Sport Trac battery timeframe

[OLE442]

I was left a car when my mother passed away. Since it gets much better gas mileage, I drive it most of the time and my Sport Trac sits a lot. I am curious how often should I start the ST to keep the battery charged. I had an issue with it a couple months ago and it tested OK, now I am having problems with it and I have let it run 15-20 min utes every couple weeks. The battery is a Sears DieHard Platinum

 

[Jackson Ellis]

For $29, get a Battery Tender Jr. and keep it plugged in between drives. You still need to run the Trac for other reasons, but you can rest assured the battery will get all the attention it needs.

 

[Richard L]

ncstatewolfpacker is correct. You should get a trickle charger for your battery and BatteryTender is one of the best. However, if your battery is getting old, 3-6 years old, a trickle charger is just "Life Support" for your battery and will not really help a bad battery..



Since the mid-1990's the EPA has required battery makers to reduce the amount of lead in batteries, and that has shortened their useful life. It's not uncommon for a battery to start showing signs of early failure in as little as 2-3 years.



I have had two batteries in two different new vehicles die on me in less than 3 years....One was my 2003 Sport Trac. It had been acting up several months earlier but Ford claimed the battery was good even though the indicator light on the battery went from green to yellow? When it died the last time, I jump started the truck and took it back to the Dealer. They said the battery was bad and they replaced it under the warranty :grin:



The best part was that I only had 11 miles left on the warranty when I got it to the dealer..:banana::supercool::grin:



...Rich

 

[Brett H]

Make sure you choose a charger that says it will charge the battery up to full and then switch to maintaining a full charge. I am amazed how well batteries last with these devices. I have had good luck with both the Battery Tender and Schumacher brands.

 

[Todd Z]

I let my 03 sit for weeks on end..... after 7 days its dead..... I now use a tender and been perfect for over a year now.



Todd Z

 

[OLE442]

I thought the ST had some type of circuitry that shut down if it was in a discharge mode or something like that. Am I mistaken?

 

[Richard L]

07 Sport trac,

I have never found that "Shut Off" circuit ever worked. If you want to test it, just leave your lights on overnight and in the morning your battery will be dead, or at least too weak to start your engine. I have never found a Ford tech who could explain why that "Shut Off" feature never works? It may work under some very unusual circumstances but not in real life scenarios, when you need it to work....like accidentally leaving your lights on.



...Rich

 

[Johnny O]

Lately 3 years or so is the most I get out of them in any of my cars. Got a new battery in the Trac in November. The old one was 3.5 years old and still on partial warranty so I only had to pay half. New battery in my son's car last week, again the old one was 3 years old.

 

[Phill R]

I'm on only the second battery in mine. Recently went away on a 10 day vacation which included a blizzard, cold spell and an ice storm the day I got back. No issue starting. The original Motorcraft battery lasted 8 years, this one's a Diehard.

The shut off circuit mentioned only turns off interior lights when left on for 5 minutes when the engine is off.

The most important things for battery life is the charging voltage of the alternator (14.4v) and that the battery does not like big discharges.

 

[Yardsale]

The shut off circuit mentioned only turns off interior lights when left on for 5 minutes when the engine is off.

Mine shuts off just after the plastic bulb holder melts.

 

[OLE442]

Well, I pulled it out of the ST the other day and took it back to Sears. Walked in, set the battery on the counter, told the lady this was the second time I carried it in in two months and told her I hoped to not have to do that a third time. She said they'd have to check it after recharging so I left it and my number. I called back after a few hours and she said that it had to restart the testing and she needed to go look at it. She said it failed the test. I went out to the store and picked up a new one in warranty with no charge.

 

[Anthony Jones]

My experience over the years with batteries, especially with newer electronics is that when stuff starts acting wacky for no reason, get the battery replaced. You can test it to verify that something is wrong...and there always will be



I fought my steering wheel radio controls for months until I had a battery replaced. Turns out two of the 8 cell had shorted together. Battery was the 3 y.o. OEM original.

 

[OLE442]

Yea, I had a 1998 Grand Prix GT (one of the best cars I ever owned) and I was driving to work one day when the transmission started shifting weird and the radio started acting up and some other odd things. I was close to work and parked it but later when I went to leave and the car wouldn't turn over, the battery was dead. I pulled it out and picked up another and all was well with the new battery. None of the previous problems. I guess it was time for that battery to give up the ghost and be replaced. They can really affect the electronics of the new cars.

 

[blksn8k]

I have solved most of my battery issues by switching to AGM batteries. They might cost more initially but their lifespan is much longer and the peace of mind is worth the price, IMO.

All of my vehicles have Optima batteries with the exception of the Yamaha ATV which has an Odyssey. The oldest is the red top in my '99 Cobra. I can't say exactly when I bought that battery but it has to be at least eleven years old. That car sits most of the time in an unheated garage so I do keep a trickle charger on it. The yellow top in the Sport Trac was originally purchased for my '75 Bronco which I bought it 2005. I moved it to the ST when the original Motorcraft died in 2010. The yellow top in '68 Cougar is only about four years old.

 

[EddieS'04]

My OE motorcraft 3yrs. First AZ gold 2yrs. Free replacment 3yrs 4months.

Switched to Advance gold. Had a $40 coupon for it . Almost 3yrs now.

X-wifes AZ gold had a free replacment @ 19months.

I think the AZ gold lost the qaulity. Strange the Az gold in my 'stang lasted 8yrs. The new owner had to buy one...Not sure what he bought, he totaled the 'stang

 

[Gavin Allan]

Original battery in my 2004 John Deere GX-255 garden tractor still fires it up, even in zero degree temps! I am holding out for a Ripley's Believe it or Not prize!