Hi! I have a 2007 LS, 2.2 liter engine, with 33,000 miles on it. I am not having any problems with the battery. But, because my car is now 4 years old, and I live in New York, I took the car to several places to have the battery tested as a preventative measure. Each place told me that the battery needed to be charged or replaced because it only registered 220 cold cranking amps. (The battery is rated at 600 cold cranking amps.) So, even though it is a "maintenance free" battery, I checked the water level, saw that it was low, added water and drove the car for a week and then took it back to two different places to have it tested. Same story, 220 cold cranking amps, needs to be charged or replaced. What do you think I should do?

 

While it may be true that the battery only has 220 amps and may need charged or replaced, realize that anywhere doing free battery checks really wants to sell you a battery...... (especially the parts houses, Auto Zone, Advance, etc. with the big sign in the window for "Free battery check..... come in now, big sale on batteries!")

The fact that several places are coming up with the same level of amperage probably means there is a new battery in your future. If the readings were all over the map I would be more suspicious that they were just wanting that sale......

Besides the 4 year old deal, it's spring time, batteries typically fail in the fall or in the spring. Something to do with the weather changes causes older batteries to give it up.

 

Do you usually drive short trips in the city? If that's the case, the battery might not have enough time to charge from the alternator. A lot of times a nice longer drive on the expressway will do the trick. Otherwise you could get a trickle charger and hook that up overnight.

My battery is 5 years old, and it wasn't holding the charge very long over the winter during storage...so I wouldn't be surprised if it goes soon.

 

The dealership replaced my battery after 2 years and 2 months under warranty

 

As someone that worked for Advance, I'll have to disagree to a point here. Usually when someone comes in asking for a battery test, it's cause it was either dead when they got in, or barely cranking. So odds are, they indeed needed a battery. And they usually already knew it.

But if the test showed good, I never told them it was bad.

 

Good!

Are all parts houses and workers as reputable as you are though?

 

I can honestly say I've never had someone try and push something on me I didn't actually need. All vendors try to upsell, but a "no thanks" is usually all I've ever had to say.

 

Dealers on the other hand.....

 

They are only reliable as the person running it? Seriously? Seriously? is this a trick question? Site clown mafia was here

 

i say just take the whole car and wrap it around a tree. Just jump out before it hits the tree. Problem solved. Car is garbage either way!! Yes im not a fan of my car