Compatible Car Batteries for SUBARU FORESTER
Model years: 1997 – 2022.
The Subaru Forester takes a group 35 battery for all model years. It is best to use an AGM or Lead-Acid battery with a minimum of 550 CCA for both the 2.0L and 2.5L engines.
This review will help you find the best battery for the Subaru Forester, so you won’t have any problems with your car’s battery, like engine start-up problems, spills, corrosion, or breakdowns!
List of the Best Batteries for Subaru Forester
Car Battery | Model | Cells Type | Ah | CCA | RC | Warranty |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Optima Group 35 Battery Check Price | AGM | 44 | 720 | 90 | 36 Months | |
Delphi Group 35 Battery Check Price | AGM | - | 680 | 100 | 36 Months | |
Exide Group 35 Battery Check Price | AGM | 53 | 650 | 110 | 48 Months | |
Optima Group 35 Battery Check Price | AGM | 48 | 620 | 98 | 36 Months |
How to Choose the Best Car Battery for Subaru Forester – A few things to know before choosing the right one
You’ll probably want to replace your dead battery once or twice during the life of a car because it becomes old and worn out from use. You might not know where you can find jumper cables, which makes things even more difficult if roadside assistance isn’t available soon enough to help fix this problem right away.
The day one’s vehicle won’t start is hardly ever an ideal time shopping for new batteries, but according to our research, most people do just that – go ahead with their replacements when they need them anyway due to wear-and-tear on both sides over years’ worth like any good appliance does eventually happen sometimes no matter how careful we are about maintaining its condition.
If you’re shopping for a battery replacement and you need to come up with an educated choice about what type of car battery is best for your Subaru, you’ll want to read our information below. Here we go:
Subaru Forester’s Battery Requirements
Model Years | Manufaturer’s Battery Group | Compatible Battery Group | Minimum CCA | Minimum AH |
---|---|---|---|---|
Subaru Forester 2022 | 35 | 550 | 52 | |
Subaru Forester 2021 | 35 | 550 | 52 | |
Subaru Forester 2020 | 35 | 550 | 52 | |
Subaru Forester 2019 | 35 | 550 | 52 | |
Subaru Forester 2018 | 35 | 67R, 86 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2017 | 35 | 67R, 86 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2016 | 35 | 67R, 86 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2015 | 35 | 67R, 86 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2014 | 35 | 67R, 86 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2013 | 35 | 67R, 86 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2012 | 35 | 67R, 86 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2011 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2010 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2009 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2008 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2007 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2006 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2005 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2004 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2003 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2002 | 35 | 124R | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2001 | 35 | 85 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 2000 | 35 | 85 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 1999 | 35 | 85 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 1998 | 35 | 85 | 550 | 52 |
Subaru Forester 1997 | 35 | 85 | 550 | 52 |
Battery Group for Subaru Forester
Your Forester has a battery size requirement. The engine needs a certain amount of power to turn over and a certain amount of reserve power that it can use when the engine is not running. All Subaru Forester models use group 35 battery.
You can easily replace the battery with another one in the same group, as long as they have this same kind of requirement.
A battery’s group size is important because it refers to the physical dimensions and terminal locations. When you buy a new battery for your car, the first step is to figure out what size battery your car needs. You can use different sizes, but it’s better to use the approved ones for your car. The right size will give enough power to turn on the engine. When you’re not driving, it will produce enough electricity to keep all of the lights and electronics in your car working too.
What is Better: Lead-Acid, AGM or Deep-Cycle?
The most common types of car batteries for Subaru Forester are lead-acid batteries and AGM batteries.
Classic Flooded Lead-Acid
A driver would have to add water to a battery in the past. But now, people don’t have to do this as their batteries are maintenance-free. They use much less water than traditional ones, and you do not need to top them off with more water. There are still some old types of batteries that can be topped off with distilled water, but they may work better in hot climates if they are properly maintained.
The lead-acid battery will generally cost less than an absorption glass mat, but its ability decreases significantly with deep discharges and doesn’t hold charges well in the long term.
Benefits of New AGM Technology
AGMs (or Absorbent Glass Mat) are more powerful than regular lead-acid batteries. They can handle being drained and recharged many times. As a result, they are more suitable for automobiles that have features such as stop-start systems, which save gasoline..
The main difference between the AGM type and the flooded is that the electrolyte in an AGM is suspended in MicroFiber Glass Mat separators, instead of free-flowing liquid. They work well at high vibration levels, and they do not contain any gas under normal circumstances, so they don’t require venting or maintenance. They run cooler than most batteries due to their lower internal resistance and their thinner plates, which allow heat transfer through the gasses rather than having to go through the liquid electrolyte that the flooded batteries use.
They cost 40-100% more than a traditional battery, but can last for many years without any need to replace them. They are also able to hold their charge well in between uses.
AGM batteries are better at deep discharges since they have no free-flowing liquid inside and will not sustain damage from draining down all the way like a standard battery might do if it’s left uncharged for too long. This makes AGM batteries perfect for vehicles that may sit idle or be stored for longer periods of time where their owners won’t use and recharge them regularly during these times.
Deep Cycle Feature
Deep cycle batteries are the perfect choice for those who want more power than an automobile battery, but also need it to last longer. They use thick plates in their cells that allow them to sustain low draw over time while still producing high amperage at peak performance when you start the engine. These batteries are also known as “marine” batteries and are also well-suited to recreational vehicles and boats.
Most Important Car Battery Features
Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) – How Much do You Need for Subaru Forester?
Cold Cranking Amps refer to the battery’s ability to start a car engine at 0°F (-18°C). The more CCA a battery has, the more powerful it is. This should be one of your main concerns when purchasing a new battery. If you live somewhere where it gets very cold, you will need a battery that can handle much more powerful starting duties to get your car going.
A “cold cranking amp” is how many amps the battery can make for 30 seconds when it’s minus 0°F 18 degrees Celsius. You want at least one CCA per cubic inch of engine size if you use gasoline. But if you use diesel, get two CCA per cubic inch of engine size.
Subaru Forester requires a minimum of 550 CCA. Maximum is unlimited. The more you get, the easier your engine will start
Reserve Capacity (RC)
Reserve Capacity is the number of minutes a battery can provide 25 amps before dropping below 10.5 volts. If you are looking for a car battery for Subaru Forester, make sure to get one with high reserve capacity. The more power your battery can hold, the better it will be for all of these things. You need a strong one if you want to use speaker systems or winches while the engine is off, and those who leave their lights on accident need long-lasting capacity, so they don’t give out before reaching home after work. Even regular users should pay attention to this because it informs us how many hours of usage we may endure before recharging the battery.
Amp Hours or C20 Capacity
The Amp Hours or C20 rating for a battery indicates how long it can last and what current amount it can deliver for a certain number of hours if you don’t recharge it.
Battery power with an Amp Hour or C20 rating means that the battery can produce a specific amount of energy in Amperes for 20 hours at 80°F without discharging below 10.5 volts.
For instance, if your battery has 60Ah, it will provide 3 amps for 20 hours (60 Ah / 20 Hours = 3 Amps). If another battery has 100Ah, it will produce 5 Amps for 20 hours (100 Ah / 20 Hours = 5 Amps). This doesn’t mean that this battery will last only 20 hours because it will last about 40 hours if electronics connected to this battery will consume only 2.5 Amps (100 / 40 = 2.5), 50 hours at 2 Amps (100 / 50 = 2), and so on. And vice versa, if requested 10 amps, it will last only 10 hours (100 Ah / 10 Hours = 10 Amps).
It all depends on the amps amount your car is currently consuming when the engine is off. The battery doesn’t discharge when the engine is running because your car’s alternator produces the current instead of the battery. Alternator’s current is enough for all electronics in your car and to recharge your battery simultaneously.
Date of Production
Batteries lose performance with time, so you should purchase the newest ones possible. Some battery brands include a letter and a number on their batteries to indicate the month and year of production, while others use a print date of production. Letters represent months, and numbers represent years. For example, A/2 would be January 2022, C/2 – March 2022. If there are only digits, such as 0222, it indicates February 2022.
Check this code before purchasing if at all feasible, and obtain a battery that was produced within the last six months.
Car Battery Warranty – Which Brands Offer the Best Warranty
A car battery warranty is a type of insurance that guarantees that the battery will work properly when called upon. The most common types of warranties in this realm are 12-volt and 6-volt batteries. They usually come in 3-year or 5-year forms, but there are some car manufacturers that offer a 1-year warranty on replacement parts.
The warranty can be splitted into two portions: a free replacement period and prorated time. For example, a warranty of 36/60 would pay for the full cost of a new battery within 36 months and part of the cost between 37 and 60 months after purchase. Only warranties that offer a free replacement period are included in this article.
List of brands and their warranty terms
- Optima batteries: 36 Months of replacement warranty
- Odyssey: 48 Months of limited replacement warranty.
- EverStart (Johnson Controls): 12 – 36 Months
- ACDelco: 36 Months
- XS Power Batteries: 36 Months
How to replace a battery in Subaru Forester
- Find a suitable place to park your Forester where it won’t be bumped or knocked into by other cars and open the bonnet of the car. In addition, if it’s too cold, you will need something to keep yourself warm as you work on your car battery replacement. A hot water bottle wrapped in a towel and placed by your feet can do wonders for keeping warm, so please bring one along with you!
- When you’re parked in a suitable place, pop the bonnet and look for the battery. It will be behind the headlight or near one of your windscreens (front or back, depending on which car model you own). If it’s behind some other plastic coverings, remove them with a screwdriver until you can see the battery clearly.
- Once you’ve found the battery, check the label to see which side is positive and which side is negative by using a voltmeter (if you don’t have one, use your eyes/nose/fingers! The positive terminal will be the one with a plus sign and usually painted red or it will be on top of the battery; while the negative terminal will be the one with a minus sign and usually painted black or it will be at bottom of the battery).
- Disconnect your car battery’s negative terminal with a flat-head screwdriver or with your hand (if the screwdriver isn’t strong enough to do it) by turning it counter-clockwise so that you can remove it fully without any electric sparks occurring.
- Disconnect your car battery’s positive terminal in the same way as Step 4, but this time turn it clockwise so that you can remove it fully if there are no electrical sparks. This step is extremely important because some cars might have electronic components under the hood which may be damaged if live batteries are left connected to them for too long!
- Remove both car battery cables (negative & positive) only when the car’s ignition is turned off – never when the car is running because you might get electrocuted.
- Next, remove your old car battery from its compartment in your car. You can do this by putting a flat-head screwdriver into the small metal clips that secure it and then push them up or down to unclip it.
- Once removed, wrap your new car battery in a towel and place it on the ground where you’re working (be sure not to drop it).
- Put then your new car battery back into its compartment and check that it feels secure and won’t shift around when you press down on it. If you’re not sure whether it’s secured properly, just use some cable ties or zip ties to strap it in place so that nobody gets injured due to unexpected movement of the new car battery inside its compartment!
- Connect the red cable (positive wire) to your new car battery’s positive terminal. Then, connect your negative wire to your new car battery’s negative terminal and tighten them both with a flat-head screwdriver or wrench.
- Once everything has been connected securely, check all fuses under the hood to ensure they’re connected properly! If one of them shows signs of damage or has come unplugged, take out your voltmeter and each fuse using the diagrams inside your car battery’s manual to identify which ones are faulty and need replacing, or else your car won’t properly start!
- Check the terminals of your new car battery for any kind of damage (e.g. rust) to make sure that there are no problems before starting up your car again!
- If everything seems to be working fine, congratulate yourself on a job well done and take your new car battery for a spin for about 10-20 minutes because this will make sure that your new car battery has enough time to charge fully before you start using it! Then, enjoy the rest of your day with peace of mind knowing that everything in your vehicle should work perfectly without any problems.
Examples of Compatible Batteries
Battery Specs | Battery Image |
---|---|
Battery Brand: DETA Battery Code: DA654 Voltage: 12 V Battery Capacity: 65 AH Height: 222 Width: 173 Length: 230 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA): 580 A Post Positions: 0 Terminal Type: EN Hold-down Type: Korean B1 | |
Battery Brand: NPS Battery Code: U540L45B Length: 230 Width: 172 Height: 200 Voltage: 12 V Cold Cranking Amps (CCA): 480 A Battery Capacity: 60 AH Cold Cranking Amps (CCA) DIN: 250 A | |
Battery Brand: EXIDE Battery Code: EB604 Voltage: 12 V Battery Capacity: 60 AH Cold Cranking Amps (CCA): 390 A Length: 230 Width: 173 Height: 222 Post Positions: 0 Terminal Type: EN Hold-down Type: B0 | |
Battery Brand: VMF Battery Code: 55054 Voltage: 12 V Battery Capacity: 52 AH Height: 190 Width: 175 Length: 207 Cold Cranking Amps (CCA): 470 A Post Positions: 0 Hold-down Type: B13 Terminal Type: 1 | |
Battery Brand: DETA Battery Code: DB604 Voltage: 12 V Battery Capacity: 60 AH Cold Cranking Amps (CCA): 390 A Length: 230 Width: 173 Height: 222 Post Positions: 0 Terminal Type: EN Hold-down Type: B0 |
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