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I know a handful of people have had huge headaches with the crappy 151R batteries that come with our cars, especially since it has such a small CCA, and reserve. A few people have tried putting a 51R battery in as a replacement but haven't had any real luck with it because the extra 2" width basically makes it impossible to put the positive terminal on, with the stock air intake. But after reading through the old threads again, I went out to buy a few top-to-side and side-to-top post adapters, a 51R battery, and now I have more juice.
Now it actually feels pretty sturdy, though it might not look it, and I made sure to tighten it pretty good. I've only driven around with it for the day (installed it earlier today), but I plan on keeping my eye on it for the next week or so to see if there are any problems. Thoughts/opinions on this? I really like the fact that I now have a lot more juice in my car, because the stock battery (been through 3 already), runs out too quickly, and I think it's partially because of my compustar alarm system. I know some people went with the Braille 3121 battery too, but I've read that once the Braille's get to zero juice, they're dead and can't be recharged, so that was a big turn off for me (in addition to the premium price).
Even after a year I have noticed the battery is working harder to crank. It's a shame we would have to resort to migrating the terminals as it doesn't look appealing at all. Heard good things about Braille though from my Subie days.
Just because I don't feel like searching, what kinds of problems are people having with their batteries? I bought my Fit new 2 1/2 years ago and don't have any kind of problems with it. Starts as easily as the day I bought it.
The average life for a lead acid battery is about 1.5 years. Also I think there may have been a QC issue with Honda's battery supplier back in 2009. I don't think battery issues reported here are any worse than the norm for any car.
On other cars, I replace the batteries at about 2 years to avoid issues. Honda's 36k mile/3yr warranty covers complete replacement of the battery, so it's not worth replacing as a "planned maintenance" item before it's 3 years old.
The average life for a lead acid battery is about 1.5 years.
As the owner of 7 cars, one of which is a Lead Acid powered electric car, i have to say that is ridiculous. Even the cheapest SLI batteries have 3 year warranties. I have never had a Pb battery last less than 5 years. The Trojans in my standby system are 15+ years old, and when i got them, they were flat dead (under 1 volt) and nearly frozen. No battery can take abuse like a flooded lead acid.
As the owner of 7 cars, one of which is a Lead Acid powered electric car, i have to say that is ridiculous. Even the cheapest SLI batteries have 3 year warranties. I have never had a Pb battery last less than 5 years. The Trojans in my standby system are 15+ years old, and when i got them, they were flat dead (under 1 volt) and nearly frozen. No battery can take abuse like a flooded lead acid.
mmmm I may have exaggerated a bit*. But the battery warranties are clever marketing. If you read the fine print on aftermarket battery warranties, the warranty is not transferable. Most owners sell their cars 2-3 years after purchasing new. If you're buying a replacement battery, chances are the car is already 1.5-2 years old. The odds of a warranty claim before you sell the car are very very low. If you keep it longer than average, the pro-rated adjustment limits their warranty claims. They can't lose!
The high priced batteries are really charging you for the warranty. The battery technology is the same (I'm not talking about gel-type; although they have very short warranties). Oh sure they may pack a few more plates in there but that actually serves to lessen battery life due to increased heat and the likelihood of shorts.
You're better off buying a cheap replacement battery with the same specs as OEM and not paying for clever marketing.
Average life is maybe 2 years.
*confessions of a former Sears Die-Hard salesman.
P.S. you should buy new trojans every 6 months; they have a limited shelf life. Standby system? What's that? Are you talking about a wheeled shop battery-rack? That's not exactly subjected to severe use. Automobile batteries are subjected to shock and temperature extremes every day of their lives. The lead paste eventually crumbles off and collects in the bottom. The plates are raised enough to avoid shorting, for a while.
These are the batteries in my solar array. They are float charged usually, but when they do see use, it is more than most car batteries can put out for a second, and they do it all day and night. One time, they did it for 72hrs (Snowmageddon in PA) Try pulling 80 amps from a car battery for more than 10 min. Call me from the hospital when the case ruptures.
Also, Look into Deka batteries. They sure ain't your normal car battery. Same with Optima. Not all batteries are created equal.
The batteries in my EV push 300 amps nominal, and peak near 1000. Made by Johnson Controls. I wouldn't attempt that from a cheapo.
mmmm I may have exaggerated a bit*. But the battery warranties are clever marketing. If you read the fine print on aftermarket battery warranties, the warranty is not transferable. Most owners sell their cars 2-3 years after purchasing new. If you're buying a replacement battery, chances are the car is already 1.5-2 years old. The odds of a warranty claim before you sell the car are very very low. If you keep it longer than average, the pro-rated adjustment limits their warranty claims. They can't lose!
The high priced batteries are really charging you for the warranty. The battery technology is the same (I'm not talking about gel-type; although they have very short warranties). Oh sure they may pack a few more plates in there but that actually serves to lessen battery life due to increased heat and the likelihood of shorts.
You're better off buying a cheap replacement battery with the same specs as OEM and not paying for clever marketing.
Average life is maybe 2 years.
*confessions of a former Sears Die-Hard salesman.
Firestone used to offer a lifetime full replacement warranty battery. Mom collected big time from them because she didnt drive her Buick often enough and kept the car a very long time. Yes, the warranty was non-transferable.
The Group 24F Exide that came new with my Tundra has a mfg date of 05/2005 and it is still going strong, even with the vibration of off roading and operating in both desert heat and mountain cold. The Fit is almost two years old and I would be disappointed if the battery died this winter. I dont expect that to happen.
What I find kills lead-acid batteries for me is not keeping them sufficiently charged. I had a BMW and a Dodge that both killed batteries at about the two year time frame. Both vehicles suffered from irregular use and small current drains. Alarm systems will constantly draw current and if you dont drive it at least once a week, that alone can greatly shorten battery life. Overcharging does not seem to do damage as long as you add water. I had a Ford with an electronic, non adjustable, voltage regulator set too high.
I absolutely agree that you are mostly paying for the warranty when you find different prices for the same size at Sears, PepBoys, etc. What I go for is not Cranking Amps, as that is a bogus spec. No one lists Amp-Hours anymore, the industry standard measure. Even reserve capacity spec is missing from some replacement batteries now. Many are short on reserve capacity compared to OE.
The problem I have with the Battery in my 09 is any inactivity in the cold weather results in a dead battery . My Fit has 16k on it and if it sets in the cold out side for a week or so get out the jumper cables. The OEM battery in this car is junk. Finding some one that makes a better replacement is almost impossible. Optima does not list a Battery for th 09 Fit
As the OP has done, others are using the 51r group size (same as for Civics) in their Fits with some tweaking and mixed results. Optima has a 51r
Your usage sounds like a battery killer. Put a fork in it; it's done. I think any replacement will be short lived unless you put a float charger on it. These cycle the battery to maintain its health. Of course it requires plugging in the car.
I'd bite the bullet and buy another Honda battery before sandwiching in a 51r. Or autozone has a 151r for a few bucks more. Figure on replacing whatever you get every 2 years or so. At least the autozone has a 3 year free replacement warranty (but it does cost almost twice as much as the Honda battery.)
edit edit: your Honda is less than 3 years old and 36K miles. Go get a free replacement under warranty from Honda. It should hold a charge for weeks even in cold weather.
@Miles42, that's exactly the reason I made the 51R battery fit in my car. I was sick of my battery losing charge after only a week sitting out in the cold.
I've actually had my battery replaced 3 times now, 2 times under warranty. The 3rd time they made me pay half the price of the battery because the battery passed all their tests. Weird thing is I haven't added anything that takes any more power since I first got my car, and the thing that draws the most power is my alarm/car starter, but the first winter was fine, absolutely no problems and never had to boost it. I'm just sick of having to deal with the dealership about this...not worth the time and money I would save.
So far, I haven't had any issues with the "modded" 51R battery at all. Starts up great with lots of power every time (I could easily hear when the battery had barely enough juice to start up the car before).
mmmm I may have exaggerated a bit*.
Average life is maybe 2 years.
You are still way way off the mark on this one. Alexcrouse is correct, average life is ~5 years. Even the cheapest Walmart battery you can buy comes with a full 2 year free replacement warranty. Spend another $20 and you get 3 year free replacement. Take care of your battery and it will last even longer than 5 years. Continually discharge it by leaving lights on, no maintenance, etc. and of course it will die much sooner. Same as your Fit would die if you never changed the oil.
The free replacement warranties are cheap for sellers, as most people are replacing their batteries at 2-3 years and not keeping their cars more than 2-3 years. That and the warranties are not transferable. I wouldn't look at those as an indication of battery life.
Even Optima only warranties theirs for 3 years. These are for people who baby their cars (and probably keep them forever).
Lots of people get 5+ years of use, but with degraded performance. Not every battery goes out with a bang, most with whimper over time.
I'll probably wait until after the 3yr/36k warranty runs out on mine (summer 2012) and replace it with another Honda battery to avoid getting stranded. I'm cheap, but the cost of waiting to get a jump is too much, even once.
Average battery life has become shorter as energy requirements have increased. Life span depends on usage; 6 months to 48 months, yet only 30% of all batteries actually reach the 48-month mark.
The stock battery is definitely a disappointment. I accidentally left my *parking* lights on a few weeks ago after parking at my in-laws and came out *3 hours* later to a dead batter. Parking lights! I would understand if I left the headlights on. Fortunately, I have a manual and I bump started it (rather than asking my die-hard GM father-in-law for a jump and here him bitch about my foreign car).
We can only hope a better CCA and high capacity battery that is the size of a 151R will come out soon (I'm not holding my breath).
Here is my solution. It is a #4 ga wire, which might be as big as the one to starter! Now I think I might upgrade the ground cable too. It looks kind of puny.
It is minus 11C or about 12 F here. It will be a challenge this morning.
Like some others my car sits for a period of time. I drove it last Fri. On weekend I moved it to clear drive. It then sat until yesterday. At -9 C it was dead dead. This is 4th time this winter. Get around -10 and no way will it start.
When I was in for oil and filter in Jan they tested system and battery which is one year old and said all was OK. Shit glad I have my '10 Dodge Caravan with original battery as backup. I will this summer get a 51R shoehorned in.
Geez maybe I should just get another Caravan eh? I have to admit the ride was so nice compared to the Fit on Swifts. Nah I still like my Fit other than this no start problem.
I installed a Optima YellowTop 51R battery in my GD Fit not to long ago. I had to remove the battery tray completely, and place a piece of plywood in its place to allow the battery to sit flush. I used the original wiring, but a top post edit:positive terminal clampNegative terminal clamp was all I needed for the wires. I'll try to get a picture up this weekend of what it looks like. Fit starts in half a revolution now 😂
It JUST fits, barely.
(edited for my mistake with the pos/neg terminals)
As the OP has done, others are using the 51r group size (same as for Civics) in their Fits with some tweaking and mixed results. Optima has a 51r
Your usage sounds like a battery killer. Put a fork in it; it's done. I think any replacement will be short lived unless you put a float charger on it. These cycle the battery to maintain its health. Of course it requires plugging in the car.
I'd bite the bullet and buy another Honda battery before sandwiching in a 51r. Or autozone has a 151r for a few bucks more. Figure on replacing whatever you get every 2 years or so. At least the autozone has a 3 year free replacement warranty (but it does cost almost twice as much as the Honda battery.)
edit edit: your Honda is less than 3 years old and 36K miles. Go get a free replacement under warranty from Honda. It should hold a charge for weeks even in cold weather.
first you claim batteries only last 1.5 years, then 2 years. ridiculous.
then you claim just go buy a honda battery? honda does not make auto batteries for one.
two, buying a battery at the honda dealership will be more expensive than buying a battery elsewhere. three, honda dealerships will not give you a free battery if said battery checks out good when load tested.
Here is a picture of the Optima I installed in my GD Fit. It barely fit, but doesn't touch anything. I will likely be relocating my battery to the trunk because I will be going forced induction and may need the extra space.. not sure yet! I managed to use my stock positive clamp, and used an additional negative terminal clamp. I drilled a hole in the OEM negative clamp and bolted that sucker down. I will be upgrading the big three soon, so please don't judge my crappy wiring in these photos, this was for test purposes
11-13-2011, 01:12 AM
