Second Optima Battery Went Bad!!!
04-09-2006, 05:21 PM
#1
Racer
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Second Optima Battery Went Bad!!!
This is my second Optima battery to go bad on me. The charge went low during storage (battery disconnecterd).
The first Optima went bad 2 years ago after winter storage. That time I jumped it and drove it 85 miles only to have that wrotten egg smell (bad battery PEP BOYS said). Pep Boys told me that they don't have the right charging equipment either.
Yesterday no battery again. This time I tried slow charging the battery (12 hours trickle). The charger read full charge.
I drove my car back from winter storage 85 miles Wrotten EGGS, SMOKE & White stuff was discharged. I only have 6200 miles on my 2000 FRC.
Is this normal with OPTIMA or JUNKIMA?
The first Optima went bad 2 years ago after winter storage. That time I jumped it and drove it 85 miles only to have that wrotten egg smell (bad battery PEP BOYS said). Pep Boys told me that they don't have the right charging equipment either.
Yesterday no battery again. This time I tried slow charging the battery (12 hours trickle). The charger read full charge.
I drove my car back from winter storage 85 miles Wrotten EGGS, SMOKE & White stuff was discharged. I only have 6200 miles on my 2000 FRC.
Is this normal with OPTIMA or JUNKIMA?
04-09-2006, 06:15 PM
#2
Racer
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Originally Posted by bamcoc5
This is my second Optima battery to go bad on me. The charge went low during storage (battery disconnecterd).
The first Optima went bad 2 years ago after winter storage. That time I jumped it and drove it 85 miles only to have that wrotten egg smell (bad battery PEP BOYS said). Pep Boys told me that they don't have the right charging equipment either.
Yesterday no battery again. This time I tried slow charging the battery (12 hours trickle). The charger read full charge.
I drove my car back from winter storage 85 miles Wrotten EGGS, SMOKE & White stuff was discharged. I only have 6200 miles on my 2000 FRC.
Is this normal with OPTIMA or JUNKIMA?
The first Optima went bad 2 years ago after winter storage. That time I jumped it and drove it 85 miles only to have that wrotten egg smell (bad battery PEP BOYS said). Pep Boys told me that they don't have the right charging equipment either.
Yesterday no battery again. This time I tried slow charging the battery (12 hours trickle). The charger read full charge.
I drove my car back from winter storage 85 miles Wrotten EGGS, SMOKE & White stuff was discharged. I only have 6200 miles on my 2000 FRC.
Is this normal with OPTIMA or JUNKIMA?
04-09-2006, 06:30 PM
#3
Racer
I had two Optima Red Tops go bad. When I brought them back they said I didn't know that they had to be chareged at 2amps for 48 hours. When I informed them that I was a certifed ASE tech And was well aware of how to charege a Battery they became irate and told me that there was nothing wrong with battery. Bottom line I went back to convetional battery
04-09-2006, 10:04 PM
#5
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Originally Posted by ICaughtVetteFever
My second in another car just failed today too. I decided after the first to put something else in the vette and I am glad.
04-10-2006, 08:45 AM
#7
Melting Slicks
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Originally Posted by knowledgefreak
no problems here, daily driver in the tx heat...
are you guys in areas of snowy winters?
are you guys in areas of snowy winters?
04-10-2006, 08:53 AM
#8
Race Director
There is nothing special about Optima's other than their spiral cell makes them more leak resistant and less subject to damage due to vibration. The premium paid for Optima is for leak protection and vibration resistance. They can leak and they can fail just like other batterries. They are subject ot the same discharge problems other batteries have and if allowed to become sulphated on discharge they will fail just like other batteries. excessive heat, and long deep discharge can kill any battery, Optima included.
Buy your battery somewhere that offers a 3 year warranty. WHEN it fails, all you will have is the inconvenience and not the cost of replacement.
Buy your battery somewhere that offers a 3 year warranty. WHEN it fails, all you will have is the inconvenience and not the cost of replacement.
04-10-2006, 09:09 AM
#9
Safety Car
Originally Posted by rws.1
There is nothing special about Optima's other than their spiral cell makes them more leak resistant and less subject to damage due to vibration. The premium paid for Optima is for leak protection and vibration resistance. They can leak and they can fail just like other batterries. They are subject ot the same discharge problems other batteries have and if allowed to become sulphated on discharge they will fail just like other batteries. excessive heat, and long deep discharge can kill any battery, Optima included.
Buy your battery somewhere that offers a 3 year warranty. WHEN it fails, all you will have is the inconvenience and not the cost of replacement.
Buy your battery somewhere that offers a 3 year warranty. WHEN it fails, all you will have is the inconvenience and not the cost of replacement.
I just bought a 7 year warranty battery, 3 year free replacement, Exide Nascar from Sams for $47. Hey after 3 years, I will have my money's worth. I too, wanted to buy an Optima just to get that cool battery cover for $14,. more, but their failure rate made me rethink.
Good luck
Dave
04-10-2006, 09:55 AM
#10
Racer
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Originally Posted by knowledgefreak
no problems here, daily driver in the tx heat...
are you guys in areas of snowy winters?
are you guys in areas of snowy winters?
04-10-2006, 10:02 AM
#11
Burning Brakes
Optimas have a three year replacement warranty. 
I killed my optima, took it back to interstate battery a couple of days ago and they gave me a new replacement redtop and told me the three year warranty restarted with the new battery. (It was a year old.)
If you are storing your car with an optima you MUST use a trickle charger.
I killed my optima, took it back to interstate battery a couple of days ago and they gave me a new replacement redtop and told me the three year warranty restarted with the new battery. (It was a year old.)
If you are storing your car with an optima you MUST use a trickle charger.
04-10-2006, 10:16 AM
#12
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CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I removed a perfectly good AC Delco battery from my 02 Z06 and installed an OPTIMA.
Six monts later, I went on travel and flew into VA and as soon as I landed and picked up my rental car, the Cell phone rings. It's the wife: 
Z06 is dead and wont start! 
I'm figureing; it cant be the battery!?!? She jumped the car, took it to the dealer (car still under warranty) and they laughed!!! Your OPTIMA is dead lady!!! They charged her $45 for the bad battery diagnostic (cause it wasnt the AC Delco battery that caused the car to fail.
)
She took it back to Autozone and they gave her a new one. Its been good for almost 3 years now. Yea they do fail.
Will I buy another one when that one bites the dust?? Hopefully there will be other better options by that time!
BC
Six monts later, I went on travel and flew into VA and as soon as I landed and picked up my rental car, the Cell phone rings. It's the wife: Z06 is dead and wont start! I'm figureing; it cant be the battery!?!? She jumped the car, took it to the dealer (car still under warranty) and they laughed!!! Your OPTIMA is dead lady!!! They charged her $45 for the bad battery diagnostic (cause it wasnt the AC Delco battery that caused the car to fail.
)She took it back to Autozone and they gave her a new one. Its been good for almost 3 years now.
Yea they do fail.Will I buy another one when that one bites the dust?? Hopefully there will be other better options by that time!
BC
04-10-2006, 10:27 AM
#13
Le Mans Master
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Cruise-In VII Veteran
the USAF has a government contract w/ Optima, i've seen them by the hundreds over the past decade, used in all AGE eqipment(aerospace ground equipment); seen a few in some POV's as well
04-10-2006, 10:54 AM
#14
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My next door neighbor owns a Battery Warehouse (franchise store ) and cant stand the optimas . He wont carry them , he said they last about 6 months to a year and when they die good luck getting a replacement from them .
04-10-2006, 11:04 AM
#15
Burning Brakes
Originally Posted by racerx175
My next door neighbor owns a Battery Warehouse (franchise store ) and cant stand the optimas . He wont carry them , he said they last about 6 months to a year and when they die good luck getting a replacement from them .
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...6&postcount=11
04-10-2006, 02:55 PM
#17
Burning Brakes
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I've been through 3 optimas in 5 years. Purchased at costco....every time I get a dead one, I bring it back and they return it and credit me the purchase price and I buy a brand new one.... my 3 year warranty is renewed everytime this happens, so I'm not really complaining. The upside is that its not spilling crap all over my PCM like the factory delco was...
04-10-2006, 04:18 PM
#18
Melting Slicks
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St. Jude Donor '06-'07
I've had 3 Optima Red Tops go bad in 4 1/2 years..... I wouldn't have another one in any of my vehicles IF you gave it to me for free...
I wouldn't have another one in any of my vehicles IF you gave it to me for free...
04-10-2006, 04:51 PM
#20
Racer
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1 junk optima.
I just had to bring back a 13 month old optima red top. car had about 6 months of use then spent the winter in a heated garage on a battery tender. Auto zone swapped it out with no questions but i was pretty disappointed considering how highly recommended they are.