Last night I spent some time (half hour to 45 minutes sitting in my car with my girlfriend. Engine turned off, but radio on. For the last 15 minutes or so, I turned the fan and AC/defogger on (our talking ;-) fogged up the windows). Then the battery died. Is it unreasonable to expect accessories to last on battery for that long? Or do I just have an old battery? The car has 77,000 miles, and I assume it's still the stock battery? I just got the car not too long ago. When should I get a new battery? Is there any other routine maintenance coming up? Anyway, it was a weird feeling, a Maxima not starting. Thanks.

 

I bought a 98 SE a couple of months ago that only had 23,000 kms (14,375 miles) on it. After having it for a little less than two months, I could not start it one Saturday. I had not driven the car for almost one week and recalled that the last time I had started it, it had cranked over slowly. I took it in to a shop (Nissan dealer had closed already) who tested the battery and found that it was no longer able to hold a charge.

This seemed really early for a battery to die. The fact that I live in the city and commute via subway during the week, often driving the car only on the weekend could have quickened the death of the battery; sitting for long peiods of time without being started and therefore not having the battery recharged. (from the mileage,I assume that the cars previous owner drove it even less) So 77,000 miles out of an original battery seems OK to me.

Has anyone else had a problem with battery life? -

 

I had to replace my battery just 2 months after I bought it. I haven't had any problems since, (6 mo. later). Maybe the dealers keep batteries in their cars with just enough juice for a few test drives. Who knows?

 

I've had my battery since i purchased the car in 94' now the car has 120K miles on it, and the battery is running fine.

 

There is trouble afoot at the 'Circle K'.

 

these are just a few samples
Driving enough for the alternator to recharge the battery...water level of the battery...ambient temprature...draining the battery when it is not a deep cell cycle battery and many more. Batteries die all the time...but with some care they can last a long time.

 

Mine just died for the 1st time after 50 months. Water levels nearly bone dry (last checked about 6 months ago).

Gotta maintain the sh&* as it gets older!

 

Just a personal rule of thumb for me is to replace a battery after 3 years. I have been left stranded a few times with batteries older than this, so it is just cheap insurance to change it regularly.

 

My Dad's battery in his 97 died about 2 months ago. The car has about 45k on it and it was the original battery. You could easily tell the battery was dying because it would turn over very slowly. He was going to drive straight to the battery one day after work and it couldn't start the car. He had to get jumped. He got every ounce he could out of that thing.

 

I was just wondering--what the heck do those battery warranties do for you if your battery dies after 3 years? and say for example--in my car, I have the AC Delco battery and it says a 5yr warranty...can i actually take it back and get a new one?
anyone know how these warranties work?