anyone else having problems with newer interstate batteries

[miles1400]

i got a pair of genuine interstate batteries for my truck in may of 2019, now less than a year and a half later they arent working as well, with it being fall here in PA we get some colder nights and the truck cranks real slow in the morning.

good starter good alternator and the batteries charge well while driving.

i think it is just the batteries going bad, has anyone else had this happen?

 

[riphip]

Take them back where you purchased and have tested (separately) if you know alt is charging correctly.

 

[chillman88]

I know the shop around the corner from me was having issues and stopped selling them. I've never run them though so I have no opinion on the matter other than they're expensive lol.

 

[Va_Mike]

I had similar experiences with interstate batteries when I ran them in my boat. I went through 6 batteries in 3 years, they wouldn't warrant them and kept telling me that my charging system was bad(was a brand new repower by mercruser wiring and all) after getting the run around and buying 6 batteries that all failed in short order. I switched to Deka. the two deka batteries lasted 4 years till I sold the boat and were still working like new. I haven't bought a interstate battery since. Some of the Duracell batteries from Sam's club are produced by deka and I have run them for years without problem as well.

 

[miles1400]

@Va_Mike its interesteing that you have had success with deka batteries cause I thought deka makes the interstate batteries but I could be wrong. Anyway, i know a guy that sells interstates at his shop so I think he would warranty them for me no questions asked, especially cause the batteries have a "30 month free replacement" on them and I think he would honor it

 

[CDX825]

Interstate was bought out quite a few years ago by johnson controls. They have a reputation of killing every brand they get ahold of. They are the reason Optima batteries are no longer any good.

 

[Va_Mike]

I hope that they replace them for you, as they should. Mine I believe were 24 months warranty but they claimed that "my charging system was the problem and that the batteries were tested and in perfect condition when I bought them" I had used interstate batteries on everything and believed that they were the best so I bought another set and another set when they went bad. Along with having the boats electrical system evaluated. I was sad to see them change and not for the better to my opinion.
I had used interstate for a long time prior to that experience and never had a problem. I know the dealer that we used had changed hands and was no longer the business we had been dealing with. I know East Penn makes the deka batteries. I am not sure who makes the interstate batteries. I know there are only about 4 companies in the US that make batteries and they are branded according to the specs of the customer.

 

[Booyah45828]

We sell Deka at the shop. They're made by EastPenn manufacturing, which is the only battery manufacturer here in the states.

I believe eastpenn makes napa batteries and o'reilly batteries too. The deka batteries we sell have a simple warranty program of 2 years for gold and 3 years for platinum. Napa and o'reilly are both pro-rata warranties which is a pain to explain to customers and figure out when there is trouble.

Deka batteries aren't perfect, but we had fewer issues with them then with the interstates we had, and the deka's are solely made in the USA. Johnson controls, which is now clarios, manufactured predominantly in South Korea and Mexico the last I heard. I think their agm's were made in the states, but I couldn't tell you the last time I sold or installed one of them.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

They're made by EastPenn manufacturing, which is the only battery manufacturer here in the states.

I know this isn't right because I have a friend who works at the Exide Battery (or whatever the official name is) plant in Salina, KS. They make everything there from individual parts.

 

[Booyah45828]

I know this isn't right because I have a friend who works at the Exide Battery (or whatever the official name is) plant in Salina, KS. They make everything there from individual parts.

Are you sure they're auto batteries? After their bankrupty 5 years or so ago I heard the transferred all vehicle battery manufacturing to mexico. Looking online now, I see they still have plants here but it doesn't list what those plants are manufacturing specifically. I also seen they just declared bankruptcy again, so is your friend still employed?

 

[miles1400]

@Booyah45828 Yep, East Penn Manufacturing is 20-25 mins away from me in Fleetwood PA. as a company i hate them, i had applied there last year for a Diesel Mechanic job and it took them forever to interview me and the people that interviewed me just asked me a bunch of BS questions, i never got to see their truck garage and then they didnt hire me.
anyway, i dont plan on ever buying a Deka brand battery, but if the guy wont warrenty my interstates i think i will just get Napa batteries cause even though Deka makes the batteries for Napa i have heard they are better quality than other batteries and i can get a good discount at Napa too. i just do not want a stupid Deka sticker on my batteries in my truck.

 

[riphip]

I have Interstates from Costco. Costco has warrantied mine w/o testing

 

[gandalf]

I too am running Costco Interstate batteries. My current truck batteries are two years old. I have had no problems with them. I have Costco Interstate in other vehicles, and Costco has warrantied them without testing or question.

 

[theSHERPA]

It seems most of my Interstate Group 65 batteries purchased from Costco are dying sooner than in the past. But they are dying within the warranty period and Costco replaces them without issue.


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[IDIBRONCO]

Are you sure they're auto batteries? After their bankrupty 5 years or so ago I heard the transferred all vehicle battery manufacturing to mexico. Looking online now, I see they still have plants here but it doesn't list what those plants are manufacturing specifically. I also seen they just declared bankruptcy again, so is your friend still employed?

I just heard back from my friend. Yes he's still employed. Exide sold out to Stryten Manufacturing (or at least this plant did). I have no idea who Stryten Manufacturing is and haven't tried to look. Nothing else has changed in the plant so they do still make automotive batteries. I try to not look very deep into this plant. I absolutely HATED it when I worked there. It may be a little on the inappropriate side, but here's the quick version of my favorite story from there. I have another friend who used to work there 20 years or so ago. He's great with computers, but not very physical so he worked in the office. After I found out that he got fires from there, he told me that he got caught building websites at work. When I asked another friend, he said "that may have been part of it, but the real reason the he got fired was because he was sleeping with the owner's granddaughter." Now THAT sounds just like him! At least I kept the language forum friendly.