Battery replacement

[Rossum Possum]

For those DIYers...I know join the club of those who have replaced the old flooded cell battery.  I also believe the engineers at GM to be sadistic.  I’ve never had to remove so much crap just to be able to remove a battery, for Fox Creek...On the bright side, I did spring for an AGM, and it is smaller in size    

[2018GMC]

I’m not excited to replace mine when the time comes.

I will prob go for a Walmart / sams AGM. Maybe north star if I feel like spending that much.

Has optima improved since the mid 2000’s? I know when they moved production out of the USA people complained the batteries weren’t as good and didn’t last as long.

What model and brand of replacement battery did you install?

Any odd behavior with dying battery or it just wouldn’t start?

[rav3]

1 hour ago, Rossum Possum said:

For those DIYers...I know join the club of those who have replaced the old flooded cell battery.  I also believe the engineers at GM to be sadistic.  I’ve never had to remove so much crap just to be able to remove a battery, for Fox Creek...On the bright side, I did spring for an AGM, and it is smaller in size    

I'm just curious, how old was the OE battery. Should be a number stamped on one of the termnails to tell you the date. I see you have a '14 so will assume it was about 5 years old.

[KARNUT]

It really doesn’t matter, generally. It’s the best guess. My wife’s car the battery in the truck. At 4 years old I started asking, how long. They couldn’t say. Lucky it was in the garage when it failed at just over 4 years. The second one is 6 years old same kind. I’m going to change it just before winter. Like most things auto, best guess.


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[Rossum Possum]

52 minutes ago, rav3 said:

I'm just curious, how old was the OE battery. Should be a number stamped on one of the termnails to tell you the date. I see you have a '14 so will assume it was about 5 years old.

In Florida, because of the intense heat, I’ll usually get right around 2 years, and when the battery decides to go, there is usually no warning.  You’ll just walk outside to leave, and nothing.

[Colossus]

If your truck sits for longer than 3-4 days at your place, I would recommend getting a battery tender, it will help extend the life of the battery. 

[15 Z71]

I replaced mine in my 15 at a little over 4 years. My wife's acaida oem battery last almost 10 years. What a difference.

[BigBlue2014]

I replaced the original battery in my 2014 a few months ago with a DieHard AGM battery. The original battery was almost 6 years old.

[rav3]

14 minutes ago, BigBlue2014 said:

I replaced the original battery in my 2014 a few months ago with a DieHard AGM battery. The original battery was almost 6 years old.

what battery size/group do these trucks take? When I use Advanced Auto 'look up' it showed a H7 or a H6. Which did you install? Looks like Advance is selling "DieHard". Is this the old Sears battery or did they just buy the name?

 

[BigBlue2014]

35 minutes ago, rav3 said:

what battery size/group do these trucks take? When I use Advanced Auto 'look up' it showed a H7 or a H6. Which did you install? Looks like Advance is selling "DieHard". Is this the old Sears battery or did they just buy the name?

 

I installed the H7 which I purchased from Advanced Auto Parts. The installation took me about a half hour from start to finish.

[rav3]

1 hour ago, BigBlue2014 said:

I installed the H7 which I purchased from Advanced Auto Parts. The installation took me about a half hour from start to finish.

Thanks BigBlue....bet it was a task to lift that 51.8# battery up & over the fender & then put it in place.

[BigBlue2014]

Thanks BigBlue....bet it was a task to lift that 51.8# battery up & over the fender & then put it in place.

It wasn’t too big of a deal. I did everything while standing on an aluminum work bench since I’m short and can’t reach anything to begin with...


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[rav3]

1 hour ago, BigBlue2014 said:

It wasn’t too big of a deal. I did everything while standing on an aluminum work bench since I’m short and can’t reach anything to begin with...


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I know the feeling. I'm 5'11" & can't reach the dip stick on my 5.3l. They put it so far back, I guess they don't want you to check the oil.

[BigBlue2014]

15 hours ago, rav3 said:

I know the feeling. I'm 5'11" & can't reach the dip stick on my 5.3l. They put it so far back, I guess they don't want you to check the oil.

Now imagine all of that while being 5'5" instead...

[RichardG]

Still have my 2018's original battery. I have a battery tester and tested it a few months ago and checked out. It lived in Texas heat for a few years now it's in TN. My wife's Malibu is a 2016 (new body) premier with the 2.0. I think it's just standard flooded batteries which have been in there but we have gone through 3 batteries - all replaced by the dealer under warranty. The latest has been in about 1 year. We will see on that; I'll probably put a agm in both when the time comes. Yes it seems gone are the days when replacing a battery was very simple and easy.

 

As for height, I'm 6' 0" and yeah it's problematic but this isn't the only vehicle. To get to the back of some of these vehicles I have been known to basically be in the engine bay on all fours. My wife wonders why I love my 2005 Silverado; don't get me wrong my 2018 is nice but in other ways. On my 2005 I can reach into the bed super easily, reach around the engine bay fairly easily as well (save fore the sensors on the back of the engine), manual windows/locks/seats, manual rear sliding window (it's fine because its a single cab), non carpet floor (WT), easy to upgrade with factory options, etc. I don't even lock the thing.