The thought of the battery running out of juice leaving one in a precarious position has no doubt occurred to many of us at one time or another. The thought of replacement occurs more frequently once the car has been with you for a while and the years and miles accumulate. Tales abound the forum of batteries that have been problematic as well as those who have reported trouble-free service from the battery. Going through a few threads from the early days of S2KI, we found that several of the original members had this concern of the battery in the S2000 as well. They feared that the battery in the car was designed for efficiency and weight balance and was generally too weak to last for a long time. Ten odd years down the line, we seem to be finding out the real life of the S2000 battery.
Our member Testut reports that his battery lasted him a full decade. In his own words: “It’s official. After 10 years, 4 months, and 25 days, my ORIGINAL S2000 battery has died. The irony is that I remember asking the salesman back in 2001 if he thought such a small battery could survive even one Upstate New York winter. He told me he thought it could.” This could very well be a record of sorts or, at the very least, a testament to how our car was built using only the finest components considering this car was driven not only through 10 seasons of snow, but also countless track days and autocross sessions.
Another member hahapopcorn started a thread and asked “I am currently the third owner of a 2000 AP1 and I think that it still has its first stock battery in there. Can a car battery even last 10+ years?” Based on reports of battery longevity, we think the chances of the battery being original and lasting 10 years are definitely high.
While daily driving lends itself very well to the battery life of the S2000, we must also admit and acknowledge that the S2000 is a fair-weather car for some of us. We store the car under covers so that we can drive it in perfect weather. Some of us who store our car during the winter months use a trickle charger to keep the battery charged through the period of inactivity. By virtue of providing a battery just enough voltage to sustain its charge, a trickle charger can lend to the longevity of your battery and can theoretically stay connected to the battery for an extended period of time without causing damage. If you are considering storing your vehicle for a long period of time, then it is a good idea to think about a trickle charger in order to avoid the inconvenience of a drained or dead battery when it comes time to pull the covers off.
There is yet another school of owners who store their cars for the winter without making arrangements for battery maintenance. This is especially true for those of us who live in an apartment community or lack covered parking at home and have no way of establishing a setup for battery maintenance during the winter. Anecdotal evidence suggests that these owners too have had a relatively good service from the original battery with reports that the battery has lasted a good seven to eight years with no special maintenance.
Battery life also depends on local conditions. Our News Editor C32b reports that battery life is shorter for those living in tropical conditions where heat and humidity are much higher. Therefore a battery may not last as long as 10 years in a place like Singapore for instance, that is located close to the Equator.
One could say that there is not really a single factor that determines how long your battery will last you, although the AP1 owner group may suggest that the reason the battery lasts longer is because they have the superior car and that their ability to rev to 9000 rpm is what keeps the battery alive (we jest!). While we cannot recommend a surefire method to extend your battery’s life, we however urge you to keep checking your battery frequently. Make sure the battery, the cables and the case are clean anytime you do an inspection of your engine bay. Follow the instructions in your owner’s manual to clean the battery area and to perform battery maintenance. By ensuring that your battery is kept clean and charged (while the car is stored), we think you will improve the chances of your battery lasting longer.
What do you think? Is there a surefire way to prolong battery life? How long did your original battery last you?
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on Sep 22nd, 2011 at 6:06 pm
4.5 years and going strong.
on Sep 22nd, 2011 at 8:07 pm
My 2003 model is still running on its original battery. For the winter I remove the battery and store it in a cool dry place. Come the spring, I place it on a slow charge before re-installing it for the running seasons.
on Sep 22nd, 2011 at 9:26 pm
5 years and going strong
on Sep 22nd, 2011 at 9:41 pm
My 2000 AP1 is still running strong with the OEM battery, it is ridiculous. Mind you, I am the second owner, if it was changed they bought the same one again haha.
on Sep 22nd, 2011 at 11:26 pm
Like c32b, I’m from Singapore and just changed out my stock JDM Panasonic battery after exactly 2 years.
In fact, most car batteries last around 2 years over here
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 12:03 am
Mine (OEM battery from 2005) just died this week!
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 4:15 am
I had to replace my battery this spring, It’s was the original MY00 battery.
I’m now using a Odyssey PC 925 mounted on its side. Engine starts way happier/quicker now and the battery weights alot less than the standard one.
It looks great under the hood on my NFR alwell.
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 4:25 am
04 here/ Trickle charged for about the last 2 years. Fully expect to see 10. Have a friend with a 95 Ford Explorer whose battery lasted 15 years with just daily use! Unheard of! Told him he should submit th battery to Ford to have it torn down, but he was too cheap and wanted his core money back.
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 5:09 am
I have had to replace the battery in my AP1 twice in 2 years….
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 6:11 am
11/22/1999 – Purchased S2000
06/02/2005 – 53,265 miles – replaced battery with H31500‑SB2‑100M – $80.19 + tax = $85.00
08/09/2010 – 48,345 miles – replaced battery with Duralast 51-DLG – $94.99 + tax = $100.69
Average battery life – 5 years 4 months 9 days – 50,805 miles
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 6:23 am
Mine just died after about four years of Georgia & Alabama heat.
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 9:37 am
FYI -Three dead batteries
, Honda has replaced all on warranty, only 13k on my 02 AP1. The battery has been my only problem. I am the original owner.
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 1:00 pm
My MY02 (build month: Dec 2001) OEM battery was replaced after 9-years. The battery did not quit, but it was not cranking the engine as fast as it had been. Not wanting to be stranded, I replaced the battery. I expect it could have lasted for 10-years. Car has always been parked in climate controlled garage in NW Arkansas.
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 1:04 pm
9 years from mine!
And dude, that’s a photo of your battery Aashish isn’t it?
on Sep 23rd, 2011 at 2:23 pm
I left my S sitting for 6 months with the battery disconnected. Came back and along with not losing a single PSI from any of the tyres (WHAT!?) upon reconnecting the battery she turned over and started instantly. Battery is still fine now.
I was expecting it to be totally dead, apparently not!
on Sep 24th, 2011 at 3:56 pm
You are eagle eyed Jeremy. Good catch
on Sep 24th, 2011 at 7:59 pm
I have a 2000 Honda S2000 with 9214 original miles and it still has the original battery in it. I use a battery tender while it is in storage and have had really good luck thus far.
on Sep 25th, 2011 at 12:36 pm
I have a 2000 s2000 27900 miles on the original panasonic honda battery
on Sep 26th, 2011 at 12:04 am
I had a Die-Hard gold in my old AP1 that was from 2005 and it never let me down even with the increased load from a 800w audio system, Started even in Zero and below conditions without issue. Die-Hard gold will always be a great choice for an OEM replacement battery IMO. Had one in my 94 civic as well, Never an issue.
on Sep 26th, 2011 at 11:05 am
I bought my S2000 brand new in August of 2004. It’s still on the original battery now, September 2011.
27k miles
Stored in an insulated garage in the winter
I have used a battery maintainer for the past 3 years.
on Sep 26th, 2011 at 8:24 pm
I just replaced mine today. I have an ’03, third owner.
on Sep 28th, 2011 at 6:49 am
My original battery lasted seven years but was growing weak. Rather than get stuck, I waited for a sale and bought a new battery at half-off cost from Sears. Stay attentive, be proactive, and you can save money and avoid getting stranded by a dead battery.
on Sep 28th, 2011 at 10:04 am
My 2000 AP1 battery lasted 8 years. It was still starting the car fine, but it didn’t pass the Honda service load test. Rather than be stranded, I replaced it. My car has < 30,000 miles on it, but it gets driven almost every day, so it has been through a lot of start cycles with little mileage to deeply charge it. Pretty impressive that it lasted that long!
on Oct 3rd, 2011 at 8:51 am
My car is a MY07 with the original battery. Over the last month it has started to feel pretty weak on start up so I am keeping an eye on it. I own two cars though, so I’ll probably continue to use it till its completely dead. Not sure it will make it through the winter though…
on Oct 4th, 2011 at 10:24 am
I have been through two batteries in six years of ownership on my 2001. The last time I had it replaced I went with an Optima Yellow and it lasted exactly three years. It’s unreal if you are getting eight years out of one battery – I have always been told that and average car battery gets three to four years of life before dying.