Batteries

[Lbrocato]

What battery are use in your Ford Fiesta? I like Champion batteries from Pepboys, but I am still running my stock Ford Battery . All the Champion batteries i have ran in the past were dual connections.

 

[LionsTooth]

What battery are use in your Ford Fiesta? I like Champion batteries from Pepboys, but I am still running my stock Ford Battery . All the Champion batteries i have ran in the past were dual connections.

This Odyssey battery was suggested via the ST Forum....

 

[Handy Andy]

I've run Panasonic, AC Delco, Motorcraft, Diehard, Duralast...

The only battery I really want - is one that will fit the tray and start my car.

I'll take care of the rest...had to learn that the hard way - from all of the above...

I guess if you want to "split hairs" - construction and design are two key points that when you look dead-at any battery for your car, what do you see?

An easy-theft handle? Well, at least the guy can run away with it...

Top Posts and Side-Bolt - but are they on the CORRECT side? Not all are built for a universal approach to the connections.

How about the sides? Blackout or translucent - want an easy way to see water level? Might want to check into that feature when you are able to open the hood in daylight when you are in a comfortable setting like a warm summer day. Not A Gas Mat (AGM)? Flooded? Sulfuric Acid - Extreme temperature - sure it may be low-maintenance - but that is only a selling point - if the battery has got a bad cell - you're going to want to know that BEFORE you need it the most (Hint: North America - Santa Claus - Winter Equinox) so you can add water - change it (swap) or trade it in.

IF you need to make a choice - what kind of battery do you want under the hood? One you can maintain and look after or something that is just a Sealed Set-It-And-Forget-It type?

Not all batteries are built for long life, or even built to be properly mounted for the vehicles they state they can be used in (by Terminal orientation perhaps, but not necessarily by fitment though - that might be a warranty problem) in their Cross-reference Catalogs - "Hey! This one will work!" Exclaims a shop-hand that just blew the dust off a unnamed box of contents - just as quickly the Shop mechanic has already bungeed and wedgeed the botched box with no mounting tabs to this side as they attempt to fasten to the hold down plate and stab-bolt as they form a circle around the opened hood of your vehicle as they press down and hold while the one with the caulk gun of the quick set epoxy works his magic as they all play All Hands On Deck as they allow the glue to set the whole thing into place...

Oh, and don't forget - some are disastrous time bombs that have a limited life expectancy and you're left to clean up the mess - just like Moms' Turkey, with it's Built in Pop-Up Timers ready to go off. Ever have an Icy cold sub-zero wind chill morning - only to find a cell that cracked open on one of the sides and spill their guts, onto your fenders finish and to top it all off - No Charge! - No! Not Free! Just - No Charge (left) so you might get stranded - you get what you pay for...

Trade it in? Yeah, does the "Core" charge actually become a refund - as in I get cash or do I get "Credits" against the disposal fees the store will charge you? (Yet in the recycling realm they make money for the metals out of these things)

Do I want a Battery in the Traditional sense of "Acid cored", flooded with water and with immersed plates, or do I need something more exotic like AGM?

Each technology has a given life expectancy - I've gotten nearly 10-years out of the Panasonic, with Mitsubishi both flooded wet-cell kind, being a close second.

In performance with radio and electrical draw - Delco Remy is THE LAST THING I'd want in winter in my experiences in GM products - that single post Alternator is nice but will only charge to a given voltage - so unless you have a regulator out and field wire (that ALT battery lamp on the dash) you have no True way of truly determining the fate, state or rate - the battery can supply.

To me, all the types that are out there I've had experiences with - Motorcraft is not on the top of my list to trust or by use - see above...

 

[Lbrocato]

I've run Panasonic, AC Delco, Motorcraft, Diehard, Duralast...

The only battery I really want - is one that will fit the tray and start my car.

I'll take care of the rest...had to learn that the hard way - from all of the above...

I guess if you want to "split hairs" - construction and design are two key points that when you look dead-at any battery for your car, what do you see?

An easy-theft handle? Well, at least the guy can run away with it...

Top Posts and Side-Bolt - but are they on the CORRECT side? Not all are built for a universal approach to the connections.

How about the sides? Blackout or translucent - want an easy to see water level? Might want to check into that when you are able to open the hood in daylight when you are in a comfortable setting like a warm summer day. Not A Gas Mat (AGM)? Flooded? Sulfuric Acid - Extreme temperature - sure it may be low-maintenance - but that is only a selling point - if the battery has got a bad cell - you're going to want to know BEFORE you need it the most (Hint: North America - Santa Claus - Winter Equinox) so you can add water - change it (swap) or trade it in.

IF you need to make a choice - what kind of battery do you want under the hood? One you can maintain and look after or something that is just a Sealed Set-It-And-Forget-It type?

Not all batteries are built for long life, or even built to be properly mounted for the vehicles they state they can be used in (by Terminal orientation perhaps, but not necessarily by fitment though - that might be a warranty problem) in their Cross-reference Catalogs - "Hey! This one will work!" Exclaims a shop-hand that just blew the dust off a unnamed box of contents - just as quickly the Shop mechanic has already bungeed and wedgeed the botched box with no mounting tabs to this side as they attempt to fasten to the hold down plate and stab-bolt as they form a circle around the opened hood of your vehicle as they press down and hold while the one with the caulk gun of the quick set epoxy works his magic as they all play All Hands On Deck as they allow the glue to set the whole thing into place...

Oh, and don't forget - some are disastrous time bombs that have a limited life expectancy and you're left to clean up the mess - just like Moms' Turkey, with it's Built in Pop-Up Timers ready to go off. Ever have an Icy cold sub-zero wind chill morning - only to find a cell that cracked open on one of the sides and spill their guts, onto your fenders finish and to top it all off - No Charge! - No! Not Free! Just - No Charge (left) so you might get stranded - you get what you pay for...

Trade it in? Yeah, does the "Core" charge actually a refund - as in I get cash or do I get "Credits" against the disposal fees the store will charge you? (Yet in the recycling realm they make money for the metals out of these things)

Do I want a Battery in the Traditional sense of "Acid cored", flooded with water and with immersed plates, or do I need something more exotic like AGM?

Each technology has a give life expectancy - I've gotten nearly 10-years out of the Panasonic, with Mitsubishi both flooded wet-cell kind, being a close second.

In performance with radio and electrical draw - Delco Remy is THE LAST THING I'd want in winter in my experiences in GM products - that single post Alternator is nice but will only charge to a given voltage - so unless you have a regulator out and field wire (that ALT battery lamp on the dash) you have no True way of truly determining the fate, state or rate - the battery can supply.

To me, all the types that are out there I've had experiences with - Motorcraft is not on the top of my list to trust or by use - see above...

i not 100% sure but im pretty sure amg need different battery charger/ alternator. a normal acid core is fine with me

 

[Handy Andy]

i not 100% sure but im pretty sure amg need different battery charger/ alternator. a normal acid core is fine with me

Ok, so you'll want to try and keep the same size and type of battery orientation.

So you'll need a 96R Group Type of Battery it's "Standard" 96R 9 9/16L x 6 13/16W x 6 7/8H or in mm 242 x 173 x 175

This size is unique to the Fiesta - so it you wanted more amperage in a rating or bigger plates - you might be pressed to find something. The 85 or 86 Group series is similar in BASE footprint dimensions - but taller - so it has room for more plate surface area. BUT NOT TERMINAL location - it would be on the wrong side.

Also - the "R" suffix, again, places this in a unique category, place the battery with it's terminals across left and right sides of it's face (Length) the "R" refers to the POSITIVE terminal side and is located on the RIGHT side of the Battery - again oriented with its' "Face" towards you.

Now as far as CCA? Cold Crank Amps? The Fiesta is not a hard starter - it's less than 2 quarts so about the size of a Coke 2L bottle is air is compressed / displaced during it's 4-stroke revolution (360 being one turn with 4 cylinders - but needs two turns to make 4 strokes of up and down - displacement) so you do not need a heavy Diesel Semi Truck battery to start it, but you DO need good connections to it - so the battery is important but the connections to it, are even more so.

Same applies to the Alternators connection to the TERMINAL BLOCK that bolts to the side of the top Positive terminal. So if you're going to have the battery replaced, clean and fix any and all of the connections to it at this time.

 

[scotman]

I have been using the Interstate brand in both of my Fiesta hatchbacks. They have more reserve capacity than the original Motorcraft battery. The worst one i used was the one sold through Walmart. It was a bare minimum capacity and didn't last a year.
A strong battery and clean/ tight cables and connections are very critical in our fiesta's.
Being a canbus, networked vehicle, stable voltage is paramount. I learned that early on when i installed a pair of Hella driving lights on my 2011!
The stock two year old battery was not up to the task if i was also using the headlamps, heater and radio.
About three years of normal use is all that you can expect if you don't have any added electrical accessories.

 

[Lbrocato]

I have been using the Interstate brand in both of my Fiesta hatchbacks. They have more reserve capacity than the original Motorcraft battery. The worst one i used was the one sold through Walmart. It was a bare minimum capacity and didn't last a year.

EverStart which is made by Johnson Controls is the same people that make optimum batteries they took the plant to mexico and quilty of batteries went down

 

[econoboxrocks]

Batteries are a wear item. They just get weak over time, and have to be replaced.
The Fiesta, like all modern cars, has a large number of computerized electrical systems that didn't exist in older cars.
Your battery will start the engine, but the systems that rely on voltage can get weird. They need a consistent battery charge to work right.

If you drive in a really hot or cold climate, expect to replace them every 3-4 years. 5-6, if you park in a garage.

 

[Lbrocato]

Batteries are a wear item. They just get weak over time, and have to be replaced.
The Fiesta, like all modern cars, has a large number of computerized electrical systems that didn't exist in older cars.
Your battery will start the engine, but the systems that rely on voltage can get weird. They need a consistent battery charge to work right.

If you drive in a really hot or cold climate, expect to replace them every 3-4 years. 5-6, if you park in a garage.

im in a hot climate but it been know to drop crazy some time like 28 degress in the winter but over all January and February high Temp: 64 °F and Low Temp: 46 °F . i have yet to hear anything bad about them Odyssey battery might try them when i need to repalace battery

 

[econoboxrocks]

im in a hot climate but it been know to drop crazy some time like 28 degress in the winter but over all January and February high Temp: 64 °F and Low Temp: 46 °F . i have yet to hear anything bad about them Odyssey battery might try them when i need to repalace battery

Yes, hot climates are tough on batteries. The Odyssey might be a good choice.

 

[Lbrocato]

I also hear that the NAPA Legend are good . one guy said he going on 6 year with his