Well, got it exchanged under warranty for 1/2 price at Batteries Plus. Got their 24F Ultimate (?) battery with 650 CCA. Clock is fine now and the starting is much faster!

Interestingly, this is the first battery I ever had (original or replacement) that hasn't lasted at least 6 years!

 

The battery might have lasted 6 years. It was working ok. I bet if you had a load test done, they might have said it was good. The real problem is the sensitive RX clock.

 

After searching for a bit I found this very useful post.

In short I have the same issue of the clock resetting to 1 am, however if I don't change it to the correct time it will keep the incorrect time always and not reset to 1am.

I figured I probably need a battery but it is interesting that if I dont touch the clock after it has reset it will continue to work good but on the wrong time.

On the funny side I contemplated getting up just before 1am and starting the car and see if it will hold the incorrect time after that but in turn would be the correct time after that.

 

I think 1:00 AM is an arbitrary time that the clock resets to and has nothing to do with the actual time it is resetting. So getting up just before 1:00 AM won't prove much.

 

I know, I was just being playful. I wanted to spar a smile to some of you.

You took the comment too seriously I guess.

 

Got me.
There have been many before you that have had the same clock reset issue and I can't remember even one that was anything other than the battery. In theroy there are many possible causes like poor connections (battery or otherwise), charging system, etc. but statistics has it always at the bettery. Your problem does seem a little unique being that after a reset it won't reset again until the time is set. But maybe no one has caught this in the past.

 

Nah, y'all just paying for the war of northern aggression.

Look up Consumer Reports for their ratings on batteries.

 

Well the time would be correct - at least for a while . . . . Comfort yourself with the fact that even a busted clock is right twice a day.

When that wears thin, go buy a battery!

 

That clock really is that sensitive. The thing you can sometimes notice first is that a blue screen (with only the clock in the the upper right corner) will show up and then the A/C control and Radio display pops up. The 1:00 A.M. issue though is the clincher, because once you have that, the battery ain't going to get much better.

My girlfriend has a 99 Ford Expedition and has run to my amazement the same OEM battery, but last week she had issues, had to be jumped in the morning, and then I was going to say let's go get it tested, but then noticed her clock and asked her if she had reset her clock after the jump, she said yes, then realized it likely needed replacement, and the test easily confirmed it.

 

I have same resetting problem. put new battery in twice in 1 year. had all test and everything was good for 5 months. then resetting started. eventually battery went. has to be something other than battery. any ideas

 

This certainly is an old thread .. kudos for doing the search.

The battery is electronic, and it simply resets when the battery voltage drops to say 10v [I am just picking a number .. it can be 8.5v or what ever]. When the starter engages it sucks lot of current and the battery voltage drops down [nothing is ideal]. The amount of the drop in voltage is based on how good the battery is, the condition of the clamps, the resistance of the engine being spun etc etc. If the voltage drops below the threshold for the clock electronics, it resets to 1am.

I hope this helps. Members here in general use as a guide to have the battery tested and if it is 4+ year old, you start looking for a sale on batteries.

Salim

 

this is second new battery in 6 months. alternator, cables, and voltage drop were all tested. no drop, new battery and alternator good. mechanic believes something over time when it sits is draining battery. to get into detail testing he wants me to know it could run into hundreds. i was hoping someone knew a cheaper way to test or fix. i am going to a friends repair shop and start pulling fuses. hopefully find something. any other ideas would be appreciated. thanks

 

The drain issue is better handled in the parasitic draw thread. I have been too busy to run search which said I will but have not done so.

Salim