[CoachRick]

You folks are finding better prices than I've found...by $100 or so!(Including the dealer "offer"...my friend was quoted north of $300 to replace her "dead" battery at her last service...30k miles).
Also, my efforts at the three "auto parts stores" and WalMart came up with $225 as the most common price for just the batt.

 

[Andre4548]

About a month ago, I received a coupon in the mail for a $69 oil change plus 20% off any service at Myrtle Beach KIA. So, I decided to take advantage of the offer. My appointment was today at 2:00 pm. While waiting in the customer lounge, the service advisor came in and told me my battery had tested "bad" . . . only 150 CCA. I was a little shocked by this news, because my battery was just a little over 3 years old. He told me a new battery would be $218 installed and would come with a 3 year replacement warranty. (With the 20% off, my cost would have been around $180 plus tax.)

Since I had purchased my Interstate battery at COSTCO, (and installed it myself) I thought I would first check with them to see if it was still under warranty. It turns out the warranty was only 36 months. Still, I wanted a second opinion, so I drove to see the mechanic who had replaced my starter and steering column rubber bushing last Spring. He tested the battery right before my eyes (twice) and his result was 563 CCA out of 600 CCA. Needles to say, I can't help but think the service advisor tried to bilk me out of $218. Makes me wonder if they even actually changed the oil and filter . . .

Believe it or not, over the weekend I received another mailer from Myrtle beach KIA. It was a letter from the Service Manager, saying that based upon my lasrt service there, I needed to replace my battery . . . of course they included coupons. Can you believe they are STILL trying to sell me a battery?

 

[Hammerhead]

Wowsa a thousand dollars.
Go trade now.
Jk.

 

[TosenR]

My 2016 has the Neverstart H6 AGM from wally...
View attachment 142880

...

I just now caught the "Neverstart" part Geez, I guess better late than never

 

[TosenR]

One good thing about the 1.6L manual transmission is that it doesn’t need to use an AGM battery. Regular old flooded does the trick and I’m not even sure what the difference is between the two except AGM is more $$$.

I just looked at the Walmart site and was surprised not really that much more than the lead acid for comparable. H6 lead acid 730cca/3 year warranty is $150 and the H6 AGM 760cca/4 year warranty is $170.

I have no idea if the car really needs 700+ cca probably not. They have 615 cca /2 year warranty showing $99.

Edit: meant State of Health

I may be looking for a battery sooner rather than later...the State of Charge State of Health on my battery yesterday was 45%.

The Costco search engine won't let me browse batteries - have to input specific vehicle and is only showing 121R size - so I'll have to go to the store to get a price for the Interstate H6 size.

 

[TosenR]

My 2016 has the Neverstart H6 AGM from wally I would assume second battery....
View attachment 142880

...

Do you have ISG (Idle Stop & Go) on your Kia Soul - thus have to use an AGM battery?

 

[Flatsole]

Do you have ISG (Idle Stop & Go) on your Kia Soul - thus have to use an AGM battery?

I don't have ISG. I bought the car second hand and don't know if it originally came with an AGM battery or if the previous owner decided to "upgrade" at battery replacement time.

 

[bburns1955]

You folks are finding better prices than I've found...by $100 or so!(Including the dealer "offer"...my friend was quoted north of $300 to replace her "dead" battery at her last service...30k miles).
Also, my efforts at the three "auto parts stores" and WalMart came up with $225 as the most common price for just the batt.

The battery for my 2018 Soul + was $300+ at AutoZone. They said it had to be a gel battery. They put the battery in, then when I went to use the car again it wouldn't crank. Called them, they said they don't sell a lot of them, so it might've been sitting on the shelf for quite a while. Had a backup car, took the battery back they gave me a different one, & it has been good for several years. Don't think I'll go there again.

 

[cwl313]

A dealer told me that my battery "Failed.". I said "No thanks" to a new battery. Drive directly to Wal-Mart and had the battery tested. It passed no problem. Walmart tech asked why I was having it tested. I told him. He showed me the readout on the tester and shrugged his shoulders. The battery lasted for over a year. They should be able to make a good living without ripping people off.

 

[jcaz2019SoulEV]

They should be able to make a good living without ripping people off.

Preach!

Replaced power steering pump, rack, and some hoses. Before I started, I ran 1/2 gal of cheap walmart fluid through to flush it, then draind the system. Installed new parts and ran 1/2 gal of valvoline fluid through, just in case something got in.

Take it to an independent for alignment that wrote up a nice list of issues, with photos.

Curiously, I noted "flush power steering fluid" under recommended and not the 'based on age' section. I pointed out the reason for bringing it in, they didn't have much to say.

"That fluid doesn't have 25 miles on it, how is it bad?"

 

[TosenR]

My 2016 has the Neverstart H6 AGM from wally I would assume second battery. ...

I don't have ISG. I bought the car second hand and don't know if it originally came with an AGM battery or if the previous owner decided to "upgrade" at battery replacement time.

Is the item I've circled in your battery picture attached to the negative battery cable?

If so do you know what it is or is for?

I'm wondering if it is a battery sensor.

 

[Flatsole]

Is the item I've circled in your battery picture attached to the negative battery cable?

View attachment 142951

If so do you know what it is or is for?

I'm wondering if it is a battery sensor.

It is attached, I'm not 100% what it is. Looks like 2 smallish guage wires wrapped in tape go straight up from it and join a larger harness. So yes some type of sensor I guess. @bwdz75 could probably tell us exactly what it does.

 

[TosenR]

It is attached, I'm not 100% what it is. Looks like 2 smallish guage wires wrapped in tape go straight up from it and join a larger harness. So yes some type of sensor I guess. @bwdz75 could probably tell us exactly what it does.

If I had a FanDuel account I'd put money on battery sensor. The presence of the 2 smallish wires being confirmation (to me).

My negative cable has nothing extra on it - simply battery terminal clamp and wire that connects to ground bolt.

So some non-ISG Souls - such as yours - came with AGM batteries. The previous owner replaced the battery in kind. AGM batteries weren't restricted solely to models with ISG.

 

[Oktavf]

Our local Walmart will stare in your eyes with zero shame when you want to say drop off a core and none will come out and help. The people sitting there waiting for their new batteries to be installed will strike up a conversion saying how they've been waiting over an hour for a battery install and their car is IN the bay. I've also heard from friends personally how it takes them 4 hours to install 4 tires and do a oil change. They milk their day its clear as day. They get paid the same if they do 3 cars or 15 so why work harder!? Anyone anywhere can try to take advantage of you welcome to the world of business. I do my own work won't even go in for a alignment unless I really need to. Tires replaced? I'll take the rims off the car and bring them with me in another car.

EDIT: And yeah I buy the 121R Maxx's from Walmart @ $149 3rd time in a few years. Cars Batteries are essentially all made @ Johnson Controls. Guess who will be open at 8 PM on a Sunday with a rack full of batteries if it goes bad. Yep NOT the dealer, NOT autozone, NOT napa. Might as well pay less money for the same thing. Oh and their 2 year NON maxxs will literally die right after 2 years!