code58

With the whole car run by electronics anymore, and a lot of those electronics being very voltage sensitive, it's not much wonder gremlins pop up when you begin to have battery problems, even if you don't seem to have starting problems. When you start to have gremlins the 1st. thing to do is have your battery load tested (a lot of the parts stores will do it free), saves a lot of "chasing your tail".

mikey00

Most of the time your battery will pass a load test just fine, but it is still the problem. The electronics on the RX are more sensitive, especially the clock, then the load test. Many in the past have had their battery load tested and thought they have eliminated it as the possible problem. Then they went on to "chase their tail" troubleshooting everything else before they finally changed the battery and fixed the problem. A good battery for the RX from Costco is less than $50. If your battery is more than a few years old, replacing it is faster, easier and cheaper than any troublehooting.

Blkongray

Even if the battery passes the load test, I would replace it if I were you... and I wouldn't do the Optima battery... no reason to. As Mikey00 said, ~$50 for the Costco standard battery and you are set for years. The Optima battery won't give you anything for the xtra $$$, other than a pretty red cap to sit hidden under your hood.

VikH

iTrader: (5)

I replaced mine with a Costco battery earlier in the year. It has worked perfectly.

code58

Mikey- I'll take your word for it but I've tested a gagillion batteries in my time and have never had problems with the electronics in a car when the battery passes the load test. I have a carbon pile tester (considered the "Gold standard") and an OTC Pro Digital Systems Tester and they mirror each other in what they show when I try each of them. The OTC will test CCA, CA, HR, as well as alt. and start. It will also tell you 'Good" or "BAD" and give you a printout of any problem codes if it is showing "Good". I have been impressed with it's accuracy and can't imagine having trouble with electronics if it determines "Good". I bought a battery for my motorhome a while back from Sam's Club. Rated at 660 CCA's. Just for kicks I tested it before I was going to put it in. Voltage was 12.75v so was fully charged but when I tested CCA's they tested 290. I tested it a while later and tested 90 CCA's! I tested it a few more times an never hit 300 and as low as 90! I took it back and asked them to test it, they took it in the back and came out and said it was just fine. Got my money back and bought a Costco and it tested about 680 CCA's on a 660 CCA rated battery. I don't trust some testers (the people doing the testing).

bob2200

Code58- That's great information! Thanks.

mikey00

All I know is that when the RX starts to have electronic issues, mainly the clock reset, the battery will often load test good but still fix the problems with the RX. Maybe the battery actually is good by load test standards, but it is the RX clock and other electronics that are a little too sensitive. I remember one poster in the past that had a new Sams Club battery and had the clock reset issue. I had a hard time convincing him to change it but when he finally did it fixed the clock reset issue. I am only talking actual cases with the "RX" here so experience with a "gagillion batteries " may not apply here.

salimshah

mikey00 you have formed an opinion and you are certainly entitled to it. But if you approach it logically, the only conclusion any one can make are
a) the test was performed incorrectly.
b) One time test gave wrong reading. [first test after the battery was charged]
c) The condition of test vs vehicle environment are different [clamps not tight enough, there is a constant draw and few hours the battery goes weak.

My view is lets not hastily discard a working battery.

Salim

mikey00

I would not make this assumption if it only happend once. But between the 3 forums CL, LOC and Edmunds it happend multiple times. Maybe the load test was done incorrectly multiple times. If that was the case I wouldn't put much faith in the free load tests that are being suggested. All I am saying here is that multiple times a battery has passed a load test but when it was finally replaced the problem was fixed. It could be connections, cables, improper tests etc but I suspect (and only suspect) the RX clock is a little sensitive and it's theshold is slightly above ,or below depending on how you look at it, a load test theshold.

code58

mikey- I have seen enough strange cases with batteries in load testing over the years to write a pretty good sized book about. I also bought 2 new heavy duty Costco start/ deep cycle batteries for the motorhome about 6 mo. after I bought the chassis battery. I am constantly testing batteries so I decided to test them before I installed them. They both tested strong on voltage- 12.75v. Tested CCA's and also good at about 20 over what they were rated at (I believe 700). Then I tested HHR- they're rated at 115 and they both tested about 85. Didn't make me too happy. I always keep my batteries charged and they have stayed charged well but continue to test around 85 give or take 1 or 2. I have seen plenty of battery tests that didn't fit the box but I have never seen a battery that load tested strong (and still tested strong the next day or two) that wasn't up to the job in all areas. I had 1 person laugh at me when I bought the OTC tester because it's fully solid state and uses 2 either 14 or 16 ga. wires for cable. I have no idea how that works but believe me it does! The research I did before I bought it says in blind tests it was 99.7% accurate and I believe it. It runs over $500. for the tester and about $350. for the wireless printer.
Mikey, you mentioned the guy that had a new Sam's club battery and had the electronic problems that were fixed when he replaced the battery. All I have to say is refer to my previous post about Sam's club batteries. You can easily see how someone can have problems with a new battery and "chase their tail", because "but I've got a new battery". Too many people load testing that don't know what they're doing. Have a great weekend!

salimshah

If a person's mind is made up, it is made up.

I would leave it at that.

Salim