# NAPA batteries: Never again.



## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Four years ago (December 2013), I noticed the battery in my war wagon was 8 years old. So I stopped at the local NAPA store and bought a replacement so I wouldn't have to worry about it for a few more years.

January 2015, it wouldn't hold a charge. I pulled it, and the ends were bulging out. So back to the store I go, battery and receipt in hand to get a warranty replacement.

December 2015, same thing. Won't hold a charge, and the ends were bulged out. I return it, but can't find my receipt. So I end up buying a third battery.

Yep, you guessed it. January 2017, it starts all over again. Even sitting overnight with the negative disconnected, it won't hold a charge. Pull it out, and the ends are bulging out. Again, back to the store I go, battery and receipt in hand to get a warranty replacement.

Now here we are starting out 2018. And............ the FOURTH BATTERY won't hold a charge. Yeah, it's damned cold out now, but it should _at least _turn on the friggin' LED dome light! You guessed it...... ends are bulging out like Oprah's love handles.

Now, swapping out the battery isn't a big deal. Pop the hood and in two minutes I've got it out with just a 5/16" socket. Drop it into my pickup bed and stop by for a replacement. Two minutes to reinstall. But dammit, it's a friggin' pain to have to drag out the engine starter just to go to work for the day. 


Screw their warranty. Screw their batteries. Four strikes, they're OUT! NAPA = Not Another Pain in the Arse.


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## SuperiorHIP (Aug 15, 2010)

I only got a couple years out of my last Napa batteries and now my current ones have me worried. We rarely get very cold here but the last few morning have been in the 20's and it definitely didn't kick over like it usually does. I have 2 batteries so I have to change 2 at a time!
What are you going to change to?


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

That sure seems strange it is bulging out the ends. Dumb question, but it is not over charging is it.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Randy Bush said:


> That sure seems strange it is bulging out the ends. Dumb question, but it is not over charging is it.


Was thinking the same thing. Batteries bulge for a few reasons. Overcharging, to fast of a charge or to rapid of a discharge for to long of a period of time.

Especially if it keeps happening on the same vehicle. If you had this happen on different batteries in different vehicles then something would be out of sorts with the NAPA batteries.


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## Peter_C (Nov 26, 2014)

I agree, something else is going on. Recheck voltage as it should be between 13.7-14.3 volts. Check it with everything off and vehicle at 2,000RPM. Check it with a full load at idle, and at a higher RPM. 

"Most aftermarket car batteries sold in the United States are made by three companies that build them for retailers: Johnson Controls, which supplies more than half of the market, Exide, and East Penn."
https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/car-batteries/buying-guide


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## 91782 (Sep 6, 2012)

Randy Bush said:


> That sure seems strange it is bulging out the ends. Dumb question, but it is not over charging is it.





Peter_C said:


> I agree, something else is going on. Recheck voltage as it should be between 13.7-14.3 volts. Check it with everything off and vehicle at 2,000RPM. Check it with a full load at idle, and at a higher RPM.
> 
> "Most aftermarket car batteries sold in the United States are made by three companies that build them for retailers: Johnson Controls, which supplies more than half of the market, Exide, and East Penn."
> https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/car-batteries/buying-guide


yup


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## SouthonBeach (Oct 18, 2012)

If I remember correctly Napa batteries are made by exide. I’ve never had an exide battery last any length of time. The best ones have been Johnson controls, followed by East Penn for long life.


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## Inner10 (Mar 12, 2009)

SouthonBeach said:


> If I remember correctly Napa batteries are made by exide. I’ve never had an exide battery last any length of time. The best ones have been Johnson controls, followed by East Penn for long life.


I'm pretty sure they have been DEKA for the past decade, which I think is made by East Penn.


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## Big Johnson (Jun 2, 2017)

I just got a new battery for my van yesterday, did a little research and Walmart Maxx (made by JC I think) batteries came pretty highly recommended. The old battery was a NAPA. No bulges.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

The bulges happened when the battery froze. Weak cell or the battery didn't fully charge.

FWIW, some vehicles have an insulating sleeve around the battery to protect it from heat from the radiator or some other component. I've seen these get taken out and not put back in, so you go through batteries.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

hdavis said:


> The bulges happened when the battery froze. Weak cell or the battery didn't fully charge.
> 
> FWIW, some vehicles have an insulating sleeve around the battery to protect it from heat from the radiator or dome other component. I've seen these get taken out and not put back in, so you go through batteries.


OK, then there's 4 ways.:thumbsup:


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

...


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## XJCraver (Dec 21, 2010)

In my local NAPA store there are 2 kinds of batteries - red-stickered, cheap ones, and blue-stickered, more expensive ones. We go through a fair amount of batteries at the farm and have had pretty good luck with the blue-stickered ones. The red ones are crap, and we won't buy them.

I agree with the others up there though that if all this is happening in the same rig, it's probably not the batteries.


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## Railman (Jan 19, 2008)

Bad diode in alternator?
When they go bad, they still show up in voltage, but it's ac current instead of dc.


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## SouthonBeach (Oct 18, 2012)

Inner10 said:


> I'm pretty sure they have been DEKA for the past decade, which I think is made by East Penn.




They use to be exide around here. They could have changed though, it’s been awhile.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I have Napa batteries in everything. My Napa is a 2 minute walk from my shop and I buy everything I can there. They treat me great. 

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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

This last cold snap, my truck had been parked for a week over Christmas. Battery calfed and would barely pop the solenoid.
Pulled the battery into the house over night, reinstalled in the morning and it fired right up.
No bulge to the case, and the posts were a bit skanky with corrosion, so cleaned that mess up.

Napa battery from early 2012, so it has paid itself off already. Usually get 5 to 7 years on a truck battery out here.


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## kapena (Aug 20, 2004)

A bulging battery is usually a sign of overcharging, which would indicate a faulty voltage regulator. Overcharging will overheat the battery and quickly kill it.


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## dayexco (Mar 4, 2006)

uncharged freezing batteries bulge also. i've had them split the case


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

dayexco said:


> uncharged freezing batteries bulge also. i've had them split the case


I see that every winter, or almost every winter. I have about half a dozen used spares that if they lose too much of their charge, they freeze and bulge. Sometimes there is just one weak cell that freezes.


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## RangoWA (Jun 25, 2014)

It does seem to always be happening in winter. If it was overcharging it would happen in summer too. I've had good luck with Interstate, don't know who makes them.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

It probably does happen in summer. It that the temps in summer allow the battery to produce enough cranking amps to turn the engine over. Not so in the winter when the cold temps sap the cranking power out of the battery.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

Leo G said:


> It probably does happen in summer. It that the temps in summer allow the battery to produce enough cranking amps to turn the engine over. Not so in the winter when the cold temps sap the cranking power out of the battery.


Battery gets sulfate in one or more cells, doesn't take a full charge any more, and freezes when it gets cold. Or, it just wasn't fully charged when he parked the vehicle and it froze. It only takes once...


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## backhoe12 (Jan 10, 2018)

I have 22 vehicles and 20 pieces of equipment(most have multiple batteries) and I've been replacing with Napa batteries exclusively for the last 5 years. We have not had 1 go bad that wasn't because of our own doing.


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## cedarboarder (Mar 30, 2015)

Costco's been my place for batteries. best warranty and cheap. but only time will tell.


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## Randy Bush (Mar 7, 2011)

Use to use Sam's batteries, never lasted very good, so now have been using Car Quest ones have held up good even in my diesels.


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## Ahmed 87 (Jan 19, 2021)

SouthonBeach said:


> If I remember correctly Napa batteries are made by exide. I’ve never had an exide battery last any length of time. The best ones have been Johnson controls, followed by East Penn for long life.


Eastpenn have been making napa batteries for some time now. Hence the good quality. I trust these batteries on all my customers vehicles


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## Mordekyle (May 20, 2014)

^^^^

Interesting. Maybe I should start offering a service.

Roof, 10,000

Fence, 4600

Car batteries for two vehicles, $350


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## Seven-Delta-FortyOne (Mar 5, 2011)

Wow.

You are just on FIRE with this 350 thing. 🤣😳

Im impressed.


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## Mordekyle (May 20, 2014)

Life goals.


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