Consumer Reports' latest battery recommendation

[GabeBoyTheGreat]

My JK's battery had just over 7 years on it when I sold it. You guys really replace batteries less than every 5 years?

I think I have had pretty good luck overall with car batteries. The JL on the other hand...

Aux battery failed after 3 years. Could not start the Jeep. Replaced the aux battery only (only a 1 year warranty on the aux battery). Main battery started having issues about a year later; not catastrophic, but enough to get the "ESS unavailable, battery charging", meaning it was on its way out.

Replaced the main battery and removed the aux battery entirely. I am not paying $400 every 3-4 years just to keep the ESS running. Plus the aux battery is a pain to replace.

There is a reason why people say ESS doesn't save them any money lol! The aux battery has a short lifespan and it takes the main battery along with it.

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[txj2go]

You guys really replace batteries less than every 5 years?

I've been driving for over 50 years. I've never owned a car battery that lasted more than about 3 years. As I said before it depends on your climate, if you drive the car frequently, and if the car is in the engine bay where it is exposed to engine heat. Batteries in my wife's car last a lot longer than mine, she doesn't drive very many miles and her car is in a compartment under the floor. Her first 2 batteries lasted 5 years each.

 

[JL ME]

I have a 2021 2 door Willys and am still on the original batteries with no problems as of yet.

 

[Bulletbill]

My battery was replaced under warranty at just under 3 years. By my estimate I won’t need a new one until about 2027 if it lasts as long as the original.

So when all of yawl figure out which is the best and cheapest make sure you update this thread in 2027 so I don’t have to spend endless time on the intranet researching batteries. Thanks in advance!

 

[grimmjeeper]

Well, they recently ranked the Wrangler as having poor reliability, but gave the Gladiator a relatively high predicted reliability score despite the fact that they're essentially the same vehicle with regard to all the major parts that factor into reliability.(https://www.jalopnik.com/1991971/jeep-reliability-consumer-reports/)

The most charitable interpretation of this is one of flawed methodology. A less charitable interpretation would be that they're biased.

Considering their history with the Suzuki Samurai and how CR nearly single-handedly killed off the entire compact SUV market segment in the US, I'm somewhat disinclined to go with the charitable interpretation.

CR's predicted reliability score is based on an opinion survey of only CR subscribers. And only uses the data from people who choose to respond.

Anyone who takes a statistics 101 class can tell you how biased that sample set is.

 

[hamiamham69]

I think CR dosa good job of presenting the data and ranks but it does so without factoring in price.

if you look at batteries they rated a 90 the lowest price is $161.99 and the highest a whopping $422.

it’s up to the reader to take CR data and find out where the value lies.

 

[nU7OuxIx]

I trust projectfarm over CR. Unfortunately, projectfarm's battery review is a few years old and a lot changes in a few years. But it's one guy and he only has so much time.

I have bought top rated CR things before and I have had mostly positive experiences. As I get older though, I'm starting to think that it's a bit biased and at the end of the day, I'm throwing a dart and hoping for the best.

 

[Upnarms]

From my experience in AZ, anything over 2 years is bonus. I have an interstate h7 agm with an interstate aux. Shockingly, their little aux made it 2 years 11 months and yes it started taking down the main battery with it. I got the main replaced free with a couple weeks left on the 3 year replacement window. Had to buy a new aux since that's only 12 mo warranty. I was going to delete the aux but do know of some people who got electrical gremlins (more than the normal ones) when they did this so they went back.

I like the solar panel trickle charger idea and i have a roof rack that would let me mount it out of sight.

 

[Aonarch]

I think I have had pretty good luck overall with car batteries. The JL on the other hand...

Aux battery failed after 3 years. Could not start the Jeep. Replaced the aux battery only (only a 1 year warranty on the aux battery). Main battery started having issues about a year later; not catastrophic, but enough to get the "ESS unavailable, battery charging", meaning it was on its way out.

Replaced the main battery and removed the aux battery entirely. I am not paying $400 every 3-4 years just to keep the ESS running. Plus the aux battery is a pain to replace.

There is a reason why people say ESS doesn't save them any money lol! The aux battery has a short lifespan and it takes the main battery along with it.

I deleted my aux battery in my first week of ownership and upgraded to a H8 battery.

 

[Terrymo]

CR's predicted reliability score is based on an opinion survey of only CR subscribers. And only uses the data from people who choose to respond.

Anyone who takes a statistics 101 class can tell you how biased that sample set is.

Besides non-response bias which is caused by only certain groups of personality types being willing to respond, there’s confirmation bias like I spent a bunch of money on an odyssey battery so I need to say it’s great or I don’t look smart. Or social bias…the JLWrangler forum members tell me all the cool kids have product A. I want to be a cool kid and don’t want to say product A isn’t really that great.

 

[flick2614]

The new bidet is powered by the odyssey battery, obviously.

Does it come with a shocker option? Asking for a friend.

 

[grimmjeeper]

Besides non-response bias which is caused by only certain groups of personality types being willing to respond, there’s confirmation bias like I spent a bunch of money on an odyssey battery so I need to say it’s great or I don’t look smart. Or social bias…the JLWrangler forum members tell me all the cool kids have product A. I want to be a cool kid and don’t want to say product A isn’t really that great.

Or, everyone on the forum told me product A was not good so I'm going to be hyper-critical of it in the survey.

To be fair, Jeeps do tend to have reliability problems. So the reviews happen to, entirely by coincidence, reflect reality.

But I remember back when the Toyota Matrix and Pontiac Vibe first came out. Same car built on the same assembly line by the same workers using all the same parts (except for trim pieces). CR predicted reliability for the Toyota was higher than the Pontiac.

Either the Pontiac trim was really problematic or CR is full of it.

 

[NWJeepr]

Besides non-response bias which is caused by only certain groups of personality types being willing to respond, there’s confirmation bias like I spent a bunch of money on an odyssey battery so I need to say it’s great or I don’t look smart. Or social bias…the JLWrangler forum members tell me all the cool kids have product A. I want to be a cool kid and don’t want to say product A isn’t really that great.

I remember being burned to the ground over which trickle charger should be used. Nothing less than a 10 amp NOCO -brand was acceptable to a few forum members here, fightin' words. Not a 5 amp. Not a 4 amp. Those apparently wouldn't work.

Now I'm worried that I'm not using a 10amp NOCO on an Odyssey battery that my '25's battery just won't ever measure up.

 

[Terrymo]

I remember being burned to the ground over which trickle charger should be used. Nothing less than a 10 amp NOCO -brand was acceptable to a few forum members here, fightin' words. Not a 5 amp. Not a 4 amp. Those apparently wouldn't work.

Now I'm worried that I'm not using a 10amp NOCO on an Odyssey battery that my '25's battery just won't ever measure up.

I have a Noco 10 amp…it’s gospel…don’t be a heretic.

 

[jeepingib]

Does it come with a shocker option? Asking for a friend.

Just tell me what the jump start connections are, please.

For those early morning constitutionals where you need a little kick in the rear to get going again?

You just had to keep reading!

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