My truck was made September 2003 and it sat for a year unused at the dealer before I bought it. It has done fine. I still have the original battery in my 01 Escape that was made in September 2000. It has been fine for over the last 100,000+.

Batteries will last longer if the vehicle is run frequently and miles doesn't matter. The lack of use where the battery doesn't get fully recharged and the slow discharge from sitting is what hurts a battery.

 

After reading all these posts about dead batterys, got me wondering if mine is dead or not. The truck has not been driven in about 3 weeks and temps have been around 20 for highs and 0 for lows.

 

For all those that leave there trucks sit for periods of time-maybe look into a battery tender to keep the battery topped off and freshley charged. Only cost about $20-$40 depending on which one you get. Plug it in and leave it sit, uplug it when you start it and away you go. I have one on my E150 that sits for a couple weeks at a time and it fires up every time, same with M/C, plug it in over winter and she fires right up in the spring. Little bugers are worth the money.

 

Good idea, for some reason I never thought of that. My 04 is going to be going into my parents garage in about 3 weeks, since they are leaving for florida of 3 months. Then my work truck/daily driver will be in my garage. And it just happens that dad has all the batterys from the boats, lawn mowers, classic cars, ect on a battery tender right in front of where my truck will be parked.

 

My '07 had the battery replaced at 4500 miles. I noticed that my Edge would not completely turn on at times, and during deer hunting I was playing my radio for about 20 minutes and the truck barely started.
The factory 540 CCA is not enough, dealer tested it at 460 CCA, after another test they alowed me to pay $25 for a 850 CCA for a warranty upgrade. Truck never turned over so fast even in 5 degree weather.

 

Just replaced my battery at 75000 miles. It too went without warning. Went to the grocery store and everything was fine when i returned the battery was dead on arrival.

 

I put jumper cables behind the seat.
Why?
OEM battery 8 years, 9 months and counting.

I'm going for the record.

 

<---Replaced with optima soon after buying truck.

 

The factory battery in my 04 went out at 7,000 miles, 20,000 miles, and again at 32,000 miles, then again at 39,000. But, of course even though the battery was only 3 months old the truck's warranty had run out and it wasn't covered. So I just keep it charged up with a trickle charger and be careful not to let it sit too long till I can get an optima.

 

still have mine

 

78k and on my second battery. will be getting a yellowtop shortly.

 

We took the truck to town yesterday, and it started without a problem. You wouldn't have thought that it had been sitting in cold weather for as long as it had by how easily it cranked over. It looks like I was lucky enough to get one of the better factory batterys.

 

for all you guys gettin the yellow tops, which model? d34 d51? and whats the difference between that and the red top? is the yellow top the best? tia

 

My 05 has been sitting the last three weeks. It was so dead I had to unlock it with the key and when I put the jumper cables on it I had to wait a few minutes before it would start.

Bought it Jan. 28 2006 and I'm at 32K right now. It looks like it may be going bad. I gotta get it tested.

Are batteries covered under warranty? I always thought they were like brake pads and were not.

 

Well mines officially DEAD! After jumping it Friday morning I used the truck all weekend and had no problems. Well it sat from Sunday evening until last night, I went out to haul some things over to my uncles house and when I started it I noticed it drug. Drove to his house and back, killed it, let it set about 5 minutes and then needed to run over to my parents for a minute, jumped in and click click click!!! Guess I'll be going to buy a new battery tonight when I get in from work.