OPTIMA Batteries
Reviews and Complaints

Why has Optima Batteries quality dropped for some of the highest priced batteries? I always have purchased Optima even though the cost was higher (owned 20 plus my business truck). Our car club and retailer are all saying the batteries no longer make it to warranty, the last two for me ( different cars and battery model, one a daily driver and other weekend sports car failed at 8 months and 2 years respectively.) When they used to surpass their warranty by a year or two prior. Same I'm hearing elsewhere, something in mfg has changed, cost cutting? Ridiculous! Both tested bad at the retailer too. If it wasn't replaced under warranty, I never would have taken the new one, it's become that bad... please have mgmt fix it, the secret sauce no longer is a viable option.

All Optima batteries over the years were in same location, so its NOT the country or area, and daily driver went 60 miles daily, so it's not that its needing a charge, sports car is 75 to 250 a weekend and on AGM charger during the week. It's a change in quality from the great ones they produced a few years ago.

I purchase the optima red top I believe last November Of 2021 installed it then 3 days later my engine and transmission blew, so I replaced my engine with a crate motor and new transmission. I have spent insane amount of money trying to fix the problems on my truck and it got to a point no one could figure it out. I even spent 2 grand for a shop to do nothing they couldn’t figure it out it was to the point where my truck wouldn’t go 15 minutes because of Ecm/pcm short circuit code. So out a random attempt I put an interstates battery in it now it won’t die. 3 seperate trips in the last 3 days 2-3 hours at a time it’s good I’m to afraid to ever put that red top in anything I own, it’s especially disappointing because I spent a lot of money on that battery I was really excited about it. And I know believe it to have cost me 1000s in repairs. It constantly made crazy codes. 1 more example it’s was throwing a gross evap code error even after replacing the entire evap system and smoke test that problem was over taking by the pcm code. I was at a loss and I’m just happy to have it resolved but something people should be aware of if they start having problems like me

By a battery tender, it last just over a year... Stopped working and was told this.

From: coz1
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2021 12:27 PM
To: 'BG-Info-OptimaBatteries'
Subject: RE: Warranty for DIGITAL 400

It was working fine sitting on my car and stopped. Had nothing to do with being dropped.
But I get it, any excuse to not have to cover the warranty.
Exactly why I stopped buying your batteries for my race cars, the batteries are junk and don't last either.
You can throw it in the trash, which is where everything else I've had from optima ends up.
Thanks for nothing. I'll be sure to tell all those I race with in NASA about this.

Jim Cozzolino, CHA, EMT
Coz Motorsports, Owner/Driver
NASA-AZ HPDE 2 Group Leader/Senior Instructor
2020 NASA Regional 1st Place Season Champion TT-1
2019 NASA Regional 2nd Place Season Champion TT-1
2018 NASA Regional 2nd Place Season Champion TT-U
2016 NASA Regional 1st Place Season Champion TT-1
2016 NASA-AZ-UMS Time Attack Regional 1st Place Season Champion TA-C
2014 NASA Regional 1st Place Season Champion TT-U
2013 NASA Regional 3rd Place Season Champion TT-U
2012 NASA-AZ-UMS Time Attack Regional 1st Place Season Champion TA-C
Facebook…Jim Cozzolino

From: BG-Info-OptimaBatteries
Sent: Tuesday, September 14, 2021 12:15 PM
To: [protected]@centurylink.net
Subject: Re: Warranty for DIGITAL 400

Hello Jim,

The repair center received your charger and determined that it showed signs of having been dropped which isn't covered under warranty.

Thank you,
Mary Jo
Optima Customer Service

Yellow top optima i've exchanged once and I haven't even owned this battery for a year soon as it got cold will not maintain charge once it sits I've charged this with your battery charger recommended for these batteries Allowing it to cycle through and go all the way to the end for two days Monday had to charge it again today wouldn't start my my truck after three turns of the ignition alternator works fine and everything checked been round and round with this battery since I've owned it I do not want a replacement I want a refund

I purchased 2 Optima Blue Top batteries at $235.00 each on 12/9/14 at Mike's Marine in Panacea, FL. At the end of February 2017, the batteries would no longer take a charge and registered only 6 volts. Mike's Marine referred me to Interstate All Battery Center in Tallahassee, FL. The representative checked the batteries and determined that one battery only reached 6 volts when charged and the other would charge to 12 volts but within 48 hours it would drop to 6 volts. The representative at Interstate said the batteries were beyond the 2 year replacement warranty. It appears that the batteries may have a short.
I sent an email to Optima with a response that indicated how to charge the batteries. My wife telephoned Optima and spoke with Mary Jo who basically read the email to my wife and said there was nothing to be done. My wife asked to speak to someone higher than Mary Jo and was informed that she made those decisions. I also sent two additional emails to other addresses at Optima with no response.
I have all of my documentation if needed.
Therefore, I am continuing my quest to resolve the situation through a refund or replacement batteries. I also wish to alert other consumers to be aware of this company and product.
I am very disappointed in the quality of this product and am requesting that Optima honor the warranty. I have owned and operated boats all my life and believe a marine battery should have a longer life span than just over 2 years.

Purchased an optima yellow top battery purchased 2-25-17 at autozone for $179.99 plus tax. On 3-17-17, the car the battery was installed in (A prius) would not start normally and we had to call roadside assistance for a jump start. The car was then driven approximately fifty minutes and parked overnight. The next morning, the car failed to start again. Never imagining that the brand new expensive battery would be defective, we had the car towed to toyota. Upon diagnostics, we were told the battery was defective. Since we needed the car in running condition, we allowed them to replace the battery.

Attempted to return the defective battery to autozone. They insisted they had to "test" the battery themselves which they did. They fully admit the battery is defective. But the only resolution they will offer is a replacement. We do not want another optima! This battery left my daughter stranded in chicago after being in serve less than one month. We want a full refund!

Bought a new $170 Optima red top battery online in August 2008. One selling point to justify the high cost was a 3 year replacement warranty. Less than 2 years later it died and could not be recharged (tried all of their tips and nothing worked). Optima does not handle warranty on their batteries- you have to go through the vendor you bought it from, and hope they are still in business. Forced to eat another $60 in two-way return shipping to the vendor. Would have been cheaper to buy 3 batteries at Sears or Autozone. Won't online order another Optima, probably won't buy another Optima anyway. The longest warranty in the world is no good if there is no one to honor it or you have to pay lots of dollars for shipping both ways.

Today is May 14, 2009
Purchased a 6Volt Optima Battery in March of 2007 for around 120 dollors. After 2 years the battery will not hold a charge. I contacted the battery supplier, Cell Energy Inc for warranty. They said the warranty was expired that I had purchased a used battery. I just about lost it as I purchased a NEW battery. I am not sure how Cell Energy pulled that off however I was denied warranty. I went to Optima in Colorado and all I received was a sorry note on my email. I can not believe that you can pay 120 dollars, in 2007, for a new battery, be scammed by the battery supplier by them giving you a used battery, be denied warranty from the battery dealer and Optima Manufacturing, and still have the gahl to sell them as premium batteries. Well I guess I can believe it as I am the dummy that bought one. If you are looking to buy an Optima, be sure it is a NEW battery, from a reputable battery dealer. I have not been taken very often, but Cell Energy Inc in Sacramento, CA really stuck it to me. And Optima Battery Manufacturing did not stand up for their product.