my car's only about 2 1/2 years old and my battery seem to be dead.

I was washing my car the other day and while cleaning interior, I left my keys in with the radio off. So after about 15 mins of cleaning, I tried to start the car, and it wouldn't start!! I couldn't believe it! after 15 mins with no radio on...

is this normal? more importantly what battery should I get next?

 

How long a battery lasts depends on how it was treated as well as the climate. How often do you use the car and are they short trips?

Sears doesn't seem to list one for the S, but is in the menu option. Exide has one:
http://exide.com
Exide has a pretty good warranty and is sold at a lot of places.

Lance

 

See if you can get it "reconditioned". My buddy's shop has such a thing and it has brought back many a dead batteries.

 

Being in CA I can't imagine it being any worse than the other states... the trips I take are average about 20 mins, does it make a big difference?

voodoo, how much does your friend charge for that? wouldn't it be more cost efficient to just get a new battery?

 

mine did the same thing the other day haha exactly... i was cleaning out my car and it ran down... the batteries are weak man,.... when you go to autozone to buy one they recomend a 510 or a 640 cold cranking amp vs. the stock 410 cca

 

Definitely not normal. I've got the stock radio and was listing to Saint Anger Sunday night while I worked in the garage for about 3 hours. I didn't try starting the car until Monday morning but I had no problems. I've had my S since Nov '99 and she's got 36,000 miles on her now.

 

My battery croaked a month ago. Sears makes a replacement but its not something they always stock. I admit though I run a 5-channel Alpine V12 Amp, Alpine Headunit, and Alarm on mine.

On most of my cars I dont get more than 2 years out of a battery. My old Civic got 1 year. Batteries with warrantees!

 

I would not even consider reconditioning a battery. If the battery is failing and you bring it back to life for a little longer and then it fails, what have you accomplished? You still shell out the same money for a new battery, you paid to have it reconditioned, so that is extra money spent and your times wasted either getting a jump, tow or trip to the battery store to get a new battery. They are not that expensive, especially for the piece of mind.

 

He hasn't had a "reconditioned" battery fail yet in over a year of using the charger. The charger analysis the battery and tells you if it will work or not. Most of the "dead" batteries that he has seen are able to be "reconditioned". The one that aren't usually have dead cells or other related problems.

Also, this is a service that they don't charge for, so you're not wasting any money.