New battery

[ajw1275]

Has anybody have to replace there battery on there sonic yet?

 

[TMac]

Yep, just did. Got it tested at two different stores (Auto Zone & Walmart) and both told me the same thing "It's your battery, not the alt." I got the battery at Walmart

 

[SonicBoy24]

Mine was replaced within a month of having the car.

I had a bad cell in the battery causing it not to charge properly, leaving me dead at school.

The dealership gave me a 4 year pro-rated battery.

 

[NewZJ]

Yep, just did. Got it tested at two different stores (Auto Zone & Walmart) and both told me the same thing "It's your battery, not the alt." I got the battery at Walmart

Watch out for the Wal-Mart brand (N)Everstart batteries. i have never had one last beyond warranty.

 

[Sonic]

Neverstart, lol. Good stuff NewZJ.

 

[bandita52]

anyone know if the battery is covered under warranty just wondering since i've had my sonic for a little over a year now this month

 

[BRNZY]

You may be covered. I replaced mine about six months ago due to the battery casing started to leak. They had to replace the cable assembly and the hold down bracket. I ended up trading in the new battery that same day to upgrade to a yellow top Optima.

 

[TMac]

Watch out for the Wal-Mart brand (N)Everstart batteries. i have never had one last beyond warranty.

Thanks for the heads up!

 

[rcmn0022]

You may be covered. I replaced mine about six months ago due to the battery casing started to leak. They had to replace the cable assembly and the hold down bracket. I ended up trading in the new battery that same day to upgrade to a yellow top Optima.

Which model of Optima did you use?
How well does it fit? Any pics?

 

[Blue hedgehog]

Watch out for the Wal-Mart brand (N)Everstart batteries. i have never had one last beyond warranty.

I'm not saying I like them or would ever buy one but my brothers father in law got neverstart a few years back knowing it wouldn't last. Before it was a year old he left his lights on purposely to kill it. Took it back and they gave him a brand new one free since it was less than a year old. He's been doing that for 3 or 4 years now. It sounds like too much work to save a couple bucks instead of buying a much better battery like an interstate or exide.

 

[$ub$onic]

I think my sportster has a never start in it. It's been In there for 3 years. Never had to jump it yet



With that said it has not been started since late October. So this may be the year

 

[BRNZY]

Which model of Optima did you use?
How well does it fit? Any pics?

I will get a picture soon. Its the yellow top and it fits well. I had to do a slight modification on the hold down bracket because the battery could move slightly and I did not want the posts touching the bracket.

 

[trollbait]

I would be wary of putting in an AGM battery. They require a lower float voltage than a standard lead acid. The higher float voltage the system puts out for the OEM battery will shorten an AGM's life.

 

[rcmn0022]

I would be wary of putting in an AGM battery. They require a lower float voltage than a standard lead acid. The higher float voltage the system puts out for the OEM battery will shorten an AGM's life.

I thought that the factory is an AGM, I can't remember where I saw this, but I could almost swear that is what I read. Maybe I saw it on the battery itself?

 

[trollbait]

It is annoying that the specs for something as basic as the car's starter battery isn't easy to find.

Exide's site lists a classic and global/NASCAR extreme battery for the Sonic.
Exide Technologies Online Parts Catalog

Maintenance free doesn't mean it is an AGM or gel battery. A floodie can also be sealed and maintenance free.

 

[kmw1191]

I had to replace it a week ago, it was tested to only have 106 CCA :blankface: living somewhere where -25F is an almost daily low that was about 400 too few

 

[mendoza_juan]

You may be covered. I replaced mine about six months ago due to the battery casing started to leak. They had to replace the cable assembly and the hold down bracket. I ended up trading in the new battery that same day to upgrade to a yellow top Optima.

What's the CCA on that yellow top. I checked into it and the guy told me optima doesn't make a battery for the sonic. I currently am sitting on a red top with 750 CCA but those dang fuses attached to the positive lead have me second guessing. I'm dead in the water without a jump right now

Sent from my SM-N910T using Tapatalk

 

[The Champ]

It sounds like too much work to save a couple bucks instead of buying a much better battery like an interstate or exide.

Interstate batteries are made in the same plant that the ACDelco batteries are made. Interstate spends a ton of money on advertising - and as a result are way to expensive.

The ACDelco mid level battery has the same 30 month free replacement warranty that the top level Interstate does. If you go to the top level ACD - it has a 42 month free replacement.

It is annoying that the specs for something as basic as the car's starter battery isn't easy to find.

The OE battery has 438 CCA - which is right on the Chevy website - and most likely right on the battery label. Our little 4 bangers don't need a lot of CCA to get the car started even in my MN winters.

More important than CCA's for today's cars with the extra electronics is the reserve capacity.

I thought that the factory is an AGM, I can't remember where I saw this, but I could almost swear that is what I read. Maybe I saw it on the battery itself?

It is a conventional lead acid battery.

There are a few GM cars that come with AGM's standard - but they are high end cars with a ton of electronics that need the higher reserve capacities.