense. Just gotta love that german engineering. :D Explains why the batteries have a "blanket", or now a plastic cover, on the A4+.
 

wanders

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 23, 2003
Location
Shennandoah Valley, VA
TDI
'01 Jetta GLS- Baltic Green
My '01 is still on the OEM battery. Ran it by Autozone the other day for a test, and it came up strong. 92K on it now and still going.

Take that Energizer Bunny....
 

BrianCT

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Feb 11, 2006
Location
USA
TDI
TDI

DieselDriver2003

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
Location
Demarest, NJ
TDI
2006 New Beetle GLS 5spd
90K+ miles on '01 Jetta GLS TDI - All Weather Option, "still going... thump thump thump."

I am going to check for that Bunny tonight, I think I saw him sneaking around the fridge last night.
 

DieselDriver2003

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 13, 2003
Location
Demarest, NJ
TDI
2006 New Beetle GLS 5spd
Yeah but look at all the money you save because you don't have to buy winter cloths or change cars often because of salt on the road.:(
hagar said:
In Phoenix you were lucky to get 2 1/2 years out of a battery. My Toyota Supra turbo needed a new battery about every 10 tankfuls and new tires about every 20, and it was NOT very gas efficient.. :eek:
 

BleachedBora

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Location
Gresham, Oregon
TDI
'81 DMC-12, '15 GL350 CDI 275 hp/448 tq - '81 Caddy CJAA, '05 E320 CDI 250hp/450 tq, '23 ID4 AWD Pro S Plus
210,000 miles and almost 9 years on the original battery--just replaced it about a month ago. It was still working fine, but I was worried what this winter might bring...
-BB
 

mavapa

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 29, 2000
Location
rome, ga
TDI
2001 golf
I still have the original in my '01 Golf with about 73000 miles. It sat up in the garage for about two months last summer, waiting for me to get around to the intake cleaning. When I tried to start it, the battery was nearly dead. I drove it around a little and it's been fine since.
 

John McMillin

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 29, 2002
Location
Wheat Ridge, Co.
TDI
2002 NB TDI, Cyber Green
Mine suddenly stopped holding a charge at 62,000 miles and four years service (2002 Golf TDI). The dealer's price of 4100 for a new OEM sounded fine, but another $100 to install it? The nearest muffler shop did it for $25.
 

Jetiwarrior

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2003
Location
Phoenix
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon GLS
37,000 miles and 3 years on my 03 Jetta. The heat in Phoenix cooks the batteries down here. This is the longest I had a battery last in Arizona in 28 years of living here. They usually will die in the middle of summer, but at least I am not shivering when I change them out. :cool:
 

BradleyRas

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2001
Location
harrisburg,pa,us
TDI
2000 Jetta GLS TDI Silver Arrow
7 years- 118000 miles so far...knock on particle board..

***POST UPDATED***
original battery died. Replaced today.. 118K miles...
 
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John C

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 28, 1999
Location
Broomfield, CO USA
TDI
Jetta, 2001 Glactic Blue Peral - SOLD
Well, at 87K on our 2001 Jetta and still going strong. My experience is that water (electrolyte) usage will go up and give you a warning when a battery is approaching its end of life - if it dosen't get an internal short or open :( .

OEM battery isn't using any appreciable amount of water to date.

John C
 

bosox_tdi

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2006
Location
Acushnet, MA
TDI
2003 Jetta GLS
4 years, 102K- no issues- no water needed- though it does seem to crank a little slower this winter- maybe it is my imagination with all this battery talk
 
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