rockrich

Battery on my 08 C4S is now 6 years old. Working fine. Use a maintainer when gone more than a week.
What are signs of imminent failure? How long can I expect to go before replacement? Don't want sudden failure as described in this forum. Thanks.

extanker

i would not expect too much more life in it. now i am sure there will be posts about their battery lasted 10 years in alaska and always/never on a porsche only charger. bottom line its on borrowed time change it. they aint that expensive for peace of mind.imho

Domer911

Once it starts giving you the cold shoulder for no reason, that'll be the sign you're looking for

Lvt19672

You never know, some on this forum are reporting 9 years on their battery when using a battery tender.

rotesAuto

anyone ever get low on blinker fluid?

no but really....
just had mine replaced, had the original battery: seven years!
might be time for a newbie just to be more relaxed and not worry about it

good luck

LexVan

Top up each cell with distilled water and let it go another year. Wear eye protection and rubber gloves.

Fin Fever

I have digital voltmeters on all my cars
you will see when it does not hold a charge after sitting for a while

Lvt19672

You've outdone yourself again Rotes with that avatar ol chap, keep'em coming

sandwedge

Mine died after 5 years with no warning. Just wouldn't crank one morning after doing just fine the day before. Go to Walmart with about $150 in your pocket if you're concerned. Some guys prefer to spend three or four times that at the dealership so there's another option.

sjfehr

It depends on the failure mode- batteries can fail in different ways, and some failure modes give no warning at all. Fortunately, those types of failures are rather rare; there are warning signs. The most common characteristic of a battery at end-of-life is an in internal resistance, and subsequent decrease in cranking amps. As you don't generally need the full cranking amps your battery is capable of, you're not likely to notice this without specialized equipment, though your local auto parts store should have a battery tester and are usually happy to test your battery for free.

The other indicator of a failing battery is lessened capacity, and a failure to hold a charge (made worse by parasitic draw from the keyless entry and security systems). This is pretty easy to test with a voltmeter- if your battery voltage keeps dipping below 12.5V after sitting just a night or two, it's on the way out; replace it. If the voltage drops too low, you'll find your car hard to start. If you notice your car is a little hesitant to start, or has to crank a little longer than normal? That's the warning sign you're looking for. Considering how much harder it is to replace these batteries after they die (what with needing battery power to unlock and open the frunk), it's best not to wait that long. 6 years is a good time to just replace it preventatively.

BIG smoke

You'll notice being out of breath, when your push starting the car.
Took me few push starts. Then I started parking on a hill.
When in doubt, just put a new battery in. Cheap.

extanker

i am shocked....using distilled water. a true porsche owner knows to use only the finest waters from the enchanted black forest...skimming the top 20MM off the surface by the evil elves. and always use approved designer eye wear and porsche voltage/electrical storage unit handware.

kosmo

like the women in my life, my battery just got up a left. No warning. That Bitch!

extanker

maybe it was the way ya "jumped it"

Fahrer

Modern cars give little warning that the battery is getting weak. My car is also a 2008 and I am considering replacement the battery this summer. I keep it on a maintainer all winter but I did notice a few times this past summer ( it is a weekend driver) that when starting up, it was checking the PSM. I think this might be a sign of a weakening battery?