<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2011-02-08</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000813781</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>EXIDE TECHNOLOGIES</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>XIDE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0000948904</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GENDELL JEFFREY L ET AL</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 RAILROAD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001272374</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TONTINE CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 RAILROAD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001269122</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TONTINE PARTNERS L P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 RAILROAD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001268959</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TONTINE MANAGEMENT LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 RAILROAD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001268961</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TONTINE OVERSEAS ASSOCIATES LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 RAILROAD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001482608</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TONTINE CAPITAL OVERSEAS MASTER FUND II, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 RAILROAD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001482609</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TONTINE ASSET ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 RAILROAD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001162852</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TONTINE POWER PARTNERS LP</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 RAILROAD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001491514</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Tontine Associates, LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 RAILROAD AVENUE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>GREENWICH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CT</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>06830</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2011-02-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>103500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>12.1504</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9978371</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Footnotes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F8"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F9"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This report is filed jointly by Tontine Capital Management, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;TCM&quot;), Tontine Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;TP&quot;), Tontine Management, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;TM&quot;), Tontine Overseas Associates, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;TOA&quot;), Tontine Capital Overseas Master Fund II, L.P., a Cayman Islands limited partnership (&quot;TCP 2&quot;) [continued in Footnote 2]</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">[continued from Footnote 1] Tontine Asset Associates, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;TAA&quot;), Tontine Power Partners, L.P., a Delaware limited partnership (&quot;TPP&quot;), Tontine Associates, L.L.C., a Delaware limited liability company (&quot;TA&quot;) and Jeffrey L. Gendell (&quot;Mr. Gendell&quot;).</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Mr. Gendell is the managing member of: (a) TCM; (b) TM, the general partner of TP and TPP; (c) TOA; (d) TAA, the general partner of TCP 2; and (e) TA.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">On February 8, 2011, TP sold 103,500 shares of Common Stock at a weighted average price of $12.1504 per share, at prices ranging from $12.1111 to $12.1518 per share.  The filing parties undertake to provide to the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Issuer or any security holder of the Issuer, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares purchased or sold at each separate price within the ranges described in this footnote.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Mr. Gendell and TAA directly own 0 shares of Common Stock, TP directly owns 437,290 shares of Common Stock, TCM directly owns 206,187 shares of Common Stock, TM directly owns 373,309 shares of Common Stock, TOA directly owns 641,413 shares of Common Stock, TCP 2 directly owns 7,872,605 shares of Common Stock, TPP directly owns 22,106 shares of Common Stock and TA directly owns 311,362 shares of Common Stock.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">All of the foregoing securities may be deemed to be beneficially owned by Mr. Gendell.  The foregoing securities held by TP and TPP may be deemed to be beneficially owned by TM.  The foregoing securities held by TCP 2 may be deemed to be beneficially owned by TAA.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">Mr. Gendell disclaims beneficial ownership of the Issuer's securities reported herein for purposes of Section 16(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise, except as to securities directly owned by Mr. Gendell or representing Mr. Gendell's pro rata interest in, and interest in the profits of, TCM, TP, TM, TOA, TCP 2, TAA, TPP and TA.  TCM disclaims beneficial ownership of the Issuer's securities reported herein for purposes of Section 16(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise, except as to securities directly owned by TCM.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">TM disclaims beneficial ownership of the Issuer's securities reported herein for purposes of Section 16(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise, except as to securities directly owned by TM or representing TM's pro rata interest in, and interest in the profits of, TP and TPP.  TOA disclaims beneficial ownership of the Issuer's securities reported herein for purposes of Section 16(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise, except as to securities directly owned by TOA.  TAA disclaims beneficial ownership of the Issuer's securities reported herein for purposes of Section 16(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise, except as to [continued in Footnote 9]</footnote>
        <footnote id="F9">[continued from Footnote 8] securities directly owned by TAA or representing TAA's pro rata interest in, and interest in the profits of, TCP 2.  TA disclaims beneficial ownership of the Issuer's securities reported herein for purposes of Section 16(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or otherwise, except as to securities directly owned by TA.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tontine Capital Management, L.L.C., By: its Managing Member, /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tontine Partners, L.P., By: its General Partner, Tontine Management, L.L.C., By: its Managing Member, /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tontine Management, L.L.C., By: its Managing Member, /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tontine Overseas Associates, L.L.C., By: its Managing Member, /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tontine Capital Overseas Master Fund II, L.P. By: its General Partner, Tontine Asset Associates, L.L.C., By: its Managing Member, /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tontine Asset Associates, L.L.C., By: its Managing Member, /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tontine Power Partners, L.P. By: its General Partner, Tontine Management, L.L.C., By: its Managing Member, /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Tontine Associates, L.L.C., By: its Managing Member, /s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Jeffrey L. Gendell</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2011-02-10</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
