Hi All.

Curious how long everyones stock batteries have lasted?

We are at 115,000 kms (about 70,000 miles?) and have the original battery (2008, Mazda 5 GT)

I have some issues with my aftermarket Kenwood Stereo in that when I start the car, sometimes the Sirius doesn't load, or the Bluetooth doesn't find my iPhone. Turning the deck off then back on solves the problem.

Kenwood Warranty dude said that it is the initial voltage the deck is getting when the car is started, and suggested I get my battery checked.

Anyone else have a similar story? Is it likely that I need a new battery?

 

I am going to tell you what i tell everyone else:
1) Please wrap your battery in insulation. It keeps the heat and the cold off of it for maximum life.
2) If you have an aftermarket stereo, please add another ground wire from the negative terminal of the battery to the body of your vehicle, especially if you have an amp at the back

That being said. I have a Kenwood CD player and have an issue sometimes even after doing the above. I have a USB port with over 1700 songs on it. Most of the time it loads fine, but the odd time it does not-----it says "loading" or "reading" on the screen but after driving for a few minutes, still no song playing. At this point I have to shut the car off and re-start it again.
Just the other day, i was driving around to a few different places. After the 3rd place it did not load. I know it had enough juice because i was just driving it around! Damn computer electronics have to be re-set! It reminds me of my HD Cable with my PVR. I have to shut that thing off once in a while for it to re-set as well.
Welcome to the new age of electronics! You have a problem, unplug it, plug it back in!

 

Usually 2 years on a "stock" battery. Battery life does also depend on conditions such as hot/cold, usually cold is the biggest detrement. I've had 4 year batteries not make 3 years and some change, these are prorated from when it fails to when its warrenty is out. If you are running higher power required devices, you should look at alternator, and battery best for your fit.

 

So with that in mind, sounds like I am doing okay at 4.5 years, 110,000 km's on stock battery then

I'll try the extra ground cable but Why is this helpful? (ALso, I do not have an amp, just the HU.

 

Extremely Lucky with your battery so far! The extra body ground up front near the battery is mandatory with an extra amp, not really in your case for your stereo head unit. Maybe you could add another ground from your head unit?
However, the ground wires are minimal on today's vehicle and corrosion may result.
Enhancing your vehicles grounding connection will help out in better performance delivery and in some cases better gas mileage. An enhanced automotive grounding kit will help improve the idle of your vehicle. More grounding points helps to equilize the resisitance between grounding points, which means better performance. Some have also been known to shift smoother on an automatic transmission, it also helps with better response to throttle.
it does improve the overall electrical efficiency of the car and you'll notice a few minor improvements here and there.

Some good reads:

STILLEN : STILLEN Grounding Kit
Do car electrical grounding kits work? (Performance Mods Electrical Battery)

"We were honestly quite skeptical when Mazda 5 ground kits (also called "earth" or "earthing" systems) first started hitting the market a few years ago, but we were sold once we found out that a new Mazda 5 ground kit could improve throttle response, decrease electrical load, and even add a couple of horsies under the hood. Best of all (in our opinion), installing a new Mazda 5 ground kit can drastically reduce audio interference and noise, which is especially important to those of us who have aftermarket stereo components."
Better grounding and more equalized voltage carries with it many advantages, such as brighter headlights, easier startups, and smoother idle, so we recommend checking into what a new Mazda 5 ground kit can do for your ride.
ABOVE FROM: Mazda Mazda 5 Ground Wires at Andys Auto Sport

My ground recommendations from negative battery terminal to: auto tranny, body, throttle body, engine block.

 

My OE battery, much to my surprise, lasted 5, almost 6 yrs!! That's about 50-55k miles for me.
I don't usually put that much strain on it in the form of high powered stereos w/subs, though. In fact much of the time I don't listen to anything at all!!
Being in Texas though it's not unusual to run the A/C morning and night for 5-6 months of the year. I am usually on my way to work @ 4AM and until recently ran the A/C the whole time.... April to September.
I have even been known to be wearing shorts and a t-shirt for short periods on Christmas day... but certainly not every year. Fall is coming early here this year, or I'd still be running the A/C in the morning.