Battery life?

[Kjstech]

I have a 2016 CX-5 and today it wouldn’t start. Now I did fully wash it and clean the interior, so the doors were open for some time, but really not for an enormous amount of time. I did not have accessories on or the radio. I cleaned all the seats and vacuum it out really good.

Then 2 hours later I go to start it, all electronics come on, including a confusing state of turn signals and wipers (from wiping those stalks earlier), but the car wouldn’t complet turning over. When my wife got home from work I was able to jump start it. I let it idle for an hour and then I was able to shut it off and start it.

When it wouldn’t turn over, multimeter read 12.08 volts at the terminals. When it was idling, it read almost 13 volts. Now shut off it reads 12.68 volts.

The car is only 2016 model year, and now it’s 2019- so really is the battery that bad? I’ve never had cars where the battery didn’t last at least twice that (6 years or even more).

What’s a good battery to get? Is Die Hard a good one? What about Duralast. I just want it to last and work especially with winter coming up. It was 52 degrees today but it will get cold before you know it.

[rsvinylgraphics]

Car batteries these days seem to only last about 3-4 years. You may be showing good voltage but amperage is also important. Autozone can load test the battery (free) to see what amperage you are at.

Most people here have been getting their replacement batteries at Costco for around $80 or so.

[JT2]

Yes a load test like they do at the parts store is the only way to know the battery health. There are a lot of factors in battery life and 3 years might be in the range. I usually look for a sale on a AGM style battery to replace.

[shooter357]

Since you know what the voltage on the battery is I assume you have a meter. Hook it up to the battery and have someone turn it over while you read it. If it drops below 10 volts replace the battery.

[yrwei52]

I have a 2016 CX-5 and today it wouldn’t start. Now I did fully wash it and clean the interior, so the doors were open for some time, but really not for an enormous amount of time. I did not have accessories on or the radio. I cleaned all the seats and vacuum it out really good.

Then 2 hours later I go to start it, all electronics come on, including a confusing state of turn signals and wipers (from wiping those stalks earlier), but the car wouldn’t complet turning over. When my wife got home from work I was able to jump start it. I let it idle for an hour and then I was able to shut it off and start it.

When it wouldn’t turn over, multimeter read 12.08 volts at the terminals. When it was idling, it read almost 13 volts. Now shut off it reads 12.68 volts.

The car is only 2016 model year, and now it’s 2019- so really is the battery that bad? I’ve never had cars where the battery didn’t last at least twice that (6 years or even more).

What’s a good battery to get? Is Die Hard a good one? What about Duralast. I just want it to last and work especially with winter coming up. It was 52 degrees today but it will get cold before you know it.

Your battery most likely is 4+ years old as Mazda started selling 2016 CX-5 on February, 2015. I believe your battery definitely is weak and your may need a new battery. Take the battery to an auto parts store and have it load-tested like others have said as the voltage can't tell you too much about the true cold cranking amps (CCA) from your battery. I wouldn't get the Die-Hard battery (I thought Sears is gone?), but get an Interstate Group 35 battery from Costco for $79.95 which is the best value you can find. The bad part is you have to install the battery by yourself, and bring the old battery back for core charge with a second trip to Costco.

Next time when you're cleaning up the interior, turn off the dome lights with interior light switch on the ceiling to save some electricity from battery.

[MyFirstMazda]

If your battery drained in an hour or two from the interior lights, I would get a new battery. There is nothing worse than being stranded some where with a dead battery. If you get it load tested and it checks okay, I would in the least get a lipo jump pack so you have a way to jump it in an emergency.

[ruthrj]

Your battery lasted longer than the one on my 2013, lol. My Corolla I don’t have anymore? Not even 2 years before it failed.

[Jmaz]

I just replaced my battery a couple of weeks ago even though it was still "good" and started the car.The dealer checked the battery as part of an oil change inspection 2 days prior and it had lost some capacity compared to the previous inspection/oil change.But I was noticing it cranking over slow on cold days (about 35*F) and it being over 6 years old (car built 9/2013) was not feeling it would perform well at 0* or below.The new battery is rated at about 550 CCA which is well above the original and it spins over quick.It's a group 35 size that fits right in.You know darn well that when your old battery fails it's not on a sunny 70* day in the parking lot of an auto parts store.Funny thing , it was drizzling when I went in the auto parts store but turned to snow flurries when I came out.Good timing.

[Kjstech]

The dealer did an oil change, front brakes and brake fluid flush last Monday. On the paperwork it said “good” for that battery.

I’ll look into the cosco route. Do you have to be a member? Isn’t that like Sam’s Club?

I had a Bosch battery last 8 years in a VW I had. Now that car didn’t have a full color LCD stereo system with Apple CarPlay and all that.... but it was still an impressive length of time for a battery to last. The indication to change that battery was randomly losing radio presets and the clock resetting to 12:00. I got that changed out before it left me sit.

I think my wife’s previous car, a Ford Escape lasted about 7 or 8 years as well (a motor craft battery). It was a 2003 car and we moved into the house we are at now in 2010. I seem to remember it was shortly after that in the early winter of 2010 or 2011. We privately sold that car a few years ago so but at the time of the sale, the Duralast replacement was still going strong.

[ceric]

'14 Mazda3: lasted 3 yrs
'16 Mazda6: lasted 3 yrs
'17 Mazda CX5: still original one.... closely watching it

[bamirault]

My CX-5 went into service August '12. I'm still using the original battery here in cold Ottawa.

Brian

[ruthrj]

My CX-5 went into service August '12. I'm still using the original battery here in cold Ottawa.

Brian

That’s awesome. Is it a battery you have to add water to? Mine was. I’m thinking FL heat killed mine.

[erhayes]

Put a charger on the battery to fully charge it and get it load tested. ed

[Mazdiod2]

My 16.5 cx5 battery wouldnt start. I took it to abattery place and they said it was ok. It just needed a thorough trickle charge. Its been fine since then but I am trying to trickle charge every couple of months.

I back it into my garage sometimes so I can clean it or prepare for camping and that can deplete the battery.

The running voltage at 13.8 is a bit lower than the voltage in my Chevy. Maybe that is just Mazda policy. My oem battery in my 86 626 lasted 7 years. They use good batteries.

[bamirault]

I certainly hope that it is maintenance-free, 'cause I haven't done anything with it since new. Only tangentially related, I am booked to have it replaced by the dealer December 19 on speculation. They claim it's fine, but that day I am scheduled to start a 7-day drive to Tucson. It certainly doesn't owe me anything and I would rather not have it fail part way to my destination.