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Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 154
CEG\'er
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CEG\'er
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 154 |
I've had my 95 Mystique V6 for just over 9 years, and my *FOURTH* battery is kaput. The factory one barely made it two years. Perhaps I have a slow drain that I've never found - a good battery would discharge after 8-10 days [which of course the dealers say is 'normal' ?!] - but I'm wondering if others share my short battery-life experience. Our cars seem to be plagued by electrical gremlins. Maybe I've got a bad harness - but I've given up, I just need to get through the winter and then I'm done with this car. I'm not a normal owner in that my battery doesn't cycle regularly - my car goes unused for weeks at a time while I'm out of town on business, but I always disconnect the battery if the car is going to be sitting for any longer than a week. I also mostly use the car just to get back and forth to work - all of 1.1 miles. (yeah, I know, I should walk...) Almost as frustrating is trying to find the correct replacement battery, in Vermont, on a weekend  is it just me? -Peter
04 Mazda 6s V6 MTX, in service 10/28/03 
02 Subaru Impreza Outback Sport 165HP 4cyl auto AWD
former: 95 Mystique LS V6 MTX [11/14/94-5/19/04]
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 851
Veteran CEG\'er
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I'm not so sure that a 1.1 mile drive is sufficient to fully charge the battery.
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,228
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Aug 2002
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Why don't you put in a trickle charger ... Battery Charger Something like that will greatly increase the life of the battery especially with the type of usage you have.
My name is Richard. I was a Contouraholic.
NOW: '02 Mazda B3000 Dual Sport, Black
BEFORE: '99 Contour SE Sport
Duratec ATX Spruce Green
PIAA 510's, Foglight MOD, K&N Drop-in
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 770
Veteran CEG\'er
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Posts: 770 |
Heat destroys the batteries here. At first, they would last about 12-14 months. When I switched to Interstate, they last over 2 years. When I lived in PA, I used to get about 3 years out of a battery; 4 if it was a real good one. 95s need the new harness recall done otherwise you will be plagued with gremlins. I went through 2 of them. Don't leave the dealer until EVERYTHING WORKS. They don't care. I took both my cars back days after the work. Left both of them there the first time with major problems. Left them a page full of fixes. They even blew up the ABS unit on mine. All my ABS stuff is new because they didn't know what they did wrong so they replaced it. I went to 2 different Ford dealers, neither one was any better.
The battery should hold a charge for a few weeks even when is it below freezing outside. Look for dumb things first like trunk lamp staying on, etc.
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,247
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
Joined: Oct 2002
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Well my Dad has a 99 Super Duty and he still has the original battery and it'll be 5 yrs in February. Here's my theory on bateries. If you dont run it down at a it'll last a long time. If you do run it down more than once it's not going to last too long maybe 1-2 yrs. I didnt know heat kills batteries why is that??
Irfan Rahim
irfman2000@yahoo.com
2006 Blue Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
Former owner of a silver 2000 Contour SE Sport ATX
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Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 1,247
Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Hey Richard, I have a question, if you disconnect your battery when storing a car for a long period of time, would the battery last long?? The reason why I asked that question is becuase my Dad told me that putting a trickle charger on it will make it last longer becuase it's gotta have a little energy in the battery (1.5 amps).
Irfan Rahim
irfman2000@yahoo.com
2006 Blue Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
Former owner of a silver 2000 Contour SE Sport ATX
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Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 851
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One reason is that heat increases the rate of water loss in a battery. Most people never bother to add water to their battery, and the battery dies when it looses too much water.
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Joined: Nov 2002
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Car batteries self discharge at a rate proportional to temperature. I've read that batteries not being used should be charged up every few months because of that.
The 1.5A charger, if it's the one with a green and a red light, won't overcharge your battery so it's OK to leave it connected all the time.
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Joined: Aug 2002
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Hard-core CEG\'er
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Originally posted by brianl703:
Car batteries self discharge at a rate proportional to temperature. I've read that batteries not being used should be charged up every few months because of that.
The 1.5A charger, if it's the one with a green and a red light, won't overcharge your battery so it's OK to leave it connected all the time.
All batteries self discharge over time. Like brian said.
A good trickle charger will keep the battery fully charged, but not overcharged. In addition, a trickle charger will reverse some if not all sulfation, which is were the lead on the plates inside the battery combine with the sulfer in the battery acid and forms lead sulfate. Lead sulfate kills the battery over time. A dead battery will form sulfation sitting there. So keeping the battery charged prevent formation and actually cuases the sulfate to soften and redissolve.
Get a high quality trickle charger (don't go for the cheapest) and your batteries will last longer. I used one on my motorcycle battery because I got tired of replacing it every year. The winter storage just killed it.
My name is Richard. I was a Contouraholic.
NOW: '02 Mazda B3000 Dual Sport, Black
BEFORE: '99 Contour SE Sport
Duratec ATX Spruce Green
PIAA 510's, Foglight MOD, K&N Drop-in
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Joined: May 2002
Posts: 21,653
I have no life
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I have no life
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 21,653 |
Originally posted by Contouraholic:
I used one on my motorcycle battery because I got tired of replacing it every year. The winter storage just killed it.
Then ride it during the winter. 
98.5 SVT
91 Escort GT (almost sold)
96 ATX Zetec (i brake to watch you swerve)
FS: SVT rear sway bar
WTB: Very cheap beater
CEG Dragon Run - October 13-15
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