Warning to Canadian owners about stock battery - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Suberman · 09-08-2013, 10:03 AM

The stock battery fit to manual transmission Subaru's in Canada is only 340 CCA.

That is hopelessly inadequate for most of Canada.

Subaru makes and stocks a 640CCA replacement battery which you can get if you complain loudly enough after your Subie won't start in cold weather.

Muskokan · 09-08-2013, 10:05 AM

Good call, they replace yours? How bad was it last winter?
Coming up on my first muskoka winter with it.

Rayme · 09-08-2013, 10:42 AM

Thankfully the 0w20 oil makes is pretty easy on the starter/battery, cranks as easy as 30 as -30. But I know some places get colder than that.

davidp · 09-08-2013, 10:54 AM

mine started at -38 last winter .. it cranked a bit slower but fired up right away

stateless · 09-08-2013, 06:14 PM

Good to know! I had no problem with mine through last winter parked outside with no block heater (condo parking had no plugin anyway). Then again, there weren't that many cold days last year, and this is going to be its second winter. I think I'm going to see how it does this year and either get a Costco or AMA battery for even more CCA.

Suberman · 09-09-2013, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muskokan

Good call, they replace yours? How bad was it last winter?
Coming up on my first muskoka winter with it.

Not yet but I'm guessing they'll have to.

Mind you, Yellowknife gets much colder than Calgary so maybe, just maybe 340 CCA might be just enough. Mine is not my daily driver so I don't need it to start for sure at my home location. It's not my ski car either!

wparsons · 09-09-2013, 02:53 PM

I had zero issues with mine last winter, but I'm in the GTA, not way up in cold country

SkAsphalt · 09-09-2013, 04:45 PM

Mine started all winter long in Saskatchewan, sometimes after sitting for months. Note our -30,40 degree temperatures and average round -25

Suberman · 09-09-2013, 10:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SkAsphalt

Mine started all winter long in Saskatchewan, sometimes after sitting for months. Note our -30,40 degree temperatures and average round -25

Good to know. It is possible my daughter's car was delivered with a duff battery.

Still, 340 CCA is pretty wimpy for minus 40C.

Walla Walla · 09-09-2013, 11:03 PM

had no problem last winter, only one time, started hard... -35.... but started still!

stateless · 09-11-2013, 12:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Suberman

Good to know. It is possible my daughter's car was delivered with a duff battery.

Still, 340 CCA is pretty wimpy for minus 40C.

I agree, that's pretty wimpy for Canada. It seems to work initially for most, but I worry about the second or third year.

ymboc · 09-11-2013, 11:42 AM

I did have a problem a couple times with moisture/frost on the terminal closest to the outside fender.

Once I cleaned up the terminal & frost it worked right away.

Enemies · 09-11-2013, 02:26 PM

Two solutions.

1) Switch battery.
2) Move.

I chose the second in 1998. Left Winnipeg and came to Kelowna. No regrets!

Khyron686 · 12-30-2013, 12:34 PM

2nd winter with mine. Had some sluggish starts, and then one morning it was totally dead (garage, but unheated and -30). Positive there were no lights/draw were on, but car was sitting for 4-5 days.

Trickle charged it, and it's been good since, dealer said it was fine. Tempted to get a 700cca from Walmart for 70 bucks just for piece of mind (and a few more lbs)

09-08-2013, 10:03 AM	#1
Suberman Banned Join Date: Jul 2013 Drives: Subaru BRZ Sport Tech Satin White Location: Calgary, Alberta,Canada Posts: 1,228 Thanks: 147 Thanked 320 Times in 225 Posts Mentioned: 10 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Warning to Canadian owners about stock battery The stock battery fit to manual transmission Subaru's in Canada is only 340 CCA. That is hopelessly inadequate for most of Canada. Subaru makes and stocks a 640CCA replacement battery which you can get if you complain loudly enough after your Subie won't start in cold weather.

09-08-2013, 10:42 AM	#3
Rayme The Answer Join Date: Sep 2012 Drives: Mazda 2 Location: Moncton, NB Posts: 1,233 Thanks: 488 Thanked 661 Times in 315 Posts Mentioned: 6 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Thankfully the 0w20 oil makes is pretty easy on the starter/battery, cranks as easy as 30 as -30. But I know some places get colder than that. __________________ \| Roof wrap thread

09-08-2013, 06:14 PM	#5
stateless Double Dragon Join Date: Mar 2012 Drives: 2013 6MT BRZ Limited Location: Calgary Posts: 288 Thanks: 66 Thanked 40 Times in 21 Posts Mentioned: 4 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Good to know! I had no problem with mine through last winter parked outside with no block heater (condo parking had no plugin anyway). Then again, there weren't that many cold days last year, and this is going to be its second winter. I think I'm going to see how it does this year and either get a Costco or AMA battery for even more CCA. __________________

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09-08-2013, 10:05 AM	#2
Muskokan Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Drives: white Sport-tech Location: Ontario Posts: 676 Thanks: 204 Thanked 320 Times in 149 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 1 Thread(s)	Good call, they replace yours? How bad was it last winter? Coming up on my first muskoka winter with it.

09-08-2013, 10:54 AM	#4
davidp Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Drives: BRZ Limited Location: Quebec Posts: 54 Thanks: 18 Thanked 23 Times in 16 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	mine started at -38 last winter .. it cranked a bit slower but fired up right away

09-11-2013, 11:42 AM	#12
ymboc Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Drives: FR-S Location: Ottawa, ON Posts: 61 Thanks: 1 Thanked 19 Times in 7 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	I did have a problem a couple times with moisture/frost on the terminal closest to the outside fender. Once I cleaned up the terminal & frost it worked right away.

09-11-2013, 02:26 PM	#13
Enemies Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Drives: '13 SWP Sport-Tech (Limited) Location: Okanagan Valley, Canada Posts: 1,093 Thanks: 11 Thanked 86 Times in 55 Posts Mentioned: 2 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Two solutions. 1) Switch battery. 2) Move. I chose the second in 1998. Left Winnipeg and came to Kelowna. No regrets!

12-30-2013, 12:34 PM	#14
Khyron686 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Drives: 2011 Outlander XLS, 2013 FR-S Blue Location: Calgary, Canada Posts: 634 Thanks: 129 Thanked 168 Times in 102 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	2nd winter with mine. Had some sluggish starts, and then one morning it was totally dead (garage, but unheated and -30). Positive there were no lights/draw were on, but car was sitting for 4-5 days. Trickle charged it, and it's been good since, dealer said it was fine. Tempted to get a 700cca from Walmart for 70 bucks just for piece of mind (and a few more lbs)

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