How long did your battery last?

[UberVW_TDI]

Yep. I can attest that Texas summers kill batteries as well.

My OEM battery lasted 3.75 years. So I went with a AGM (absorbed glass matt) Duralast H6 as they are supposed to last longer.

My AGM battery died yesterday at 2 years and 1 month. Engine wouldn't even turn over. Went from very slightly labored start to totally dead. I know it's the 100+ degree temps in Texas this time of year. The battery comes with a three year warranty. So I'm rockin' a new free battery (AGM). But I'm thinking of going back to regular lead acid...if this AGM dies ~ 2 years again.

 

[cd_booth]

I replaced mine recently right around 5 years/100,000 miles. The battery was still good but I didn't want to be stranded.

 

[Cabdriver]

about 5 years and 80k miles for me...

 

[motoblue]

4 years 7 months. I was starting to get the ESP error message on startup and a longer than usual crank. Replaced it before the winter set in.

 

[Rustydog]

Mine lasted about 18 months. Dealer replaced at no charge.

 

[ihatespeed]

I'm at 120k, 5years, starts strong, no issues. I refuse to preemptively change batteries, the first time it leaves me with cold feet its gone, not before.

 

[I am CDN Josh]

3.5 years for me.

 

[gmcjetpilot]

I'm coming up on 4 years now on my battery and wondering what other's experiences have been -
how long should I expect my battery to last?
I'd rather replace it before it strands me, but is 4 years too soon to be worth it?

3 years is typical and they tend to have sudden death.... You beat the odds
because of your mild climate. I and my friends went just a tad over 3 years
in 2010 TDI's.

To make it easy to buy a replacement you want:

SIZE: Group 48 or H6 or L3

CCA (Cold Cranking Amps): 615 AMPS MIN
(You will see higher and that is OK, typically 680-730 AMPS)

You want standard top DIN POSTS with poles as shown:

| ------------------------- |
| .... + ................ - .... |
| ............................... |
| ............................... |
| ............................... |
|___________________|

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v320/fixmy59bug/4d301009.jpg

Go to a auto store like AUTO ZONE... Advanced AUTO when they are not
too busy, not mid afternoon weekends). Ask for a battery charge test. If
they ask why say you want to buy a battery, you think it's time due to age.
They have an automated hand tester. Make sure they show you the results.
One of the Auto part store chains has a great unit that prints, I recall Autozone
or Advanced. Even if it tests good, you may do a proactive change.

As far as brands? I would not pay much more than $125. I bought a
WalMart battery 3 years ago for about $90... it is $107 now. I am pretty
sure you pay a premium for a name brand and top of the line model,
but a flooded lead acid battery can get only so good . My Wal-Mart battery
has 3 years full replacement warranty and thereafter pro rated to 5 years.
Before anyone puts it down my Wally World battery, many batteries are
made by the same factory and just get a different label & price markup....

This is the one I have, paid about $90 three years ago.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-Plus-H6-Lead-Acid-Automotive-Battery/28275673

This one has a little more CCA for $10 more.
http://www.walmart.com/ip/EverStart-MAXX-H6-Automotive-Battery/16782658

If you are handy you can still pry the cover off the battery and see
the electrolyte is OK. Just because it is maintenance free does not
mean you did not cook off some of the water. If it is a little low only
put distilled water in. You don't need to add acid for an active battery.
My finding is these "maintenance free" batteries some times cook
off electrolyte and results in premature battery death. The charging
system on the VW is "smart" and tends to not overcharge. Good thing.

 

[frugality]

I'm over 5 years on my 2010 OE battery. No issues yet.

 

[turbobrick240]

Close to five years on my '11 battery. Still going strong. I wouldn't call my climate zone particularly mild either. Seems like a very high quality battery.

 

[kjclow]

4 years 7 months. I was starting to get the ESP error message on startup and a longer than usual crank. Replaced it before the winter set in.

I've gotten that error message a few times and wondered what was happening. My second battery is just over 4 years, maybe I should replace it.

 

[kjclow]

My Wal-Mart battery
has 3 years full replacement warranty and thereafter pro rated to 5 years.

Had to buy a battery for the truck last month and was told that Aotuzone no longer pro rates the batteries. Just a three year replacement warranty and nothing after.

 

[Kalukis]

Battery - 3 years in Houston

I got 3 years, which has been my typical battery life in Houston across all my cars. We have hot weather and A/C on all the time, batteries are put to the test.

 

[Hakcobra]

Just replaced my original battery in my 2003 TDI wagon about ten minutes ago. Still was starting but last winter it was showing its age. 12 years and 205,000 miles later id say thats a pretty good run.

 

[dwfdiesel]

I replaced mine last year 2014 not bad since it was the original in a 2006 golf TDI

 

[turbobrick240]

Just replaced my original battery in my 2003 TDI wagon about ten minutes ago. Still was starting but last winter it was showing its age. 12 years and 205,000 miles later id say thats a pretty good run.

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! Wow, that is impressive. Considering all the nasty stuff in lead acid batteries, you did the environment a big favor by fully utilizing yours.

 

[dwfdiesel]

Ding, ding, ding, we have a winner! Wow, that is impressive. Considering all the nasty stuff in lead acid batteries, you did the environment a big favor by fully utilizing yours.

Cool my old one is in the 5th wheel as it still works just a little slow on the start and I don't like failures

 

[kjclow]

The battery in the golf just gave it up at 40k miles and 4+ years. My wife said it wouldn't start while I was traveling. Got home Friday and put it on the charger for a couple of hours and she fired right off. Went to fuel it up before going to the parts store and it wouldn't start there. Shouldn't have turned it off while fueling. New battery with 5 year warranty and 750 750 coca for about $150.

 

[Runnerguy45]

228,677. Should not have waited that long.

 

[gmcjetpilot]

The battery in the golf just gave it up at 40k miles and 4+ years. My wife
said it wouldn't start while I was traveling. Got home Friday and put it on
the charger for a couple of hours and she fired right off. Went to fuel it up
before going to the parts store and it wouldn't start there. Shouldn't have
turned it off while fueling. New battery with 5 year warranty and 750 750
coca for about $150.

That is weird, common but weird. The BOSH seems to have that failure
mode where it just dies... My experience of the decades is the battery l
looses capacity and lets you down when there is a large demand, cold
temps, hard starting engine... (older carb engines were harder starting in
cold weather).

 

[kjclow]

Same way the battery in my JSW failed. It wouldn't even charge to let me start it. I was also much less informed at that time and spent a lot of trying cranking it to try to get it to roll. With the Golf, after three or four attempts, I called the wife and told her to bring me a new battery.

 

[dadster]

Battery in my 2012 JSW (65K miles) really let me down! Noticed it was a little sluggish to start over the last two days, didn't pay attention. Went out to a meeting, came back to get to the next and no start! Coworker gave me a ride and a jump later in the day, Sam's had the H6 Group 48 AGM in stock.

Watch out when you notice any weakness, these modern batteries die quickly!

Of course Texas summers can be brutal, 3 weeks of 100+ so far...

 

[Brian's96TDIPASSAT]

my 11 golf has 158K and still on the OE battery

 

[frugality]

My 2010 @178k is on its original battery, after 5 Michigan winters, the last couple of which were doozies.

Sam's had the H6 Group 48 AGM in stock.

I don't know anything about this particular battery, but I would be careful to research it before buying an AGM battery for a diesel.

I work for Johnson Controls, which makes 2/3 of the automotive batteries in north america, under many different brand names. Back in the Mk4 days, the Optima Red Top AGM battery was supposed to be 'the bee's knees', and I got a few on company discounts for some TDI friends here in Michigan. The Optima site said the specific Red Tops we got were supposed to be a match for our specific TDIs. They all went bad in 2-3 years. I forget the specs....they had the CCA's, but not the deep reserve needed for TDIs. I went to the dealer and got an OE regular wet-plate battery and it did great for years.

 

[totitan]

My daughters original battery in her 08 Rabbit is still going strong. Even though its got the boat anchor gas 2.5 it has been an amazing car. In seven years Ive replaced the tires once, rear brakes once, one headlight and one taillight. Never been back to the dealer for anything at all.

 

[jahlov420]

6 years

 

[PTH]

The original battery in my 2010 Golf lasted 5 and 1/2 years, and then died without warning just two weeks ago. If the new one (OEM from the dealer) lasts long enough, I'll replace it five years from now so that I'm not inconvenienced again.

 

[kjclow]

My exact thoughts on the JSW. That battery has been in about 4 years and it's taking longer cranking to get her to fire. I may just bite the bullet and have Autozone put a new one in. Plus I think I have a coupon!

 

[Darth_Furious]

after reading this thread I got my 2010 JSW checked out. CCAs at 690 and they said it was still good. OEM and 5 yrs old!

Costco in SF Bay areas has the H6/48 battery for $110 and 40 month warranty. Seems like a good price and that's where I'm going when it shows any hesitation on starting

 

[Brian's96TDIPASSAT]

Forget my Golf, I have a 24 yo pickup truck I bought new and am still on the second battery, replaced the first one in 2003 and still on the second! As a matter of fact, I've never put a bulb in that truck either come to think of it, 93K, for the last 15yrs mostly plowing, home depot runs and towing a trailer is about all the work it gets