Its not unheard of to need a new battery after 2 years. In hot climates, its actually normal. Heat kills batteries.

 

Honda battery warranty:
3 years
2 years full
3rd year 50%

The collective experience around here? Three years tops for the oem battery.

 

The day I got my Ody home, I pulled the 1 year old Optima battery out of my Tahoe and put it in my Ody.

The Ody battery went into the Sentra, and the OLD Sentra battery went into the Tahoe.

I sold the Tahoe a few days later......


The Optima battery is IMHO the best battery on the market, but is is also the most expensive battery on the market........


I would recomed the Red top battery. Also make sure you get the free plastic spacer for the bottom of the battery...........you'll need it.

 

Thanks all.

Definitely don't want another OEM battery as cost is the #1 criteria which always compromises performance and reliability.

KiteSquid - good tip on the plastic spacer, I wouldn't have known. What size does the Ody use? I noted on Optima's specs that the yellow top "dual" mode batteries were rated at ~550CCA (oops, that's for size D51, not the Ody size, DOH!) which is exactly what the OEM battery is rated, makes me wonder if its also a dual mode. They do power some accessories directly off the battery so it might make sense. Also interesting CR didn't test one in their recent battery test, I wonder how it would have stacked up. (Maybe it was unfair to include one which is why they left i t out? )

 

My wife and I have been using the dealer for our vans. They test the battery at each service. Her's tested weak in the third year. The dealer did give her a battery for 1/2 price, but charged $40. to put it in. So the bill ended up $80. for another oem battery. You can get a much better battery for $80. When mine tested weak, I waited and did not change it until, about 9 months later, I left the keys in and on acc. I paid about the same at a battery only shop.
My aftermarket battery is rated at 620 CCA

 

Optima makes 3 types of batteries. Blue, Yellow and Red top.



Blue top is Deep Cycle.

Red top is starting battery (MOST automotive applications) is only one size, that is why they make the spacer.... iti is called a group size 34/78.


Yellow top is kinda half way inbetween....

There is also a commercial Yellow Top battery.


Optima's web page is HERE

E mail them at questions@optimabatteries.com

Or you can call them Toll Free: 888-8OPTIMA (888-867-8462)
8:00am to 5:00pm (MT) Monday through Friday

Next time you are at Costco look at the Red Top batteries and not all will have a spacer clipped on top. it is there for shipping, but you snap it to the bottom of the battery for instlation in your '05+ ody.

BTW Optima batteries are not cheep, nor are they inexpensive.....

 

Picked up a D34/78 Optima Yellow Top from Pep Boys last night. $189 - ouch. Between the overhead light issues, seat heaters, RES use, power-everything I decided to bite the bullet and give Optima Yellow a try.

But this better be the BEST darn battery I ever owned and last at least 4 years or I'll go back to buying a "regular" battery when this one kicks it.

I was planning to install today but just realized the cap from the negative screw terminal on the side fell off somewhere, probably while I was carrying thru the store. Now it'll have to wait until tomorrow when I can go back to the store to get another.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

It may be to late but Sams Club and Costco have very good prices on Optima batteries. You won't be dissappointed. Another great thing about Optima is that its sealed. No need to vent it and thus won't cause any corrosion.

 

Three years is what I got out of my (bought new) 99 Accord battery.

Also, IIRC, isn't Blue Optima the Marine battery and the Yellow the deep Cycle?

 

In my case the battery did not even last two full years. Yesterday my wife was stranded twice with dead battery. Car started right away with jumper cables.
This morning the dealer said the battery was dead and put a new battery in. Since the car will be two years old next month, the replacement was covered under warranty.
Great customer service, but not so good batteries.
Max

 

I have had my battery replaced too. Just over two years on it. I have a smaller one in size not sure about amps as the dealer I purchased it from put it in. That leaves just enough room to put one quart of oil in battery box.

It may come out and go in my Accord if it will fit as the battery in that is dying. Heard good things about Optima batteries.

 

An LX may not need the capacity the EX's do. In the course of a day I can open and close the auto sliding doors 10-15 times with the van parked.

 

Costo has regular batteries for under 50.00 with 100month warranties. 3 years full cash value (hold onto that receipt)

Great deal!

Tom

 

Costo has regular batteries for under 50.00 with 100month warranties. 3 years full cash value (hold onto that receipt)

Great deal!

Tom

I was actually allset to go to COSTCO for the new battery, before finding out that the battery is fully covered under warranty for the first two years. My suggestion is to ask dealer to check your battery prior to your 2 year warranty expires.
Max

 

I was thinking of using one of these Optimas but the website does not provide an application for our Odyssey's in the battery selector pulldown. I'm not saying it would be bad to have this battery - just wondering why they don't have a recommended application for Honda minivans or trucks (all years) and many other Honda vehicles. Is this a fit issue (spacer or longer wires)or an electronic (load) issue?

Also, I'm a fan of remotely located batteries (i.e. trunk) where the battery is removed from the hot engine compartment. The optima battery with its sealed design may make this a placement option possible in the odyssey.

Comments? Thanks!

Optima makes 3 types of batteries. Blue, Yellow and Red top.



Blue top is Deep Cycle.

Red top is starting battery (MOST automotive applications) is only one size, that is why they make the spacer.... iti is called a group size 34/78.


Yellow top is kinda half way inbetween....

There is also a commercial Yellow Top battery.


Optima's web page is HERE

E mail them at questions@optimabatteries.com

Or you can call them Toll Free: 888-8OPTIMA (888-867-8462)
8:00am to 5:00pm (MT) Monday through Friday

Next time you are at Costco look at the Red Top batteries and not all will have a spacer clipped on top. it is there for shipping, but you snap it to the bottom of the battery for instlation in your '05+ ody.

BTW Optima batteries are not cheep, nor are they inexpensive.....

 

I was thinking of using one of these Optimas but the website does not provide an application for our Odyssey's in the battery selector pulldown.

True, they don't list an application but it will work. There's no reverse post (+/- swapped) option but there's enough slack in the cables that mounting the battery turned 180 degrees to match up the posts and cables does work. You also need the plastic height adjuster which comes installed on top as a cover. Simply flip it over and install on the bottom to make the correct height. The stock brace works fine.

I've had my Yellow-top installed for about a month now and no issues. I agree with the previous poster that the EX has much higher electrical requirements than the LX so red top was out of the question with all this extra accessory load. After all, that's what killed the first battery! The deep cycle characteristics of the yellow should protect against premature failure if I should suffer a charge cycle or two over the next few years.

So far, so good.....but only time will tell.

 

Sam's in the OC has the Optima Red Top fpr $133.xx and the Yellow Top for $166.xx. Both had the spacers.

 

My wife and I have been using the dealer for our vans. They test the battery at each service. Her's tested weak in the third year. The dealer did give her a battery for 1/2 price, but charged $40. to put it in. So the bill ended up $80. for another oem battery. You can get a much better battery for $80. When mine tested weak, I waited and did not change it until, about 9 months later, I left the keys in and on acc. I paid about the same at a battery only shop.
My aftermarket battery is rated at 620 CCA

I faced the exact same scenario. What a ripoff! I told them to keep their crappy 2 year battery and bought a die hard; installed it myself.

 

Honda is really anal about their batteries. Must be that Japanese business relationship thing, they won't change their supplier. This is a typical weak link with HMC. I bought a new Acura in 89 and that battery was replaced under warranty. I have a 7 year old Mercedes SUV, changed the battery for the first time a couple months ago - and thats only because I left the door ajar for over 2 days at the airport, the lights didn't cycle off with the door half closed. Gladly paid $110 for a new battery at the MB dealer. Honda? No way, Jose!

 

ours died today!! 27 months and 27k miles since dealer delivery.

i didn't even bother with warranty claims. i went straight to costco and got a fitment 3 (group 34 or 35, i think) and replaced it. the only problem i had was the + terminal being too close to the filler cover. i had to remove the filler covers in order to tight the 10mm bolt.

the battery is a bit shorter than the oem, but same height.

3 years free replacement plus 100 months warranty, i guess i can't complain too much.

this honda oem battery is one of the shortest life one that i have ever experienced....

 

Alternative Spiral Cell

The exide Orbital group 78 is also an alternative..

I am running the CDN tire branded version.

1000CCA

 

maybe Honda will develop a PAX battery....then we can have an entire new PAX battle

 

maybe Honda will develop a PAX battery....then we can have an entire new PAX battle

:joy: LOL

 

as a correction to a previous post, i recall the color codes as follows:

red - starting, has most cca
yellow - deep cycle, recommended for those with aftermarket electronics
blue - marine battery, for boats but i know a few people who swear by these in their autos.

good to know if you're shopping.

fwiw, i've had a red top in my 2000 maxima since 2001. that's six years without a peep. when you forget it's there, it means it's doing its job. don't know much about their warranty but that's good enough for me. i now have a yellow top in our mdx which i changed as soon as the oem showed signs of its inherent crapisitude. no probs either.

for those on the fence, don't even bother with warranty, you're just scheduling a headache exactly two years from now. bite the bullet and get an optima. you'll never think about batteries again.

my .02

 

The warranty is only worth anything in the first two years. The third year gets you a new battery for 50% off. Add the installation charge at a dealer and you are up to the cost of a good battery.