Optima battery trouble/question
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
Optima battery trouble/question
Late last year when my car wasn't starting well, I popped the hood and noticed my 3 year old Optima Red Top battery was extremely hot. I took it back to Pep Boys and they said it was a bad battery and gave me a new one...no charge. Today my new battery wouldn't turn the car over, when I looked at it the "vent" cap on the negative side was blown off and there was fluid (not sure in this battery if it's actually acid or the gel) all over, basically looked like it had been under pressure and spewed. Anyone have any idea, did I get another bad battery is it
possible I have an electrical issue causing this to happen. The car voltmeter has been showing normal, until yesterday and today when I noticed the voltage was down (I assume because of the battery being bad).
I can take it back to Pep Boys, but if the car is causing the issue I should probably identify why and fix it. If it's just another bad battery, I don't think I want to replace it with another Optima even if it's free under warranty.
possible I have an electrical issue causing this to happen. The car voltmeter has been showing normal, until yesterday and today when I noticed the voltage was down (I assume because of the battery being bad).
I can take it back to Pep Boys, but if the car is causing the issue I should probably identify why and fix it. If it's just another bad battery, I don't think I want to replace it with another Optima even if it's free under warranty.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: Alton Illinois
probably not the car. just some more redtop stories. get a good pepboy battery, autozone or several others - search this site. take your friend out to dinner with the savings, or better yet, buy another mod for the vette
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8,847
Likes: 795
From: Longview Texas
If the alternator is not charging the battery at over 15 volts, then you probably have another bad battery. I would switch to a ACDelco Professional grade 7YR battery.
The alternator could be stuck at max. voltage and overcharging the battery, but that does not sound like what is happening.
Did you check the voltage across the battery terminals with the car running?
The alternator could be stuck at max. voltage and overcharging the battery, but that does not sound like what is happening.
Did you check the voltage across the battery terminals with the car running?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
You CAN NOT trouble shoot the issue without a good battery. So, recommend that you get the warranty and a new replacement battery. Then take some voltage readings at the battery terminals. If you did have an over voltage issue, the DIC would have told you so.
Did you have the car on a battery charger?????
BC
Did you have the car on a battery charger?????
BC
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
It had sat over the winter, untended in a heated building. I did quick charge it enough to get it started. I was wondering if there isn't some quirk with the Optima that it can't be totally drained and charged?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 43,084
Likes: 33
From: Raleigh / Rolesville NC
Red tops, aurrgggg.
I keep mine on a battery tender.
once an optima has been drainned, or at least mine, no way to fully recharge. Need to replace with new and keep on a tender when not in use,
I have had three Red tops in the last four years. If Autozone wasn't replacing them under warranty, I would go back to AC Delco in a heart beat.
I keep mine on a battery tender.
once an optima has been drainned, or at least mine, no way to fully recharge. Need to replace with new and keep on a tender when not in use,
I have had three Red tops in the last four years. If Autozone wasn't replacing them under warranty, I would go back to AC Delco in a heart beat.
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Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
Well,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,now wait just a dog gone minute. 
My OPTIMA has gone DEAD three times and it has been brought backn to life each time!!
So,,,Is it an OPTIMA issue or C5 issue??????????????
BC
My OPTIMA has gone DEAD three times and it has been brought backn to life each time!!
So,,,Is it an OPTIMA issue or C5 issue??????????????
BC
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 9,369
Likes: 4
From: Zephyrhills, Florida
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13
Too many Optima stories....mine is 7 yrs. old and goes on the tender when I'm not driving the car. Never a problem etc...BUT I'll go with the Delco professional next time. Probably this year as the Ultima is 7 yrs. old.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 5,955
Likes: 161
From: PNW
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...a-red-top.html
I'm going with the ACDelco Professional 7 year battery this time around.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...l-battery.html
Last edited by ZeeOSix; Apr 18, 2009 at 02:35 PM.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 426
Likes: 0
From: Northern Virginia
Both my friend and I experienced problems with ours after the winter.
We both are on our second battery in 2 years(returned the first). It does seem once they are drawn down past a certian point, it's never the same.
Get a good old regular battery and save the $100, better yet put it towards the track.
We both are on our second battery in 2 years(returned the first). It does seem once they are drawn down past a certian point, it's never the same.
Get a good old regular battery and save the $100, better yet put it towards the track.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 4
From: Brookfield Wisconsin
Red Tops were not designed for Garage Queens, Red Tops were designed for vehicles that get used every day.
FYI most Corvettes are baby sat, most got some type of tender on them.
FYI most Corvettes are baby sat, most got some type of tender on them.
Racer
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 422
Likes: 0
From: Greenwood Village Colorado
St. Jude Donor '08
When I went in to buy a Battery Tender the guy at the store told me it wasn't good to keep it charging all the time as it would constantly heat the battery. He told me to buy a Schumacher Ship to Shore charger that had AGM settings and 10amp charging and to just charge it up once every week or two if I wasn't driving the car.
The thing charges a battery back up in like 30 mins and has a Digital Readout to tell voltage and % charged.
Although the red top in my Vette drops voltage while it's not being used, it charges back up quickly. I've also got a red top in my Yukon XL and it's works fine.
A big benefit of the Optima is the amount of acid in one vs the regular battery.
When I taking the old battery out of the truck, I could hear the acid sloshing around in a major way. I didn't hear any of that when putting the Optima in.
The thing charges a battery back up in like 30 mins and has a Digital Readout to tell voltage and % charged.
Although the red top in my Vette drops voltage while it's not being used, it charges back up quickly. I've also got a red top in my Yukon XL and it's works fine.
A big benefit of the Optima is the amount of acid in one vs the regular battery.
When I taking the old battery out of the truck, I could hear the acid sloshing around in a major way. I didn't hear any of that when putting the Optima in.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2001
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From: Dear Karma, I have a list of people you missed.
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: Alton Illinois
a battery tender does not charge all of the time but monitors battery charge and adds charge when necessary. go to harbor freight and pick one up to start. remember it is a battery tender not just a battery charger. there is a difference.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 3,398
Likes: 2
Having to use a battery tender on any battery if you car sits up to a month at a time is BS. Get a better battery if you got to throw a tender on it just cause it sits for a month.
Drifting
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,564
Likes: 4
From: Brookfield Wisconsin
Next time throw a volt meter on the battery and see what it reads after sitting for a whole winter and see what it reads!
I'm still on my original AC Delco battery that's 7 years old. I leave my car sitting for weeks and even a month at a time each and every winter with NO tender and it fires up each and every time.
Having to use a battery tender on any battery if you car sits up to a month at a time is BS. Get a better battery if you got to throw a tender on it just cause it sits for a month.
Having to use a battery tender on any battery if you car sits up to a month at a time is BS. Get a better battery if you got to throw a tender on it just cause it sits for a month.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 8,466
Likes: 51
St. Jude Donor '17