Problems with Optima Battery?

[model eh]

How many others have had a problem with a Optima battery going bad long before they should? My battery is just 3 years old, car is driven all year round, except snow , heavy rain or salted roads, kept in a dry garage and cleaned twice a year. What gives ?

[31HotRodLincoln]

Optima batteries don't last any longer than standard ones. Of the three I bought the life is 3-5 yrs. That's all. Sales ads claim longer but it's b.s.

[chaddilac]

Use the search function and type in Optima battery.... you'll get the complete scoop on bunch of threads!!

[BadLuck]

yours lasted two years longer than mine!! i wasnt impressed at all.. but ive heard people speak highly of them... maybe its just my BadLuck.... i ended up just buying a local parts store battery... nooo problems..

[Chevy54]

Ive heard the same problems with them!

[shooter54]

I've had both good and bad luck with them. So far so good on my current one though. It was in the car when I bought it-like I said I've had bad experiences with them in the past, so I wouldn't have ponied up to buy it. But so far, so good. It's been in this car about 3 years I think.

[MAD MIKE]

Originally Posted by model eh

How many others have had a problem with a Optima battery going bad long before they should? My battery is just 3 years old, car is driven all year round, except snow , heavy rain or salted roads, kept in a dry garage and cleaned twice a year. What gives ?

When it's in storage did you keep a battery tender on it? If the car is not driven for more than a week, you need to have some way of maintaining a charge.
Anyone I know who has used a redtop in their DD has had trouble free battery life, shortest life span I've encountered is 7 years. My neighbor had one in his Jeep that had part of the outer casing missing after being dropped. Never had a problem with it. I've had it with the common wet cells leaking and pissing all over my vehicles, nothing fouler than an acid etched inner fender/frame rail. Well except 100K+ gear oil.

Originally Posted by chaddilac

Use the search function and type in Optima battery...

Nearly 30 threads with 'optima' in the title alone.

[plywude]

The HF battery tenders I bought said not to use it on a sealed battery so I have 2 tenders for 2 Optima's that I can't use.......................

[71buickfreak]

They do last longer than a standard wet battery, but if you abuse it, it won't. There is a way to kickstart an AGT (absorbed glass mat) battery, google it. Hot Rod had a story on that subject a few months ago.

I use Optimas in all my rods and muscle cars, they are better than anything else out there. I had a yellow top (deep cycle) in my DD muscle car that doubled as a car audio competition car and demo car for the shop I worked at. I literally cycled that battery to under 5 volts at least 100 times, and it was well over 5 years old when it wouldn't come back. A standard wet battery can barely take 1 or 2 deep cycles, even a marine deep cycle can't handle that kind of abuse.

[71buickfreak]

Originally Posted by plywude

The HF battery tenders I bought said not to use it on a sealed battery so I have 2 tenders for 2 Optima's that I can't use.......................

Buy the one from Eastwood, the real "Battery Tender". It works great on mine.

[Dave B.]

After experiencing some strange starting problems with the first Optima we put in our current (off topic) stage rally car, we went to Odyssey. Odyssey batteries are more expensive than Optimas, but they are more compact and provide excellent service, even in very trying conditions. They are completely sealed and can even be mounted at extreme angles (supposedly even upside-down). Read more here:
http://www.odysseybatteries.com/index.htm

[RustyKraQer]

i just tossed mine out, had it about 5years mine and my wifes crapped out about the same time. I know that if it sits for a while the only way to recharge an AGM batt is to charge it with another known good battery in parallel. Slow, once it gets past 10.5 volts at a low amperage, you can then charge it on its own... I have brought many back to life that have sat on the shelf in the garage for years this way. If you have ran the battery in the car for a while for everyday use, after a while these batteries are notorious for corrosion under the cap (lid) around the post, breaking the welds from the plates to the post....now its worthless........ hope this helps.

[gemcityrenegade]

I have 3 dead Red tops right now. They suck since they're made in china now. One is a year old and the other is 3 years old. Crap, I've got like 6 or 7 years from Diehards for less than half the price. F^@$ pooptima..

[WDobos]

I've used Optima batteries for years, 6 & 12 volt. I use a battery tender on them all the time. Best I got out of one was 10 years and I had trouble with one and Optima replaced it NO problem. No matter what type of battery you use if you don't use a battery tender it won't last!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ArtGeco]

Originally Posted by gemcityrenegade

They suck since they're made in china now.

I thought the new ones were made in Mexico, not China?

[hotrodnailhead]

Try Odyssey batteries, they are good and made in USA. Brail is good too, but a little pricey.

After Optima went to China they stopped getting my $.

[ArtGeco]

Never mind their lifespan. I've found they are just stronger batteries.
Leave the lights on, no problem. Car's having problem starting, they'll
crank that starter for an hour without complaining.
That's been my experience.

I've had a few fail at about the 3 year mark, always replaced without question.

[Deuce Daddy Don]

Love mine!!! 3 years old & works great!!---The sealed feature is what sold me, no more water spills on the trunk carpet!!

[NVRRDUNN]

I put a red top in my convertible back in 2003...no problems sssssssssoooooooooooo far....

[TexasHardcore]

When an AGM (dry cell/Optima) battery's voltage drops below 10.5 volts, it discharges, and a normal charger won't get it back up to par like a normal battery. You have to have either a special charger for the AGM battery, or you have to charge it with your normal charger by charging a regular battery, and running jumper cables from the regular battery being charged over to the AGM battery. (see pic below)

Most negative comments about Optima batteries are from people who are uneducated on the product. People in the know, don't have much to complain about.

http://www.optimabatteries.com/product_support/faqs.php