Being a type A personality, I need things to worry about. My S2000 is only 2 months old, and I am already worried about the battery. I am sure other forum members have noticed how tiny the battery is. As best I have been able to figure out, this battery is essentially the same size as the one used in recent model Civics and 4 cylinder Integras. Of course, in the S2000, it has to manage an electric power steering system, crank a very high compression engine, and power the twin motors that raise and lower the top. It would seem that the battery is a very unfortunate choice, perhaps dictated by the limited space under the hood.
Have any of our 'veteran' owners had problems with battery longevity? Have they been able to replace with a larger, higher capacity battery?

 

Use those fancy AA NiCads I see at the supermarket. You can just recharge them every night...isn't technology wonderful??

 

My car is 18 months old, driven every day and has lived through 2 winters with some very severe cold conditions (some mornings with the car sitting out all night at near -40 degrees). I've had no issues with the battery. With the exception of keeping the ECU powered when the car is off, cranking the engine is the only major power draw for the battery alone. Once the car has started, the charging system takes over for all functions. I only operate the top when the engine is running. Stock batteries for me have always lasted a few months shy of 3 years. The one in the S is NOT a concern for me. I would worry more about it if the car was NOT a daily driver. For those cars, I've always had a "smart charger" hooked up and even in those cases the battery crapped out before 3 years.

 

Viper,I seem to remember in the manual reading top should not be raised or lowered with the engine on.Now I read the manual six months ago and I drive a 2002 so perhaps things have changed from your year vs. mine.

 

I haven't heard of any problems with the stock battery. People in milder climates have even successfully replaced it with a much SMALLER one to save weight!

 

No, you are NOT mistaken and nothing has changed. I believe this is something that Honda has put in there as a legal issue to protect their own butts in case something weird happens when you are operating the top. Since you must have the tranny in neutral and the hand brake applied, I see no reason why the engine can't remain running to reduce the drain on the battery, not that I think it would be something the battery can't handle anyway. But since putting the top up might be the last thing one does just before leaving the car, I'd like to know that at least the battery has max power to start the engine when I get back so I let the charging system run the top motors rather than the battery alone.

 

Hmmm..something to think about,so you've never had any problems with the top or anything else for that matter while the engine is running?I've always thought lowering the windows,then dropping the top with the engine off was a hell of a load on the battery anyway but since the manual said it I believed it.

 

(Touch wood) - In fact, there has been absolutely nothing wrong with any part of this car. Until I saw this thread, I never even gave the battery or the top a second thought.

 

Well,I've taken your advice before on a few issues so why not this as well....thanks man.

 

As soon as I saw the battery I thought, "Like the aluminum hood, another weight saving measure taken by Honda." It seems to be sufficient for the car.