Chevrolet battery

[poppysdad]

I have a Chevvy Cruze LTZ just over 3 years old and just today after a breakdown a faulty battery was the problem. But this is now the 3rd battery in the car, the original needed replacing quite some time ago and now the replacement needed replacing. Is this common with Chevvies or is it just the brand and/or quality of the batteries supplied.

Have to say I couldn't fault the Chevvy service as a mechanic from the local dealership fought his way through heavy holiday traffic to get to me and soon diagnosed the problem, replaced and then did whatever they do with a computer connected to the car all within 2 hours of my phoning them from the town centre.

[JAS21]

Well I find Panasonic MF to be okay ... just over 3 years on the D Max and just coming up to 3 years in the Mazda Lantis.

Heat kills ... after stopping, whenever I can I lift the bonnet. I use BB Battery Delivery as a supplier.

Your usage seems abnormal!!!

[lopburi3]

It has been many years since I turned to using taxi transportation but life was normally less than 2 years if used in city with air-conditioning in my experience. Battery did not last long at all.

[Pib]

Vehicle battery life in the tropics, like Thailand, is significantly less on the average than what a person would typically experience in cooler areas of the world like most parts of Europe, the U.S., etc. Heat kills. And it's not only the constant higher ambient temperature it's also because of the engine compartment higher heat when the engine is running due to the high ambient temperature....and also the cool down period when the car is park...takes longer to cool off when the ambient temperature is high.

It will vary among vehicles as to how long your battery will last...gasoline/benzine/petrol engines are easier on batteries due to lower engine compression than than a higher compression diesel engine. Higher compression engines draw more current from the battery during starting which puts a greater strain on the battery over the long term.

If you don't drive your vehicle often battery sulfation occurs at a higher rate than if you frequently drive your vehicle. Sulfation is a type of chemical built up on the battery internal plates...kinda like a cancer for batteries.

Yeap, generally in the tropics a battery will not last as long as to what you might have been use to in most parts of Europe, the U.S., etc. It's not really a battery quality thing as you can get very good quality batteries in Thailand...heat kills.

[thrilled]

I have to agree.Thailand heat.When you buy A vehicle in Thailand you will need to add more maintenance money because of the

Battery.f you get over a year's use consider yourself lucky

[Fookhaht]

My friend who's lived 20 years in Thailand assures me that 2 1/2 years is the normal life of a battery in this country.

[Pib]

Here's an earlier post June 15 post summarizing my battery lifespan story with my 2009 Toyota Fortuner 3.0L Diesel which I bought new. I'm now on my 5th battery since June 15...current battery is a GS maintenance free battery. In my multiple batteries on the Fortuner I have used both maintenance free batteries and the type you need to watch/add water to...no significant lifespan difference for me so far between the two types. My vehicle charging system is in perfect working order based on Toyota dealership checks and more importantly by own checks.

For this battery I have installed some heat shielding, a battery anti-sulfation device, and do a battery charge "equalization" charge about every 6 months. If the battery is still living come June 16 which means it will have a year's life under it's belt I will give more details/pictures of my heat shielding, anti-sulfation device, and equalization charge method.

No shortage of Battery Lifespan threads/posts on ThaiVisa....the tropics is a rough environment for batteries.

[Gonsalviz]

For me 2 years everytime. Heat is the killer. Open the hood/bonnet when you stop driving. It helps. If you have to park in the sun, it will help more but never expect it to last long.

[kartman]

The OP is averaging 1 battery per year so perhaps being overcharged take it to an independent electrician to check charging rate.

Some Cruze Trivia

[lopburi3]

The OP is averaging 1 battery per year so perhaps being overcharged take it to an independent electrician to check charging rate.

2 battery in over 3 years averages 1 battery per year?

[Pib]

The OP is averaging 1 battery per year so perhaps being overcharged take it to an independent electrician to check charging rate.

2 battery in over 3 years averages 1 battery per year?

Additionally, the chances of overcharging with today's vehicles with computer controlled/interfaced alternators is low. Up to about 10 years ago the alternator and its regulator use to be the only thing involved in charging the battery. But now days most alternators are also connected to a vehicle computer and controls the charging voltage to a tigher range...usually 13.2 to 14.0 volts (give or take a little)...this is also done to increase fuel mileage. The vehicle computer reduces the feedback voltage to alternator to lower the alternator magnetic field which also reduces the charging voltage but also reduces the alternator turning resistance which increases fuel efficiency by just a little...and of course it helps to prevent overcharging. In the older vehicle with no computer alternator interface/control the charging voltage range was usually controlled to within 13.2 to 14.8 volts...and anything over 14.4 for an extended time can overcharge the battery and burn off batter electrolyte water, which for a maintenance free batter can't be replaced...and for a battery where you can add water unless you check the electrolyte level every month or so to add water as needed the plates can become exposed. Exposing the top of the battery internal plates which causes sulflation on the plates which reduces the battery's capacity and reduces its lifespan.

[pieeyed]

Yeah 2 years seems about right. I have been using Delco as the Captiva has a strange top of the battery and a different brand flat top battery does not fit the battery holder properly.

[MYKTHEMIN]

I am amazed at why these batteries last such a short time, I have been here a very long time and all my batteries have lasted at least 6 years, never leave my bonnet up, waste of time, but do very regularly top the water up with proper distilled water and clean the terminals to stop any corrosion, the car/trucks are used daily and never had a short life battery problem.

[Pib]

I am amazed at why these batteries last such a short time, I have been here a very long time and all my batteries have lasted at least 6 years, never leave my bonnet up, waste of time, but do very regularly top the water up with proper distilled water and clean the terminals to stop any corrosion, the car/trucks are used daily and never had a short life battery problem.

Out of curiosity, where do you live in Thailand and what kind of vehicle engine do you have? If in a cooler part of Thailand (like the northern part/higher elevation) part and driving a small petrol engine vehicle your chances of getting long battery life are higher than someone living in a consistently hot part of Thailand and driving a diesel engine. Some of the small car batteries I've seen for small, compact cars while fine to start a small eninge probably wouldn't even crank my SUV diesel engine more than a few seconds.

Also, if you are not doing much city driving (stop & go, low speed driving that causes the engine compartment heat to rise significantly higher than country/highway driving) your chances of longer battery life improve. Plus, some city drivers who just drive there vehicle a short distance every day may not be running the engine long enough to fully recharge the battery from the starting drain---normally an unlikely event but there are some people who drive a vehicle that way...that is, a very short distance everyday...such driving habits increases the rate of battery sulflation.

And if you happen to drive a big vehicle/diesel engine vehicle and still get good battery life (i.e., 3 years or more) that wouldn't surprise me either and some folks have reported some very good battery life in Thailand with their larger diesel engine power vehicle. Cheers.

P.S. Any particular brand of battery you use, such as GS, FB, etc?

[MYKTHEMIN]

I live in Loei, both my vehicles are diesels, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and a Toyota Vigo 4 x 4, they are used all the time and previously a Ford Ranger the battery in that also lasted over 6 years, all GS batteries, the Toyota has a Panasonic and the truck is only 2 years old so cannot comment on the Panasonic brand yet, my advise is forget the maintenance free types and top up the regular batteries regularly, my battery shop does not recommend the maintenance free ones in this country.

[lopburi3]

And for anyone not aware Loei is architectural in a rural mountain area and normally the coldest spot in Thailand.

[MYKTHEMIN]

Ha Ha it is over 40 now???????

[lopburi3]

Yes but that is high noon a few days a year - in January you often have ice on the vines and in evening it cools down, unlike Bangkok and other cities. Have relatives in Tha Li.

https://www.wunderground.com/q/zmw:00000.1.48353

Loei, Thailand

Elev 254 m 17.45 °N, 101.73 °E | Updated 35 min ago

Haze

38 °C

Feels Like 41 °C

N4

Wind Variable

Today is forecast to be NEARLY THE SAME temperature as yesterday.

Today

High 39 | Low 24 °C

Yesterday

High 41 | Low 24 °C

[Pib]

I live in Loei, both my vehicles are diesels, Mitsubishi Pajero Sport and a Toyota Vigo 4 x 4, they are used all the time and previously a Ford Ranger the battery in that also lasted over 6 years, all GS batteries, the Toyota has a Panasonic and the truck is only 2 years old so cannot comment on the Panasonic brand yet, my advise is forget the maintenance free types and top up the regular batteries regularly, my battery shop does not recommend the maintenance free ones in this country.

Thanks for that feedback.

Not counting my current GS mx free battery (first time I've had a GS battery), I've had two mx free and two non-mx free batteries in my Toyota Fortuner. First two were non-mx free batteries...one came original with the new vehicle...second one I bought at the Toyota Dealership....I think both of these batteries were manufactured by FB for Toyota....the average lifespan of these two batteries was 16 months and I kept them clean and topped up with water. Then I shifted to mx free batteries...Boliden mx free batteries...these two batteries lasted an average of 18 months. Not much of a difference between the two types of batteries.

Right now, since Jun 15 I'm on a GS mx free battery so it's 10 months old....time will tell how long it lasts, but as mentioned earlier I've added heat shielding, an anti-suflation device, and about twice a year do an equalization charge so we'll have to wait and see if that helps. And as mentioned before my charging system is working just fine based on Toyota Dealership, battery shops, and most importantly my own testing which included charge voltage monitoring while driving.

I see the Loei climate on a year-round basis is a little cooler in the summer and winter than the majority of Thailand so I expect that has probably helped with your long battery life by a year or maybe more. I say that based on continental vehicle battery stats where vehicle batteries in the northern half of the Continental U.S. last about a year longer than batteries in the southern half due higher average year round temperature. Just a few degrees in ambient and engine compartment temps can make a very significantly difference in battery lifespan.

I'm jealous of your battery lifespan...keeping my fingers crossed my current GS batteries outlives all my other batteries....I would be absolutely thrilled to get 3 years out of the battery....time will tell.