dedalus5550

About year ago, my 2013 RDX battery had to be replaced. Went out to the car in the morning to go to work, and nothing worked. None of the lights, radio, nothing. They replaced the battery. Well, again the same thing this morning. I can't even get to the cables to try to jump it because the trunk won't open--apparently it's an electric switch rather than a mechanical mechanism. In both cases, something odd. The doors (besides the trunk) are/were unlocked. We're pretty good about always locking our car, and listening to make sure it locks, so I wonder if it has some mechanism where the last thing it will do with it's last ounce of voltage is unlock the doors. But I think the actual key that slides out of the fob could open the driver door even with no battery.

So I took the scenic route to ask, really, two bad batteries.

Now that I think about it, I had a 1996 Civic that I bought new and it had a bad battery. I didn't understand it, but about 10-20 percent of the time, the battery would be dead. It was a stick shift, so I just push-started it. I always was aware that I might have to do that when I looked for parking spots, and always parked it where the was room. Only when I asked a dealer did they explain they could just replace the battery free of charge, which fixed the problem for good.
Mike Todd

thoiboi

Check your alternator and cables (ground and all)

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

<p>Acura batteries are known to be weak from the factory.</p><p>if you get tired of annually changing your battery, try out a stout battery like Sears Diehard Platinum series.</p>

thoiboi

Acura batteries are known to be weak from the factory.
if you get tired of annually changing your battery, try out a stout battery like Sears Diehard Platinum series.

andysinnh

My wife's '12 TL w/Tech had issues with a "low voltage" error on the nav display on colder days or when it'd been sitting for a few days. The dealer replaced the battery and after a few months it started again. I went and got a NAPA Legend battery with significantly larger CCA's than the stock one, and going past its second year we've had no issues. Also did a battery upgrade on my '05 Accord from the group 51 to a group 35 (w/v6 parts) and it solved a bunch of other problems. So I'm not a fan of acura/honda OEM batteries.

andy

ceb

Thereare lots of factors that affect battery life but - while Acura batteries aren't known to be the best - they should still last 3 years or so.

My wife's 2003 Civic battery died after about 200k miles and 5 years, her next Civic battery died at about 4 years. My sister's RL had a dead battery after 3 years but she didn't have an issue with her other RL for the 4 years she owned it.

I think the reviews of Acura batteries here are a bit harsh. I suspect that there is something else going on with your car that is causing the battery to drain. A drained battery dies quickly thereafter.

thoiboi

I think being in NH, the cold (read: extreme temperatures) may have something to do with your minimized battery lifespan.

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

<p></p><p>multiple people have stated that their Acura's battery has only lasted a year, OP included.</p>

ceb

...and they are all covered under warranty.

I think a careful review of most battery failures would show that the ultimate death was preceded by "I left the lights on and the battery died. I jumped the car but now the battery is dead again."

RSX_Takashi

My old RSX battery died at the 2 year 10 month mark (right before warranty expires). But again, I have a bunch of stuff wired to it (GPS, sound system, amplifier, subs, voltage regulator,...etc)

Most wet cell batteries should last 3 - 4 years anyway. Anything longer will be a bonus.

andysinnh

True - but the more recent Honda batteries have been worse than most. And some of these failures happened when the weather was not that cold, and the wife's car is housed in a semi-heated garage. Even the Honda batteries from back in the 80's and 90's - and early 00's - have held up better than those in the past 5-6 years. It's interesting the CCA's on the OEM batteries seem to be lower than they used to be - or at least that's my recollection...

RSX_Takashi

There are more electronic gizmos in our cars compared to the 80s and 90s. Heck the car I I learned how to drive was a Mazda 3 hatch with manual windows and manual door locks. It does not have ABS, it does not have DSC, it does not have CMMS and lane departure warning. Heck the only thing it comes with is power mirrors and a cassette player.

Take a look at cars now. > 300 watt stereo, gps and navi, traction control heated seats (front and back row). How do you expect the battery to last long if everything is turned on at the same time?

justnspace

iTrader: (1)

<p></p><p>Do you really want to go to the dealer for your annual battery ? &nbsp;</p>

ceb

If a battery fails annually then there is something causing the battery to fail.

I've had 8 Hondas and Acuras in the family since 2000. The earliest a battery failed was in three years.

I also have a 2002 Lexus RX. The original battery lasted 8 years.

While Honda batteries may not be the best, they should last at least 3 years. Anything less and there is either a problem with the car or a defective battery. Getting two defective batteries is unlikely.

So yeah, I'd go back to the dealer and have them determine WHY the two batteries failed.