Summary
The early death of batteries causes:
Unprofitable situations for retailer, wholesalers and manufactures
Poor customer relations for the product and store/installer
Unacceptable down time and expense for the motorist in today's very busy world.
Analysis
1) Price point SALE batteries. The economy batteries that the chain stores market are not designed to operate all of the electronics newer vehicles have and/or hav added to the electrical system. Further, the unassisted buying public that buys on price will buy a battery that does not have the proper capacity thus making this snowball roll and get bigger.
2) Poor manufacturing. Many batteries that we see regardless of capacity that malfunction at an early age have lost connection between the plates internally. These batteries will test good one time and then test bad another time. The Top/Side Post variety can test good on the TOP POSTS and Bad on the SIDE POSTS due to this separation.
3) Light weight alternators. The charging units in the 70's were battery chargers. The alternators on today's vehicles are battery maintainers. So many times when the original battery has a natural death the alternator does the same and should be replaced.
4) Not charging a battery fully when installed into a vehicle. Look back at early advertisements for auto batteries and one will find "Trickle Chargers" for stores to keep the batteries ready and charged. This is not practiced any more at the retail or installer level.
