Ive had my Optima Battary, Red top since December of 05. It was replaced in July of 06 because it kept draining out.

The one that I have now keeps draining out if you let the car sit for about two days. I dropped my car off at my macanic and he did a Parasitic Drain test on the car and NOTHING is draining the battary from the car. He checked it every morning for a few mornings and its fine. Told me if it happens again to replace the battary.

The cars been sitting all week and I got in it on Friday and the battary was completly dead. Took it to autozone today and im waiting for a new one to come in.

Are these Optima Battaries all they are spoken up to be ?? Im kinda dissapointed in mine

Lets talk !

-matt

 

You know what, ive heard about these problems with optimas. Which is the main reason why i have not bought one. I bought a 50$ battery from costco, in the summer my car sat for 2 months with no tranny in it and it still started, ive left my lights on over night still started, ive sat in parking lots for probably 3-4 hours with my music on and it still starts easy. Needless to say im very impressed with it. A few people i know that come to my work have had there optimas replaced several times because of them draining.

Perhaps its time for a formal complaint to optima about there quality issues? Considering the price id only expect the best.

 

I bought the optima look-alike from Autozone..the duralast GOLD. It has a 3 year flippin' warranty. what more could you ask for?

 

I've only heard good things about the Optima, and never heard about this problem.

I bought my battery from Sears, no problems thus far. (knock on wood)

 

Thats the same one I got....works real well...It has only died once and that was after using my radio for about 6 hours while working on my other car...Its now about 4 years old and starts everytime even in this 10 degree weather.

 

i've got an optima red top that has a date on it of Jan, 2000 that still runs strong. I got it for free, found it in a dusty corner at work. I'd never pay that much for a battery though, I'll stick with my Die Hards for when I actually have to replace it.

 

this topic has come up a couple times lately. there seems to be a fair amount of defective optimas, but the good ones are great. you just happened to strikeout twice.

 

For the price, more than once is too many times to recieve a defective optima

 

exactly. and for normal car electrical use the optima is overkilll. only for audio systems with huge draws do you even need one in the first place.

 

I love my red top. There has been numerous times where I've worked on the supra and had the Maxima for music, morning to night. And the next day she would start up as if brand new. Left the headlights on a few times(i took out the annoying beeper so its easy to forget especially during day time). All i can say when I'm buying another battery for the supra.. the Red top is what I'm going with....(if everything remains stock)

 

the yellow top is a deep cycle which is used for large draws, the red top is just has high cranking amps. i'm going to be using 2 yellow tops.

 

ive been through 2 yellowtops in two different vehicles both having the same problem as the OP. ive since picked up the regular ol' $50 autozone battery and never looked back.

for the price of the optimas you would think this wouldnt be an issue.

 

theres alot of defective optimas out there. I dont think they have a very high quality control but they dont care becuase they replace the defective ones immediatly.

I had the same thing happen to me and I took it back to the place I bought it at, they did a load test and 30 minutes later I got a new one and have been very pleased by it

 

Optimas use use to be great batteries. I still have one i bought 5 years ago that works great. The ones made in the last few years are junk.

 

i just bought the same one today hopefully there wont be no problems in the future. the battery that i just replaced was swelled up and leaking all around the edges

 

I have a Red Top in my Maxima that I I have had since mid 2004, I got it out of a car from my dad's shop - the sticker says it is an 02 battery. That is over 5 years this thing has been ticking. I even had it in my Bronco for a year or so, w/ a 250a alt, 4 15's...

I also have 2 Yellow tops - one just kept getting worse after 2 years. It wouldn't hold a charge. The other has been through 2 wrecks in previous Maxima's, getting thrown into a fan during some offroad racing in my Bronco about 3 years ago(still has a 3" gash in the side-no problems) and still made it through my alternator going out in my current Maxima.

I know some people have had problems with them, and even knowing the trouble I've had with them, I would still get another one today.

But it would be a Red Top.

 

The recent optima's seem to be really crappy, but i guess they still last longer in extreme conditions than a conventional battery, which is what they are advertised to do.

And the optima's draining themselves seems to be a common thing, my friend's golf does it, his brother corrado does it, and ive had a few customers tell me theirs did the same. But if you keep it charged up its fine.

 

If they are self draining, they are defective. These things should be able to sit for months and be able to start your car. They are advertised as having "low internal resistance" as compared to conventional batteries. This should allow them to hold a charge longer.

Mine sat in my Bronco for near 2years and started my then-10.5:1 compression big block...

 

Had mine since 2002. Left the lights on a few times, ran the stereo w/car off couple times. Alternator belt came off and car still drove on battery alone. Had starting issues and needed to start repeatedly till the starter died... This thing is nearly indestructible. Dunno why the recent Red Tops are so problematic.

The 1 thing this car has not done is been in sub-freezing temps. But I'd never drive this car into sub-freezing area cuz I have Redline Water Wetter in the radiator.

Dr J

 

I've only read about many, many bad experiences with the Red Top on various forums and next to no complaints with the yellow/blue top. I have no experience with Red tops, only yellow and blue tops.

I have a yellow top in my camaro and it's still kickin' after 5+ years even with a demanding stereo. I have a blue top in my TT Supra, and it's been great for the last 2+ years, and that car sits for days on end/sometimes weeks on end.

 

I've had three red tops. two from 2000 that I still have and one from this year when I got a third vehicle, and have already swap/exchanged the new one. The 2000 red tops are going strong, I usually use them when playing ball in the park or working outside on vehicles and no problems. But I swear that new red top is garbage, since exchange have already had to jump it off twice.

 

My yellow top died out just last month after 7 years, 4 of which were in Montana. They prorate those batteries so I didn't have to pay much for replacement. I love my yellow top.

 

I tend to get about 2yrs out of a red top. I don't care if they die every 2 years, with the three year warranty I have not bought a battery since 2000 for the Maxima.
The redtop in my Z out lived the warranty and was replaced with an Odyssey battery, saved 23lbs.

 

Pro-rated for how long? What kinda warranty did u get?!

Dr J

 

^^^^ I only had to pay $50 bucks for a new one.

 

Yes vvvv Nice 'N Clean vvv

 

If battery pro-rates are like tires, they're based on projected life expectancy. I've never seen a redtop with a stated 7 years life expectancy, and then to only pay $50 after 7 years is incredible. How'd you pull that off?

Sorry if I seem offensive. Just wondering how you did it cuz I'd love to have a $50 prorate after 7 years for my next battery. That'd potentially save me tons of $!

Dr J

 

Battery.

 

They aren't bad for the money, there are MUCH better though...

For everyday driving they work perfect. My redtop is on 2.5 years with no problems..

 

It helps when you buy it on base. I'm military. no taxes either on base.