I think there's something wrong with your truck, not the Motorcraft battery in it.

 

Mine... the OP or Both?

 

You could always go with an Odyssey...if you want something better than an Optima. They do cost more though.

 

I'm still on my original Motorcraft battery after 4 years, 8 months and 33k miles (knock on wood)! I drive a short work commute of 3 miles and you would think that would be hard on the battery because it might not get fully charged in that distance. But I haven't had any issues yet.

 

Come on, ANY manufacturer, of ANY product, will have the occasional faulty units, and result in unhappy customers. I am sure there would be more than (2) persons that could be emailed, about their dissatisfaction with the factory battery.

I don't run out and replace my factory batteries, just because I think they are inadequate. Most have served me well, and lasted at least three years, in most of the Ford vehicles I have owned. Plus, speaking of batteries on the cheap, when I replaced my Explorer's battery, after a bit of research, I went with an Everstart from Wal-Mart. Believe it or not, it has been a great battery, and I would say it will probabaly outlast the MC battery. I plan to just get those in the future, based on my experience.

I don't pay the big bucks for Optima batteries, because my needs simply don't justify the extra cost. But I do admit, that in my experience, the yellow tops ARE BETTER BATTERIES, if you have the need.

I say this, because, as a policeman for many years, I have seen the difference. Again, consider that squad cars use a lot more electronic devices, and have more draw when not running (mostly from flashlights and computers charging), than most folks' daily drivers. When running the factory batteries, we jumped them on a regular basis, and it seemed that they were shot in a very short period of time. Once a replacement is needed, the cars get Optima yellow tops, and once those are in, the problems are gone. No more jump starts after sitting a few days, and cold starts are much more powerful. They seem to have a pretty good lifespan, too (once the cars are retired, sometimes the batteries are not!).

I was only speaking of personal experience, concerning factory Ford vs. Optima yellow tops, in vehicles with a significant electrical demand.

FWIW, this morning, it was 4 degrees F, and about 30 MPH winds, and my truck sat outside all night. It started fine with the 2 year old factory battery. It cranked a little slower, but it fired just fine. In another year or two, when it starts slipping in the cold, I will get an Everstart.

I could care less who buys Optima batteries, and have no interest in the company. As stated earlier, I don't buy them, because they cost too much for me to realize an advantage. But, just because you don't have a need, and think they are too pricey, doesn't mean that they are not better than a factory battery. Buy what you want, as most folks don't need more than a wal-mart, autozone, or factory battery. If you are having that many problems, then like Quintin said, it is probably a current draw problem with the truck, not a faulty battery.

 

I agree but, these two people I'm speaking of are local friends. I've NEVER had two friends, or even two people I know, have the same manufacturer of battery fail, in fact, I've never known of any new battery to fail, at least in my circle of car buddies, other than two Optima's in the same year. Flukey I guess, but I won't be dishing out the cash for one anytime soon.

BTW, I'm still on my original OEM battery for my truck. It was very cold last night and it did start a little weaker than normal. I'll keep my eye on it.

 

Yes, that does seem out of line. Maybe a bad lot of redtops, or improper setup (do dealers put the acid in these? I thought they were sealed). Were these bought at the same place?

On the same token, of the many yellow tops that I have seen in use, I have yet to see a faulty one.

 

They were bought from different places, but around the same time, so they could've been from the same lot. I believe they are sealed.

Ugh, I was just out there putting out the garbage with no gloves and a t-shirt under my jacket. It's -16C and with the wind -28. My hands are hurting. I started up the truck because it has been sitting all day and we're heading out for a hockey game in a few minutes. It fired up with no problem. This OEM battery still seems to be going strong.

 

I don't know how you guys stand it. It is the coldest is been so far this winter here. It's 4F here and -20F windchill, right now. My truck in the garage, started fine about 20 minutes ago. I just started the Crown Vic that sat outside all day, and it also cranked fine, but when moving it, the PS fluid must have been pretty thick at this temp, because it felt like it had no pwer steering!