I'll try and make this as short as possible:

Last summer, I broke my leg, so my '99 GS sat for around a month, and the Optima Red Top battery I have installed drained down to nothing. The battery is approximately 3 years old. The reason it drained is because though the car was off, it was still wired into 2 amplifiers, a capacitor, and a TV tuner which were all on standby, drawing significant milliamps over those 30 days.

When I was ready to start driving again, I got a jumpstart, drove around for about an hour, but things haven't been right since. Here are the symptoms:

* Lights dim severely at idle, like when at a traffic light.
* SRS light comes on and off, but is on most of the time (never removed steering wheel or jacked with SRS system; this is entirely due to low voltage, I believe -- proper voltage is one of the '3 part' tests for the SRS system, or so I've read)
* Occaisionally when engine is under load or sitting at idle with lights off, battery light comes on. A few quick revs or getting the car going again corrects the problem, and battery light goes off. This is FAR more rare than the SRS light which is on half the time.
* After sitting for just another 3 or 4 days, battery is just about dead again. I have removed EVERYTHING (amps, tuner, cap, etc.) by taking out the fuse by the battery, and still have the same problem.
* Car has never started with the 'oomph' it did when I first bought the Optima.

Since I was due in for more surgery on my leg last week, I thought it would be a perfect time to take my Optima to Batteries Plus, a shop that kinda knows what they're doing and sells the brand. They explained that you could NOT trickle charge an Optima, and told me it was a really involved process to bring an Optima back to life, that involved charging on auto and manual, changing the amperage, and would take at least 48 hours. They said it would be free, so I removed my battery and left it with them for ALMOST 48 hours...

Unknown to me, the guy I spoke to about Optimas (the only guy who seemed to know about them) was off the day my mother decided to pick up the battery--early. Long story short, only 40 or so hours had gone by, and I believe she picked it up before the process was complete, because I still have ALL the same issues.

To make matters worse, I had recently purchased a battery charger from Sears (had a gift cert), that is 12V, and does 2 and 10 amp. If you read this article I found, I'm doomed to have to remove the battery again because I don't have the equipment (spare battery AND 100AMP charger???) to recharge it properly. Apparently I don't have a charger up to the task, either.

Here's that article:

http://www.batteriesareus.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=2&chapter=0&zenid=4cd0b1c9c9573458cc3e2bd0bdb8172a

Here's what I've done so far to troubleshoot:

I took the car to Autozone, and Pep Boys, both who tested the battery and alternator twice. Each of the 4 times, I was told the alternator was good, and the battery is good; just low charge on the battery.

Cleaned posts, checked all connections to primary wiring and ground. Removed fuse back to the amplifiers and other accessories. Checked SRS and other fuses in driver kick panel. Did a 24 hour 2amp trickle charge. Nothing. Did a 12 hour 10 amp manual charge. Did nothing. This was all before I took my battery to Batteries Plus this weekend.

I was so excited to finally have my battery back to 99% charge, but unfortunately I found out early this morning that I still have all the same issues.

One thing worth noting, is that when I took a 2 hour road trip just about 4 weeks ago, 75% (1 hour, 30 minutes) into the drive, the SRS light went off for good. My electrical gremlins were gone. Even the reverse camera started working again when I put my car in reverse. EUREKA! However, at the end of the trip, I had all the same issues again.

So what I'm asking... Does anyone have any experience bringing these Optimas back to life? Again, I do not own the equipment specified in the article, so I'm wondering if I can get the job done with a 2/10Amp 12V manual charger. I really don't have the money for a fancy expensive 'deep cycle' charger. TIA for any help you can provide.

http://www.snuFaluFagus.com --- electronic music made by me - hard house, drum and bass, trip hop, metal, breaks, etc...

Keep it short, LMAO, not! What I don't understand is why this would even be a battery issue if you are getting dim lights as the car is idling, and as you rev higher you have the proper voltage again. that's an alternator issue, but you say that the alternator checked out okay. I'm skeptical. when the motor is running, a sick battery can't give you those symptoms - the alternator is providing the power. s

2gnt: '99 RS-T, killed by a toyota, pending rebuild...
Daily: Volt
Daily #2: '99 EVG ebike- STOLEN by PEDRO

Originally posted by ez
Keep it short, LMAO, not! What I don't understand is why this would even be a battery issue if you are getting dim lights as the car is idling, and as you rev higher you have the proper voltage again. that's an alternator issue, but you say that the alternator checked out okay. I'm skeptical. when the motor is running, a sick battery can't give you those symptoms - the alternator is providing the power. s

http://www.snuFaluFagus.com --- electronic music made by me - hard house, drum and bass, trip hop, metal, breaks, etc...

100 amps aren't necessary. Heat of the battery is more important than charging amperage.
Battery charger:
13.8 to 15.0 volts, 10 amps maximum, 6-12 hours approximate.

http://www.optimabatteries.com./publish/optima/americas0/en/config/product_info/automotive/starter/technical_specs.html
http://www.optimabatteries.com.au/Products/Redtop/Redtop_73Gen.htm

You can charge an Optima with a 2/10amp charger no problem, I do it all the time, it just charges slower. Slow charging is better for you because the battery stays cooler. Autozone likes to use the 100 amp rapid chargers because it gets you out the door faster and ruins your battery faster so you have to buy a new one.

If your Optima has been charged by Autozone, check the two safety valves on top to see if they've popped. If so, it's toast.

Fully discharging any battery is bad, Optimas take it especially hard. Disconnect it if the car's going to sit longer than a week. I'd say your battery is perma-dead since it was already 3 years old.

Definitely give it a good 10amp charge for at least 6-8 hours, use a thermometer and take it off the charger if it goes above 100-120*F. I usually throw it on the 2A trickle charger after that and leave it out on the patio overnight.

If all this sounds like instructions for baking a turkey, it is exactly like that.

2gnt: '99 RS-T, killed by a toyota, pending rebuild...
Daily: Volt
Daily #2: '99 EVG ebike- STOLEN by PEDRO

2gnt: '99 RS-T, killed by a toyota, pending rebuild...
Daily: Volt
Daily #2: '99 EVG ebike- STOLEN by PEDRO

Ive had issues in the past with Red tops draining to nothing, recharged, then the battery having issues ever since. I dump the POS, got the Autozone Gold, and never a problem since.

-K-

Representing the Central Cali chapter of 2GNT!
(I think I'm the only member )

I had the same thing happen to me.

After replacing the battery a couple times in a year I replaced the alternator and haven't had an issue since. Alternators can work at less than 100% output. It isn't if it is working or not working but if it is working at full potential.

Thanks all for the comments and advice.

I should have also mentioned that I have a UDP, but that's been on as long as the battery, and never caused any apparent issues. After looking at a receipt last night, I did find that my battery is just over 2 years old, and not 3. And the saftey valves have not popped.

I think it makes sense that the battery is still low on charge, but not dead, and that's making the alternator work overtime. I'd like to borrow a known-working battery from a friend or something, but I'd hate to damage their battery. Plus, if it's not the battery, things could seem fine for weeks before the problems start up again. Maybe I could buy/return one from WalMart?

In any case, I did a 10amp charge for 12 hours last night. The car naturally started great, but the SRS light stayed on. GRRRRR. However, it did go off after a while, only to come on again just a few more times on my 45 minute drive, and always for short periods. Doesn't sound like a breakthrough, but I did notice the SRS light came on less often and for shorter duration.

I'm getting ready to go out for lunch, and I know when I start it up, it's going to act just the same. Maybe I should just be happy that the car is starting and still getting me everywhere I need to go; especially since it's been acting this way for about 7 months now.

I'm not ruling out the alternator, and I did do some research on the 2 different test methods, but I believe both testing methods were done on mine. Autozone and Pep Boys both said it was putting out plenty of power, and I can't help but think they'd rather BS me and sell me a new one rather than tell me mine is OK and do a bunch of work for free. I don't know, though. Thanks again, guys.

i had similar problems (my thread is on the same page) id check to see if the alternator bolts are tight. My pivot bolt was loose and elongated the bracket on the alternator, so under load, it would just move forward and untension the belt.

RIP- Rustbucket 1995-2009

‹hazardeclipse› by the way youre thinking of hazard_eclipse
‹hazardeclipse› thats not my fucking car
‹teklein› Oh yeah
‹hazardeclipse› he stole my name
‹hazardeclipse› fuck that radioactive yellow shit
‹teklein› Hazard_eclipse is the homo.

UPDATE:

Got Optima to replace the battery -- have the new Red Top in there right now. Same problems... :S SRS light on, lights dim sometimes at idle.

I guess that eliminiates the battery as the cause. I'll be having my alternator tested for the 3rd time, I guess.

I've rechecked all the connections for loose wires or corrosion, and everything seems fine still. I just don't want my airbag not to deploy if I really need it.

Have you checked all the ground wires?

-MIKE-

Stroked 2.2L

i have the same problem but its with my friends car but he has a gst, i have a rs. i was driving his car two hours away to pick him up to give him his gst. ( we just bought it) on the way back home the car was really acting funny. the RPMs meter was going up and down but the engine was driving fine. the problem started when i turned on the head lights, the car started bogging down and then the SRS light went on. the car was running off the battery only. i had to keep getting jumps from people for like 10 min to get a charge. (i was still 50mi from home) i made it though. i replaced the alt and it ran fine but when i was in gear the BRAKE light and the BATTERY light went on but went off when i was in neutral. about 30 min of briving the same thing happend. i DONT KNOW WHAT THE HELL IT WRONG!!!! help me too

sorry for the long story....