We are headed out of town this weekend and was loading the truck up today and i started it and noticed that the battery voltage on my edge was reading 13.4 to 13.9 volts. It always is between 14.1 to 14.5 volts. Does this mean the battery is about to take a crap? I live about 20 miles from the city and dont have time to run it to autozone tonite to get them to check it. Im hoping yall can help me. Is 13.4 to 13.9 still acceptable or will i be pushing my luck? Thanks guys by the way its still the original MC battery from 03 and the truck has 110,000 miles on it

 

i notice that on my gryphon all the time...85% of the time it reads 14.1v..15% it will read 13.4 sometimes as low as 12.9... if im no mistaken i think it depends on the temperature and humidity...but thats my guess

 

thanks for the quick reply, ive had my edge now about 10 months or so and i had never seen it go below 14.1 volts. Temps ranging from the 20's to the 100's and never went below 14.1. One thing i forgot to mention is the last month or so when i start the truck all of my guages peg out like the tac goes to 6 grand oil pressure and temp gauges all peg out to high then after about 10 seconds at the most everything will go back to normal.

 

I'd replace it after 5 years. Seems like after that they could go bad at any time. I read 14 or 14.6 while running.

 

You have either a connection issue (most likely) a bad battery or a bad alternator. Start with the connections. Clean the battery terminals. Check the connections on the relay alternator and the starter. The starter wire corrode so check for that. if that dont fix it have the battery tested and then the alternator.

 

If your gauges are sweeping, that's a bad sign and good indication you'll be needing one soon. But! That could also be a bad connection. And sometimes a battery can go 8 years, I just use the 5 year rule. Give my old one away if it's still good.

EDIT: Jethat beat me to it

 

thanks guys i just checked all the connections and everything seems to be good. The battery terminals look VERY clean. Im going to go get it checked tomorrow before we leave, i just dont want to be 250 miles away from home and the thing take a crap. Guess after 8 years i cant grip can I ? thanks for all the quick replys and suggestions/

 

I've been using Walmart batteries, -no problems with those so far. From what I hear, Motorcraft isn't that great anymore as far as batteries. If your in the market, I would search some threads in this forum or start one of your own. I think there was a manufacturer change with the Motorcrafts ? Iduno exactly,- somethings up with them tho.

 

i was thinking about the walmart battery or exide. Ive had good look with both of them in previous vehicles.

 

Interstate use to be good as well. I'm on my second Walmart battery in the truck (the 98). My first one is still being used by someone else. I replaced that two winters ago just because it was close to 5 years old. So Walmart batteries are the only ones I can vouch for.

 

I read 14.1-14.5 myself but usually 14.2 average. Mine crapped on me at campus at 11pm... thank god the mrs was there Coy, the tuners take up more juice on start-up and I think the trucks require like 12v or so (I feel like I read that on here?) Go with your cut and replace that bad boy. Mine lasted 6 years.

 

you did not mention if the truck was running, if you had the doors open for an extended time and not running, you drained the battery.

heavy charging will show a lower voltage for a short time, the longer it takes to charge up the weaker the battery - replace it!!!!!

 

On my old GMC the battery did not just crap out, the whole negative cable corroded. I bought it but my mechanic installed it after I saw how long it was. He said it was a pain and took him an hour.

 

I would definitely have the battery load tested before you go because it sounds like it is ready to go belly up if the connections are tight and clean. With an '03 you likely lucked out and got a battery made by GNB, Ford used them for a loooong time until they sold out to Excide. (sometime in '03) They are not made by Excide now, they're made by Johnson Controls. Generally speaking, they are crap. I also wouldn't buy Excide. I worked for a large Govt. Trans. Dept doing Code3 outfitting and we used Excide for a while. Absolutely nothing but problems with them. so many companies that used to make a good product now make crap in it's place. The bean counters call ALL the shots, and it's all about the BUCK! Hard to say where you can buy a good battery these days. The largest share of them are made by Johnson Controls, and I am using 4 of them right now and NONE of them have tested very good from the day they were purchased.

 

Who makes Walmarts batteries, anyone know?