# 2018 Civic Battery Keeps Dying (3rd battery) **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [July 10, 2023, 9:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615 "2023-07-10T21:28:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Littlebaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@Littlebaby](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Littlebaby)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 11:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/21 "2023-07-11T23:24:31Z")
Thank you for your response. I am waiting for my thermal shield to arrive, after changing out the dead battery, I plan on testing the current draw of the new battery to see if there is a parasitic current draw. I will update after doing this. Do you think the unusually short battery life could be related to not having the fabric thermal shield on (I hope this is the issue, that would be the best case scenario for me) ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2023, 11:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/22 "2023-07-11T23:37:59Z")
> [@Littlebaby](#): > > Do you think the unusually short battery life could be related to not having the fabric thermal shield No experience w/battery thermal shields. Engine compartment heat varies widely, car design to car design. My guess however is your Civic engine compartment heat is close to typical for a car, and the lack of thermal shield on the battery isn’t the reason for the short life, or at least not the main reason. Always best to keep car configured the same way as when new however. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 2:44am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/23 "2023-07-12T02:44:23Z")
> [@Littlebaby](#): > > Do you think the unusually short battery life could be related to not having the fabric thermal shield on You replace 3 batteries in what time period? The heat insulator will help but much depends on driving conditions. I drive 20 minutes in the morning, 20 minutes in the evening. The battery in my car does not get very hot and will last 6 years. Some of my customers drive around all afternoon on hot days, the battery gets hot from the engine heat, the battery lasts 18 months. Your battery will never last as long as George’s batteries, he drives old cars with no air conditioning, much less engine compartment heat. Also, his registration expired 3 years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Littlebaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@Littlebaby](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Littlebaby)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 3:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/24 "2023-07-12T03:23:49Z")
I bought the car new in Jan/2018, I had to change the battery in 2020, and Jan/2021, and now in July/2023. I don’t remember when the fabric thermal shield was removed. I did the battery changes myself and I think at one point I didn’t replace it for some reason. I drive about 30 minutes twice a day on work days, the car is always parked outside. The first two batteries may have been affected by an after market device that I had plugged into the car (but that was removed Jan/2021 after the second battery change. ---
**Author:** ![bcohen2010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@bcohen2010](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bcohen2010)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 3:47am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/25 "2023-07-12T03:47:31Z")
> [@Nevada\_545](#): > > The battery failed, the charging system is good. 2 1/2 years is a common lifespan of a battery in the Southwest. Is this a recent trend? I live in southern AZ, and I get way more than this out of a battery. In fact, my 2004 Corolla is only on its third battery. Running through three batteries on a 5-year old car is beyond absurd. All of my car batteries are older than this. In fact, the battery in my truck is currently 7 years old, and the truck is seldom driven, but it always starts. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 4:09am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/26 "2023-07-12T04:09:25Z")
> [@George\_San\_Jose1](#): > > My vehicle’s parasitic draws: > > Corolla: 3 mA > Truck: 0 mA With all due respect, those aren’t exactly useful comparisons How could your vehicles possibly have any meaningful parasitic draw, as they only have a handful of circuits each Modern vehicles have tons of creature features, multiple fuse boxes, modules which are in communiction with each other, etc. All that being said . . . We wouldn’t have you any other way, George 😺 ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 4:42am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/27 "2023-07-12T04:42:02Z")
> [@bcohen2010](#): > > I live in southern AZ, and I get way more than this out of a battery. It really depends on the use of the vehicle. I replaced many (hundreds) of Dodge Caravan batteries years ago that were less than three years old. The battery is next to the engine, some people idle the vehicle in 110 F heat for 15 minutes before driving and 15 minutes after arriving at their destination to really “cook” that battery. Then they complain there must be a “short” that ruined the battery. Raise the hood after a trip and see how much heat escapes the engine compartment. The OP’s Honda was manufactured in 2017, the first battery lasted more than two years. The second battery: less than one year, defective? Replaced because it was discharged? Possible. Two and a half years for the third battery, Interstate battery? Could be about right. This evening a co-worker told me that he replaced 9 batteries today and lost his battery jumper along the way. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 4:54am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/28 "2023-07-12T04:54:01Z")
The Honda Civic uses a small battery: group 51R. Measures 9 3/8" X 5 1/16" Weight - 27.6 lbs. A group 24 battery weighs 42.8 lbs. ![image](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/3/e/3e38c0237a2aeb52225b1e8fc2363f2473b3a262.png) ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 2:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/29 "2023-07-12T14:17:33Z")
> [@Littlebaby](#): > > I did the battery changes myself How many miles do you drive a year??? 37,000??? I thought the warranty covered the battery in the basic 3 yr/36,000 miles… But it wouldn’t be the 1st time I was wrong, just ask my wife… 🤪 Unless you were over that mileage you should have gotten at least 1 battery maybe 2??? BTW The average life of a battery in my neck of the woods is 3 years… ---
**Author:** ![Littlebaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@Littlebaby](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Littlebaby)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 3:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/30 "2023-07-12T15:22:47Z")
I think my car has about 6x,xxx miles on it right now. The second battery change Costco gave a credit because the battery gave out in a little over a year. This time when I went to Costco they didn’t seem to want to honor the warranty because they told me my car likely had an issue causing the batteries to die prematurely. I plan on going back to costco with the dead battery and the results of the battery testing and my own testing. Thank you ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/31 "2023-07-12T17:20:07Z")
> [@Nevada\_545](#): > > > [@Littlebaby](#): > > > > State of Health 0%, Charging System Pass > > Costco batteries have a 36 month free replacement warranty, get a new battery. don’t overlook this @Littlebaby don’t give them background info. Tell them to test the battery, and replace it since it is two years old. It shouldn’t matter how long the previous one did or did not last. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 5:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/32 "2023-07-12T17:52:33Z")
I guess I don’t get that since the 1st battery should/would have been under the new car warranty, why did you just not get a free new battery from the dealer in the 1st place?? Then the dealer would have a record of the battery dying and they may have found an issue… ---
**Author:** ![Littlebaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@Littlebaby](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Littlebaby)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 6:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/33 "2023-07-12T18:56:53Z")
Yeah that’s a good question, when bough the car I installed a self driving device (comma ai) onto the car which I think drew a small current, I assumed that is why the battery life was not good. After the second time the battery died early in 2021 I removed the device and I thought that would be the end of the battery issues. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/34 "2023-07-12T21:11:39Z")
Good thing you removed the comma ai openpilot device. Openpilot can drive for hours without driver interaction? I don’t believe it. There are no autopilot devices for automobiles yet. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 9:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/35 "2023-07-12T21:12:13Z")
> [@db4690](#): > > How could your vehicles possibly have any meaningful parasitic draw, as they only have a handful of circuits each Handful of circuits? Ok, I’ll grant that’s true for the truck, the entire wiring diagram fits on 3 pages. But the Corolla’s wiring diagram is over 125 pages. ---
**Author:** ![Littlebaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7cd45c/32.png) [@Littlebaby](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Littlebaby)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 9:52pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/36 "2023-07-12T21:52:44Z")
First of all thank you to this forum. Im learning about my car which is great. I found my old thermal shield and installed the new battery. Here is the result of the current draw testing. So it looks like there is no parasitic drain?! ![IMG_2393](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/f/1/f16c077eedeb39d8ba6134760cfbd8d2b8b339e5.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2023, 10:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615/37 "2023-07-12T22:58:37Z")
It looks to me like you’ve measured the parasitic current correctly. You appear to have the meter on the 10 amp scale, and it is showing 0.050 amps, or 50 mA. That’s a good number, for a 2018, should be well within spec for the everything-off current draw. You can confirm this by doing some basic arithmetic. A typical battery holds about 35 amp-hours of charge. So if your battery is fully charged, then has a current of 0.050 amps, the charge will last 35 amp - hours / 0.05 amp = 700 hours = 29 days. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2018-civic-battery-keeps-dying-3rd-battery/191615.md?page=1)