Wouldn't spend the money for a Subaru battery, personally.

 

I would test the battery with a tester to see if you need to change it.

 

2025-2018=7 years. If that's the factory battery, no need to test. It's on borrowed time. Buy whatever battery your pocket book is happy with or you feel you need. I personally wouldn't buy a Subaru battery. I would buy an AGM from either Batteries Plus or Costco.

 

I had one of the factory Subaru batteries only make it 3 yrs in my '19 WRX. I replaced it with one of the AGM's from O'Reilly's

 

Interstate AGM here in my 2019 Forester & 2021 Crosstrek

 

There is no real advantage to buying Subaru branded. Someone else makes the battery for Subaru. Japanese built Subaru's (like your Forester) could likely be using Panasonic made 12v batteries.

Agree with others to go AGM. Best thing is to buy from a local vendor who can support a warranty (Costco, auto parts store, etc). Most batteries last 4-5 years max (such as here in SoCal, maybe 4 years max in desert areas).

I recently had to buy a new battery for my 2019 Discovery, and my independent mechanic who I trust very much usually goes with Exide 12V AGM batteries.

 

You'll hear a lot of recommendations to go AGM. There may be some advantage to the more expensive internal construction if you live in a hot climate. Up north, I've had a great 25 year run buying Walmart's high end conventional battery, the Everstart Maxx for our fleet. I typically proactively change them out at the 5 year mark.

 

I think that maybe the issue”the heat”. My forester sits out in this Alabama heat ALL day, when even in September my internal temp can be up to 115°. My old is starting to collect corrosion on the positive.

 

Just another option that I never see mentioned. The battery on my wife's 2015 died after 4.5-years on a Sunday afternoon, and she needed the car the next morning for work. This was right at the beginning of a long "polar vortex event," with multiple days of under zero degrees F in the forecast.

I had already planned on replacing it with the above-mentioned Everstart Maxx, but none of the nearby Walmarts had any in stock. I ended up getting a Duracell battery (not AGM) from Sam's Club and put it in.

Last January 2025, it was still working fine after ~5-years, but I replaced it with another Duracell as a preventative measure.

Mike

 

I've used Optima batteries for years. No maintenance. Clean. They last long and start the car in extreme cold.

 

My experience with AGM vs non-AGM is in Texas. On my 2001, I switched from FLA to AGM in 2008. And will never go back.

Non-AGM needs annual distilled water top up due to heat. There's also the high tendency for corrosion to build up.

Since switching to AGM, I don't need to do distilled water refills. And there's little to no corrosion buildup.

 

As I mentioned extreme heat is the only reason why I would consider an AGM in a vehicle design for standard flooded cell battery.

Most new standard batteries have semisealed caps that condense the evaporated water and drop it back into the cell, thus, you never have to add water during their lifetime in a northern environment. That system may not cut it in the South.

I don't know if this is still true, but for many years walmart sold a northern and a southern version of many of their popular batteries. The southern version had removable caps as people in hot climates need to check and adjust electrolyte levels. The northern product had a sealed top deck with the vapor recovery / condensation system. There may be other changes like additional silt space at the bottom of the southern unit because IIRC the northern unit often had a slightly higher stated CCA or Reserve Capacity.

 

Another reason to consider an AGM battery....AGMs don't "gas". Therefore, your battery posts and cable terminals don't get corroded with acid.

 

Which again, generally doesn't happen in the north thanks to condensation caps. I can't remember the last time I saw white flakes on any of my battery terminals.

 

would yall replace your Subaru battery with another Subaru battery

Are you having problems with the current battery that make you want to replace it?

 

My original battery lasted 7 years, and the only reason I changed it last year was to appease the spouse. I bought one from Costco with a great warranty and exchange policy.

 

Costco doesn't install batteries. You have to change it yourself.

 

I retired the original Subaru (Panasonic?) battery from our 2018 in October 2022, as my daughter was taking the car up to college along the Canadian border in upstate NY. I put in a Group 35 Walmart Everstart Maxx to replace the Japanese 75D23L.

Now what to do with a perfectly good battery that I pro-actively retired???? Ah, my 16kW Standby Generator could use a larger battery! And with a little modification to the generator battery bay, that's where it's been for the past 3 years. This morning, right on schedule (every Monday at 10 am) the Generac went into it's weekly 20 minute exercise cycle. The 2 cylinder 1000 cc engine fired right up. Our 2018 was built in July, 2017, so this battery is now over 8 years old and still functioning.

I put the current Everstart Maxx in the Toyota Sienna in January, 2020. It's coming up on 5 years old, so probably time to replace it. And I guess that battery will move to the Generac, if I can make it fit.

 

Now what to do with a perfectly good battery that I pro-actively retired???? Ah, my 16kW Standby Generator could use a larger battery!

I returned mine to Costco for $10 as I can't find any use for it. My battery tester said it is still in good health, and I can always try to rejuvenate it with my Noco. However, can't guarantee how much longer it will last.

 

Replace it with an aftermarket battery before it leaves you stranded. Been there. It's an easy swap, with a couple of wrenches or sockets. I upgraded to more cold cranking amps than needed, since the Suby has so many electronics. If you get 5 years out of a battery, you should consider replacing it before it fails. A new battery costs less than a tow, and you can't put a price on not being stranded in an unsafe situation.

 

We have two cars, so I typically replace a battery only if it fails to start the car. I'll just use the other car to drive to a shop and get a battery. Or I'll use the other car to jump the one with the failing battery. If I lived near a hill I could use the hill to start the car but these days we have push button start and CVTs. Even before the CVTs I think some transmission controls were electronic.

My wife kills her batteries once in a while by leaving her lights on often or whatever. If stuff like that doesn't happen, our stock Subaru batteries have lasted 10+ years (Vancouver). I changed that 10 year one only because we were going on a trip where I would have only one car and would be somewhere where I couldn't just run out and get a battery.

If you need the car to be reliable and need to get to work or whatever (ie you don't work from home) best to pay attention to how well the current battery is starting the car, and change it before you get stuck.

A battery that fails to start the car is not one that I'd use for a backup generator.

 

We have a jump starter and jumper cables in every car, as even a perfectly good / young battery can leave you stranded away from home.

 

as even a perfectly good / young battery can leave you stranded away from home.

I should have said: seemingly good / young battery can leave you stranded away from home.....

Sorry for the confusion, @Botnik.

As in "The battery was great yesterday, and now it suddenly quit on me......."

 

You mean, the car could have some other issue, because a perfectly good battery should be able to start the car?

 

I think the message here is that its somewhat common for these basic 12v batteries to die at year 5, and when they go, they go quick...as in no warning, they just won't crank over the car. More so, sometimes you can't even jump start it.
I've had the last 4 basic 12v batteries (Autozone Duralast Gold) die around year 5, from a Lexus, Outback, Forester, and Tesla. This is in SoCal, some hot months, but usually moderate costal temps and garaged.

 

I think the message here is that its somewhat common for these basic 12v batteries to die at year 5,

More like between 3-5 years depending on geolocation of vehicle....certain places 3 years is the maximum.

 

Just changed the battery on my '19 yesterday. Lasted 6 years and factory fitted so 2x the life span I expected. When removed the side was branded Panasonic who must be the OEM suppliers.

 

Are you having problems with the current battery that make you want to replace it?

Nope. It’s just gett

We have a jump starter and jumper cables in every car, as even a perfectly good / young battery can leave you stranded away from home.

me too! Got my noco with me everywhere I go!

 

Nope. It’s just gett

me too! Got my noco with me everywhere I go!

What exactly is gett?

 

I replaced the battery in my 2019 (Impreza) after 5 years. It was okay but didn't want to wait till it stranded me. Went with this.

 

All this talk of batteries....back in July 2024 I put a new Autozone Gold (3 yr warranty) battery in my 2017 Forester. When it was at the dealer yesterday for the emissions recall, they said it failed the load test. I took it to Autozone today, same result, failed the load test. Just got a new battery for no cost (the 3 year warranty is zero cost replacement, proration starts after 3 years). Will see how long this one goes!

 

I've typically gotten AutoZone Gold batteries too. Twice they have failed within the three years and have been replaced free. Two different cars. A Forester and an Outback. It's one of the reasons I liked AutoZone they test it and no questions asked just replace the battery with a new one.. Back in the day many moons ago when I worked in a gas station. When we sold a battery they came dry, It's life began when we'd we'd add the acid, charge it and install it in the car. Now they get filled at the factory and it's hard to say how long they have been sitting. Of course now batteries life is a lot harder being called on to to way more things than just start the car and run the head lights.