[Wrangler010]

This morning my jeep wouldn't start....I think it's a dead batter, it's 5 years old.....my only concern is that it wouldn't even turn over.....I could hear the relays clicking but the lights were dim and flickering......wouldn't the engine try to turn over? Thanks

 

[George Ross]

Sounds like a dead battery.

I don't understand your concern. It is not surprising that a 5 yr old battery has gone bad.

 

[Wrangler010]

Yeah I figured it was due, just seems weird that it won't even try to start.....

 

[George Ross]

Pretty common for that to happen when a battery fails. Especially if it's cold

 

[RoadiJeff]

Yeah I figured it was due, just seems weird that it won't even try to start.....

If the battery doesn't have enough power to crank the engine you will only hear that clicking sound when you try to start it. I'm surprised that it lasted 5 years.

 

[mikeinoh]

I've never had a battery last more than 49 months, original or aftermarket, but they always seem to last at least 48....Hmmmm.

 

[thedawgshow]

Yes, sounds like a battery, but it could also be a starter. In my case it was both!!!!

 

[stinkypants]

happens to me all the time in my car. Hasn't happened in the jeep yet. In my experience there a couple of different levels of low battery:
1) s-l-o-w turning over (may catch if you're lucky, may not)
2) clicking only, but still will get sounds & lights when not turning key
3) nothing - turning key kills all sounds & lights, don't come back on until wait a few secs
I've never harmed anything yet by running low battery, jumping, or push starting (manual trans) after any of those situations. Not sure how advanced/delicate my onboard computer is though - car's kind of old.

 

[Muroc]

I've never had a battery last more than 49 months, original or aftermarket, but they always seem to last at least 48....Hmmmm.

I keep all my cars plugged into a Deltran Battery Tender when parked at home. My diesel pickup batteries are 9 years old.

The Tender keeps the batteries charged to as close to 100% as possible and that's where you get maximum life. The more time a starting battery spends at 100% charge, the longer it will last and alternators can't come close.

 

[Freedom JK]

Several times I have had batteries die very quick. I could start the vehicle and drive to work and 4 hours later at lunch time, the battery was completely dead. I did not leave the lights on. The battery was just bad and it discharged that quickly once it had developed a bad cell. Your battery being 5 years old surely needs to be replaced. If your battery is really dead, it will not even try to turn over.

The last couple of batteries that I bought from AutoZone only lasted me about 2 years. I will not buy their batteries anymore.

 

[Morris4x4Center]

5 years is pretty good. here in Florida, it's usually around 3, maybe 4. The heat (especially under the hood) just kills them.

Just replaced mine a few weeks ago.

Personally, replacing a battery tends to be cheaper than towing a vehicle, so the first sign of trouble, I slap a new one in.


...

 

[Wrangler010]

My battery lasted 5 years and my front brakes are still going strong at 5 years and 117,000 miles! I have all the parts to replace them, but haven't needed to yet