AGM Battery
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Baton Rouge LA
AGM Battery
I have a 2003 50th Anniversary with an AC Delco AGM battery. Anyone ever have an AGM battery leak? I had to replace the AC Delco battery (not an AGM) in my 2001 Tahoe today. It was leaking around the positive terminal. I know all the horror stories about AC Delco batteries but has anyone had an AC Delco AGM leak?
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Gone
CI 6-7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '03
The AGM has no liquid in it...it cannot leak. That is precisely the reason they switched to it in 2001, to cure the leaking battery issue.
Unfortunately, the AGM came with a different problem...it likes to short out internally and totally fail at any time without any warning.
This high and unpredictable failure rate was why it was discontinued in 2003.
Unfortunately, the AGM came with a different problem...it likes to short out internally and totally fail at any time without any warning.
This high and unpredictable failure rate was why it was discontinued in 2003.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: Rochester MN
CI 5-6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
NCM Ambassador
Originally Posted by C5FrankC5
I have a 2003 50th Anniversary with an AC Delco AGM battery. Anyone ever have an AGM battery leak? I had to replace the AC Delco battery (not an AGM) in my 2001 Tahoe today. It was leaking around the positive terminal. I know all the horror stories about AC Delco batteries but has anyone had an AC Delco AGM leak?
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From: Vancouver
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
Originally Posted by Y2Kvert4me
Unfortunately, the AGM came with a different problem...it likes to short out internally and totally fail at any time without any warning.
This high and unpredictable failure rate was why it was discontinued in 2003.
This high and unpredictable failure rate was why it was discontinued in 2003.
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Joined: Oct 2002
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From: Gone
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St. Jude Donor '03
Originally Posted by Stock Man
Oh! I didn't know that. How long before mine goes south? It's 3 years old now. I was hoping for another year or so out of it. It's been kept up, and is in great shape right now. Battery tender through the winter and all that good stuff. It's not good to hear it could go south at any time though.
Many people had them fail within the first year. Mine lasted 3.5 years. Many people are still using them.
I'm certainly not saying yours or anyone else's is destined to fail anytime soon....just noting the reason GM stopped using them after the 2003 MY. They (of all the Delco AGM's put into 2001-2003 C5's) had too high of a failure rate to be considered acceptable. Whether that means 30% or 70%, I don't know. All it means is they were a high enough warranty expense for GM to sh!tcan it.
But when they do die, they tend to do so instantly.
You could stop for gas to fill up, and try to restart, and nothing, no crank, no lights.
That's the way this battery likes to call it quits. Not trying to scare you or tell you to buy a new battery for no reason, just noting the way it fails when it does.
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Joined: Dec 2000
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From: San Diego CA
Originally Posted by Stock Man
Oh! I didn't know that. How long before mine goes south? It's 3 years old now. I was hoping for another year or so out of it. It's been kept up, and is in great shape right now. Battery tender through the winter and all that good stuff. It's not good to hear it could go south at any time though.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 1,319
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From: Lincoln Nebraska
But when they do die, they tend to do so instantly.
You could stop for gas to fill up, and try to restart, and nothing, no crank, no lights. That's the way this battery likes to call it quits.
You could stop for gas to fill up, and try to restart, and nothing, no crank, no lights. That's the way this battery likes to call it quits.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
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From: Norfolk VA
Originally Posted by Y2Kvert4me
The AGM has no liquid in it...it cannot leak. That is precisely the reason they switched to it in 2001, to cure the leaking battery issue.
Unfortunately, the AGM came with a different problem...it likes to short out internally and totally fail at any time without any warning.
This high and unpredictable failure rate was why it was discontinued in 2003.
Unfortunately, the AGM came with a different problem...it likes to short out internally and totally fail at any time without any warning.
This high and unpredictable failure rate was why it was discontinued in 2003.
it won't leak, but it will leave you stranded. Get an optima and forget it.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
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From: At the beach in little Rhody
Originally Posted by Lancer033
it won't leak, but it will leave you stranded. Get an optima and forget it. I may just go with an Interstate or other replacement battery this spring, I don't think the Optima is the way to go after seeing all these failures of 1 year old batteries.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2003
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From: Freestate Corvette Club! Elkridge, MD
St. Jude Donor '17
Originally Posted by vettenuts
Well, I planned to do that this spring with my 02 AGM, but the recent Optima failure threads are now making my AGM look good
I may just go with an Interstate or other replacement battery this spring, I don't think the Optima is the way to go after seeing all these failures of 1 year old batteries.
I may just go with an Interstate or other replacement battery this spring, I don't think the Optima is the way to go after seeing all these failures of 1 year old batteries.
This is the first I have heard of trouble with the AGM battery
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 22,025
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From: At the beach in little Rhody
Well, almost. There was a dead yellow top in the mix as well. There are a couple of threads on dead Optima's floating around right now. All seem to be about 1 to 1-1/2 years old. Wonder if Optima had some "issues"?
