Problem, battery dies.
It seems like a ground short or drain but it goes down way too quickly.
I have to jump it each and every time.
I can jump it and drive no problem but if I turn the key off it only has about 10-11 V left and thats not enough to start.
I have been told that if a Optima batter ydrains all the way down it cannot be charged full ever again. Is this true?
I bought the battery not 3-4 months ago.
I have optimas in all my vehicles and this is the only one with problems.
Should I try to get it exchanged?
Alt is working fine and I have not been able to find a ground drain.
If I unhook the neg the battery still drains.

 

I have an optima that I left my lights on twice, went to zero both times, that was over a year ago, no other problems.

However, two friends of mine had optima's that just went bad, wouldn't hold a charge even with battery disconnected. Both were bought from Advance, & both were replaced under warranty for free.

 

Your battery should show about 12 volts after being disconnected and show the same 12 hours later, if you go down to 10 volts the battery is bad. With the motor on you should get about 13.4 volts if the alternator is good. Disconnect the neg battery post and use a volt meter between the battery and the lead, if you get a draw, pull one fuse at a time untill you get zero draw, then check that circut untill you find the problem. Hope that helps, PG.

 

i believe one of the selling points of optimas is that they can withstand more deep cycles then other batteries, draining it all the way down once or twice should not kill it, however, it does sound like u have a bad battery to me.

 

Make sure you don't have a short that's causing a bad battery drain. About five years of that abuse in my 77 killed an Optima...only one I've ever had go bad.

 

My first Optima went bad in under 8 months. I had it replaced and so far its been good. In retrospect I think I would have done just as good getting a regular premium battery. Live and learn.

 

I have the exact same problem!!! I replaced my "interstate" battery 2 months ago that has been in the car since I bought it 2 years ago and the previous owner who had my car for 3 years said he never changed the battery. I never ever had a problem with the interstate battery but I figured it was old and ready to die any day and so I bought a yellow optima at Advance Auto. It does not hold a charge either. I started the car immediately after installing and all was good and drove around a bit then 3 days later I went to start the car and it was dead. I jumped it off and drove around and all was good...then so far everything has been good ONLY IF I drive it everyday. Otherwise...it drains after 3~4 days and I have to get jumped. Also interestingly enough it was reading 11.6volts and did not have enough juice to get me going. After car is off it reads about 12.6volts....and when car is running its around the high 13's.

Somebody told me that Advance Auto Parts sells "used/returned" Optimas and that I needed to go to this other store where I would pay about $20 more but it would be a brand new optima battery and not some refurbished crap. Funny thing is that I questioned the guy at Advance auto becuase I noticed the terminal posts looked used and of course he said they are all new batteries. Anybody else confirm this about them selling used batteries?

 

I posted a Optima Battery post not too long ago... if they sit for a little while...TOAST.

I got a new one under their warrenty (3yr) and they shipped it to my house. There was a couple of hoops to jump though ...search for the link, it may help.

New battery is fine for me...