NOTE - SEE BELOW FOR AN UPDATE TO THIS THREAD (04-06-06)

Here's the deal.

I'm leaving work, the car turns over strong and fine. Won't start. I don't hear the fuel pump prime, but everything appears normal when I turn the key to the ignition position.

Finally starts after about 10 minutes of intermittent attempts.

Drives and runs perfect.

Get home, drink a few beers, and watch some TV. Go out to start the car (going to a fish fry), and it doesn't even turn over. The battery seems to be completely drained (which is weird, since there isn't any reason why it should be).

Hook up a charger. It doesn't seem to be taking a charge. Turn the charger to boost, turn the key to start, and the needle pegs full drain. Not enough to get the car started though. Neighbor gives me a jump start, starts right up and runs fine...or so I thought. Let it run for about 10 minutes, turn it off, and try starting again. Nothing.

Get another jump start, and proceed to drive it for a while. Anytime any thing electrical kicks in (i.e., radiator fan), the car feels like it's going to die. My deck and radar detector both cycle on and off, like they're not getting enough juice.

Could this be a bad battery? Voltmeter shows 14.3 volts when the car is running. Battery shows 13 when the car is off, but can't even roll up my window.

I've got an Optima yellow top, approximately one year old. Is it possible for these things to take an instant ****?



Modified by wreckedmyteg at 6:56 PM 4/7/2006

 

im gonna say alternator

ive been trying to kill my optima yellow top, and i just can't seem to do it

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dan GSR &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im gonna say alternator

ive been trying to kill my optima yellow top, and i just can't seem to do it</TD></TR></TABLE>

Ended up being a bad battery. The thing would only put out 8 volts with any given load. 2 of the cells in the Optima died. They think the metal straps on top cracked.

It's all good now. Brand new Optima with a brand new warranty.

 

Not to bring this post back from the dead, but...

The replacement Optima I received back on 8/28/04 just took a major dump.

Exact same problem as the first Optima 51r I had.

These batteries are absolute ****.

It's out of warranty, so I'm out of luck. I sent Optima a nasty email. These batteries are obviously defective or flawed; my buddy had to have his replaced three times for the same problem.

Would anyone be interested in a class action lawsuit to get a refund or compensation? Not what I expect from a 150 dollar battery.

Add your name to this list if you've had a bad 51r yellow top!

So far we've got:

Wreckedmyteg
Jun1or

 

I'm going to get one of these instead. Near identical specs, and NOT Optima.



Stinger SPV35, designed for Honda's and Acura's.

Around 100 bucks online.

 

mine just took a dump...new one on the way.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Speed94 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">mine just took a dump...new one on the way.</TD></TR></TABLE>

51R Yellowtop?

 

Yeah...it was a yellow top. One cell took a ****. Had the same thing happen to me that you had. Replaced it with a generic one for now and alls good

 

if you need deep cycle, get a rockford fosgate battery. i bought one in the past and it was really good.

 

Check my other thread regarding this problem and get your money back!

https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1588217

 

wish I had seen that Stinger last August, would have paid a bit more and gotten that instead of this Sears non-sealed wet-cell battery I got.

 

I just bought a new battery for my Integra at Costco after shopping around. Comes with a 100 month warranty. Kirkland brand (that's their house brand) made by Johnson Controls, a major battery manufacturer. Only $37.

 

ive had my yellowtop for over a year, absolutly love it, no problems at all

 

Mine took a dump too awhile back. i hate those batteries

 

ya mine was crap as well i threw it away cuz it came with the car when i bought it so i figured a waranty would be no good for me oh well now i have some off the shelf NAPA battery or something works just fine for me.