Hi,

I don't know how much lifespan others are getting from their batteries and how these stock batteries age. My 2017 RDX is almost 5 fives year in a few months. As part of maintenance should I replace the battery? The car is kept inside a garage and has about 46k miles on it. The battery test showed its ok in the last oil change.
Also does the RDX pull charge from the battery while it is running or is it completely running off the alternator?

Thanks!

 

Typically batteries last around 5-7 years. You should be fine for another year or two, but if you really want to then you can replace the battery I guess.

 

Is it giving you any signs that it needs replacement? Slow starting? Dim lights? Not that these are the end all/be all in terms of warning signs, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it........
If yours is a 2017, aren't you likely closer to 4.5 years old?
I personally have had very good luck and longevity with OEM batteries so if I were in your shoes, I would punt on replacing. Obviously it's your vehicle and you can do what what makes you most comfortable. Maybe a trickle charger or a portable jump starter would help you? Both my daughter's 2016 CR-V (7/2016 delivery) and my wife's 2016 RDX (2/2016 delivery) both still have their original OEM batteries in them and are running fine.

 

It doesn’t show any signs. I had bad luck with the 2015 TLX battery going bad in 2.5 years and being stranded twice. TLX battery would test ok but would not start the car - it had signs of dead battery but after a full recharge and trip to dealership the battery would test ok. Second time dealership replaced the battery and it’s been ok for 3+ years.

I actually like the portable jump starter idea. As mentioned... why fix it when it’s not broke. Can you please recommend a jump starter for the RDX? Can I just keep it in the car all day long? Would anything happen if I leave it in the trunk and have it parked outside in the summer heat? (Jersey climate)

I’m going to be driving longer distances more frequently from next month so I just want to have my rear end covered for the unexpected scenarios.

 

I don't have any personal experience with a jump starter or "jump box," but know folks who have had and used them. I bought a trickle charger years ago from NOCO and it has served me well. They also make jump starters but again, have no experience. Others here on the forum may be able to make recommendations otherwise, do some on line research. I believe part of the idea or principle behind a jump starter is that they are portable and meant to me kept in the car. A quick check this AM of the NOCO ones and some users say that they top off the charge quarterly where the NOCO response to a question similar to yours was - "It will hold 75% of each charge for a year or longer but we recommend topping it off every 6 mo if it hasn't been used, just to make sure it is fully charged if needed." Regarding temperature and storage - "Operating temp: -22F to 122F Storage temp: -22F to 176F" from NOCO and from a user - "I leave mine in the hot car in the summer in 100°F weather and also -20°F. Never had a problem."
Again I would do some research on your own, but this is the url for NOCO - https://no.co/products and these are sold on Amazon as well.

Hope this helps.

 

Coincidentally I got an email today with this article in it - https://jalopnik.com/cool-tool-heres...ign=2021-04-01

 

here in Texaas, 3-5 years seem to be the norm...with 5 years being outlier....normally we can expect about 3-4 years of battery life.
couple that in with how sucky factory batteries are, some can see only 2.5 years of life

 

I have had 16 and 14 years out of factory installed batteries in cars (1990 Toyota Tercel & 1999 Honda CR-V) that I bought new. So unless you forget to turn the headlights off or let the battery drain which cuts into battery life, why worry about it. My 2017 RDX starts like the day I bought it, even when it is -15F or colder and it is parked outside.

 

one also could test the batteries with a multimeter..

 

A very basic test and it only indicates the state of charge (SOC) which is why I have one of these stuck in my cigarette lighter. It also indicates how well my charging system is working.

But a load test (easy) and a capacity test (time consuming) is best for checking a battery's state of health.