I've had AAA over to start my 01 coupe three times in my driveway so far this season. Is there a known problem with the stock battery? What is the best way to address the issue with GM? Any suggestions would be appreciated greatly, Thanks again.........

 

One word...Optima.

In other words the stocker is decent at best.

Replacing the stocker with a better battery could avert potential headaches.

 

I know many people are unhappy with their Delco's and replace them with Optima's. Mine lasted for 3 years and is still good but I just replaced it with a new Optima.

I would suggest you call the best dealer in your area to see if they will replace the battery under warranty. I think they may have had a problem with a bunch of 2001's.

 

How long does your car sit? My 3+-year-old OEM never failed to crank even after sitting for two weeks one bad winter. I did replace it with a new AC/Delco Professional Platinum AGM just to ensure I won't have any problems. I'd rather prevent problems than experience them.

I shopped and my AC/Delco is rated at 825 CCA vs the OEM's 600, comes with a 7 year limited warranty with 3 years full replacement. I managed to talk my dealer into installing it for $135, I think they sell for about $150 plus tax. While the Optima is about $35 cheaper I didn't like the useless posts on it's top. Remember most vette owner’s care about appearance as much as performance. The chrome pieces I have wouldn't fit neatly over the Optima's top posts.

In any event if your under warranty have your cars electrical system checked. If they discover the battery is defective and covered under warranty you should be able to upgrade to the AC/Delco AGM and pay the difference. Why shell out you $$$ when most of the costs could be picked up by the warranty? Plus I'd want to know if there was some other problem with the cars electrical system.

Just my thoughts on how I'd handle your situation.

Tom
USAF Retired

 

The cover that goes over the Optima makes the battery look way cool. They even can make your red top look yellow. Not a good reason to by GM. :cool: :cheers: :cool: :yesnod: :lol: :seeya

 

I replaced my battery with an Optima yellow top after my car wouldn't start at a show one day. I had the radio on while I was detailing for about 3 hours, but when I went to go home, nothing. You should be able to leave the radio on for days! At any rate, no problems to report since the Optima went in.
By the way, nice reference to Hemmingway in your name. Good to know some people still read.

Greg
:cool:

 

I,ve got a red top, but I don't know about leaving the radio on for three hours. :eek:

 

I have to ask: How do you know that the battery is at fault? Could there be a drain somewhere? Have you had the dealership check out your electrical system, including alternator?

If the battery IS the problem, is it an AGM battery? I believe that not ALL 2001s came with AGMs.

About AGMs: (Road & Track - June, 2002)

AGM technology is truly aerospace stuff. These batteries package the electrolyte into moistened fiberglass matting instead of a liquid (wet cell) or jelly-like slurry (gel cel). The mat is sandwiched between the battery's lead plates, where it doubles as a vibration dampener. This makes a sealed AGM battery resistant to physical shock, somewhat finicky about charging rates, more expensive and definitely longer-lived than wet or gell-cell units.


The best charge rate is approx. 6-amps, according to WestCo in Anaheim, CA.

 

Is this cover still available ? I couldn't find anything about it on the Optima site .

 

I called a 1-800 number Shawn at LAPD provided in Denver and was told they stopped making them. I asked every CF vendor that sells Optima's to get ma a "spacer" and none of them could. So the goofy useless terminals are still a concern for me. Like I said the chrome cover I have wouldn't fit on a battery with top post's.

Since many folks out here are considering the Optima, maybe someone can tell them where to buy the spacer? I couldn't find anyone to sell me one.

Tom
USAF Retired

 

i just rplaced the batt. in my 98 with an ac platinum. my car only has 12000 mi. on it, so you can tell it does sit from time to time. but when the car was just dead one day, i found the batt. had oozed a sustantial amount of matrerial out the positive terminal all over the batt. compartment. the store i bought the new batt. from told me that was a pretty common problem with the c-5s, but i haven't seen anyone else that got a big mess like mine. i'd replace it with something right away though.

good luck

 

Does my heart good to see that you picked up on the name reference. Thought long and hard about name. Off to the dealer tomorow. Thanks to all for your comments.

 

What did you do for your battery after it was jump started? If you just drove it around for a while and hoped that it was recharged, it may not have been. And was just charged up enough to start a few more times before going dead again. Often after they've been discharged batterries simply will not hold a charge. You should have it tested and if it's found to be OK, recharge it completely.

 

[QUOTE]I've had AAA over to start my 01 coupe three times in my driveway so far this season. Is there a known problem with the stock battery? What is the best way to address the issue with GM? Any suggestions would be appreciated greatly, Thanks again.........

As some of you know from my posts of the last ten days or so, I had this same problem with my '01 battery. Apparently it sat discharged long enough on the dealer floor that it would test okay after a recharge, but wouldn't hold a charge but for a few starts. My dealer replaced the battery under warranty with a Delco 75P7YR (Platinum, 7 year warranty) AGM sealed battery and the car has been fine ever since. Another member strongly recommended to me offlist to get a Battery Tender if the Vette isn't going to be driven regularly. I'm going to do that.

 

My original battery was not holding a charge and I had to get a boost from the guy next to me at the last car show I was in.

Took my old one in to a local dealership and they replaced it with a new AC/Delco Professional Platinum AGM under warranty no questions asked.

 

A couple of weeks ago while out of town I had to get a AAA jump start and it worked fine to get me home (1 hour drive). As soon as I turned the motor off, I could tell I had no battery power. After further investigation I found that I had the dreaded AC DELCO battery problem - IE. positive terminal blown out and leaking fluid.

My local Chevy dealer, Mac Haik flat bedded me in, fixed the positive cable, cleaned up the mess and installed my Optima Red Top at no charge (warranty coverage would have put in another AC DELCO which I didn't want).

Check your positive cable carefully as the popped post may not be easily spotted visually. If busted go to CHEVROLET!

Steve

PS: LAPD did a great job of sending me a Optima Red TOP battery at a great price with overnight delivery!

 

A widely kniown issue with bacthes of DELCO Batteries. Take it to the dealer and get a new one. Or go out and buy an OPTIMA.

 

I just flipped 28000 miles in my 01 Coupe... no problems with the AGM battery for me.