Optima battery is dead...now what??
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,040
Likes: 47
From: El Dorado Hills CA
Optima battery is dead...now what??
Hi there everyone. My car owuld not start up yesterday so I took out the battery and took it to AutoZone to get it tested and charged if need be. The store maanger put it on their tester and told me it was a bad battery. The shop that installed it is out of business (has been for a bit). I have had the battery for about a year and a half. What are my options to get a free replacement since it is still under the 3 year free replacement policy from Optima?
Appreciate anyone's input.
Appreciate anyone's input.
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,713
Likes: 9
From: Morgan Utah
Though I had an Optima last 10 years in my audio comp truck I have know of dozens of others that failed, pretty early so I never use them any longer.
I have had stellar success with Odyssey batteries, I have the 1200 in my C6 right now, far better than the stock battery!
If you get the one with the steel jacket and slip a long knife around the edges you can break loose the silicone holding it on. The notch it on the sides, bend it out a bit and then it can be held down by the stock mounts. Put it back together with a bit of silicone, good to go.
I had already welded the jacket into the floor on one of my race cars or I would of done that, I need to just get a jacket from the local distributor so I can.
(I was just going to weld a rod onto the side of the case but figured the other method would be fine, I will decide when I get the case, for now I have an aluminum strap I bent to wrap over the batter, works ok, looks not so great but does the job.)
Rick
I have had stellar success with Odyssey batteries, I have the 1200 in my C6 right now, far better than the stock battery!
If you get the one with the steel jacket and slip a long knife around the edges you can break loose the silicone holding it on. The notch it on the sides, bend it out a bit and then it can be held down by the stock mounts. Put it back together with a bit of silicone, good to go.
I had already welded the jacket into the floor on one of my race cars or I would of done that, I need to just get a jacket from the local distributor so I can.
(I was just going to weld a rod onto the side of the case but figured the other method would be fine, I will decide when I get the case, for now I have an aluminum strap I bent to wrap over the batter, works ok, looks not so great but does the job.)
Rick
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,394
Likes: 0
From: Bay Area CA
I have had reds and yellows, yellows have served me better; but unless you buy a trickle charger/battery tender the Optima Red will never be the same once it has gone dead, and then they usually die a quick death to unusable.
My vette sits in the garage far too often these days, but I keep a tender on it and went to an Odyssey battery (I think, can't be certain right now)
Starts without problem even after months of sitting.
DD cars with audio upgrades usually do OK with the red, and IMO better with the Yellow top, part time cars look elsewhere and look into a tender.
Fej
My vette sits in the garage far too often these days, but I keep a tender on it and went to an Odyssey battery (I think, can't be certain right now)
Starts without problem even after months of sitting.
DD cars with audio upgrades usually do OK with the red, and IMO better with the Yellow top, part time cars look elsewhere and look into a tender.
Fej
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 3,040
Likes: 47
From: El Dorado Hills CA
thanks for the input. The shop that installed the Optima was going to put and Odyssey but they said it wouldnt fit. My issue is that I have this Optima now and I want to see how to get it replaced for free since it should be still under warranty.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 8,995
Likes: 2
From: Spring Texas
St. Jude Donor '08
I've since installed a yellow top in my coupe to support my sound system and give me a longer standby time. The big difference with the yellow tops can be drained without dying. it's perfect for people with weekend toys that don't want to deal with trickle chargers.
Former Vendor
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 279
Likes: 20
From: Glendale Wisconsin
mig1980, I’m sorry to hear about the problems you’ve been having with your battery and I’d like to help. Do you know if Autozone charged the battery before testing it? Oftentimes, a deeply-discharged battery will test “bad,” if it is not charged prior to the test. This video explains how to properly charge an Optima battery- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dNwNFZnLbc
No battery likes to be deeply-discharged, but our batteries do handle that type of use better than traditional flooded batteries. Some Corvettes, especially newer ZO6s are known to be very hard on batteries in cars that are not daily drivers. If your car only sees weekend use, a battery tender or maintainer is an excellent investment that will help extend the life of your battery, regardless of brand.
I’ll also be sending you a PM, in the event that your battery cannot be recharged, to gather more information on your battery and your original retailer.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries
No battery likes to be deeply-discharged, but our batteries do handle that type of use better than traditional flooded batteries. Some Corvettes, especially newer ZO6s are known to be very hard on batteries in cars that are not daily drivers. If your car only sees weekend use, a battery tender or maintainer is an excellent investment that will help extend the life of your battery, regardless of brand.
I’ll also be sending you a PM, in the event that your battery cannot be recharged, to gather more information on your battery and your original retailer.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries
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Joined: Jul 2007
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From: Reno is so close to Hell you can see Sparks , State Of Confusion
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
mig1980, I’m sorry to hear about the problems you’ve been having with your battery and I’d like to help. Do you know if Autozone charged the battery before testing it? Oftentimes, a deeply-discharged battery will test “bad,” if it is not charged prior to the test. This video explains how to properly charge an Optima battery- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dNwNFZnLbc
No battery likes to be deeply-discharged, but our batteries do handle that type of use better than traditional flooded batteries. Some Corvettes, especially newer ZO6s are known to be very hard on batteries in cars that are not daily drivers. If your car only sees weekend use, a battery tender or maintainer is an excellent investment that will help extend the life of your battery, regardless of brand.
I’ll also be sending you a PM, in the event that your battery cannot be recharged, to gather more information on your battery and your original retailer.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries
No battery likes to be deeply-discharged, but our batteries do handle that type of use better than traditional flooded batteries. Some Corvettes, especially newer ZO6s are known to be very hard on batteries in cars that are not daily drivers. If your car only sees weekend use, a battery tender or maintainer is an excellent investment that will help extend the life of your battery, regardless of brand.
I’ll also be sending you a PM, in the event that your battery cannot be recharged, to gather more information on your battery and your original retailer.
Jim McIlvaine
eCare Manager, OPTIMA Batteries, Inc.
www.facebook.com/optimabatteries
Nice to see Optima jump in and help.
