I have a 03.5 w/ 74k miles.. and my battery is still working like a champ..
I bought the car exactly 5 years ago. So, do our batteries go on forever?
Do I need to put in water in those little holes?

How can you see how much water it has?!

 

My battery finally gave up on me at around 110k. Yes, you need to add distilled water into the holes. You can see the levels if you shine a flashlight in there.

 

holes?

 

normal battery should last more than 100K

 

im only at 47K on my 03 but its been 5 years,, just replaced mine last sunday.. car starts much faster now $56 for new battery at costco FTW

 

I have my original too @ 78K miles

 

holes?

 

Holes

OEM batteries are not maintenance free batteries. Need to check the water levels from time to time and add distilled water if necessary.

 

Same here, works great with no problems. It even sat at an impound for 6 months, and was completely dead. One boost and an hour of running, it's back to normal. Amazing

 

From what I can tell, I'm on my 3rd. I bought my car used and it didn't have the original. The 2nd puked out and I replaced with an Optima. HUGE thread about fitments.

 

For all you guys bragging about having a 5 yr old battery, ummm go ahead and spring for a new $85 battery now. Do it before you come back from out of town and your car is parked at the airport and it won't start.....and now you have to beg for a jump or call a service truck. Yeah, don't wait until you are out an about and your battery dies people, its not like a pathfinder engine bay where you can just pull into an autozone torque off 2 nuts chunk the old battery and throw in the new. I guess you will learn your lesson. Batteries don't always give you a sign like a slow or hesitant start.
Its a tight fit--you have to pull all the clips out and wedge the battery out, then hold the fuse arm out of the way and wedge in the new battery and tighten everything up.
If you get a battery a bit b4 you need one, you can do this relaxed in your garage and not at night in the parking lot of autozone like me.

"oh my battery is hesitating, let me go p/up a battery at autozone and take it home to install. Arrive at autozone and as I try and go home, the car won't start, it won't take a charge either, so I'm there rubbing elbows with questionable people pulling up in 1983 crown victorias at night on a cold September evening changing my ma fawking battery."

So go on and brag, but come back and post your stories later on....my battery lasted exactly 5 yrs!

Now, I will change my battery at 4 yrs whether it needs it or not.

 

^^ ahaha damn, anger issues?

I'm on my original battery and I just passed the 100K mark. I guess its time to do some battery shopping.

 

Did know the batterys required maintenance. Replaced mine at 56,000

 

I'm on my original battery with 57K miles in my '03.5. The distilled water maintenance idea is a good one; I'll have to take a look at it over the weekend.

 

Original battery at 46k miles here.