battery Q, most likely another problem

purpleTJchick

purpleTJchick

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Location
Durham
99 TJ. Wrangler, 90K miles

Background: I parked the jeep about 5 months back due to small problems, I cranked it twice while it was parked. I got a new otima yellow battery about a month before and for the past year I have had problems starting it, it does not turn over right away, but it will with 3 seconds. I thought the battery would help it didn't (I knew it wouldn't but I wanted/needed a new one anyways.

5 months later (last sat) I got to crank the Jeep because I'm going to work on it, stick the key in... I see light I go to turn it over, nothing no lights not even going to attempt to crank. We stick a battery charger on, nothing. If we set it to boost/jump nothing happens. I am able to see the air bag light come on for a brief second that is all. I try another charger and the same thing happens, I try to charge it instead and I get lights till I try to crank it.

I got it working by jumping it from another truck, drove around 5 to 10 minutes, parked it let it idle about 45 min, went to it off, then on and nothing, a brief air bag light but that's it. Try charging and the same thing happened from earlier

This is the part I start scratching my head. The next day we are going to jump so we can move it, for shits and giggles jon goes to crank and it fired right up, no problems.

I need input on what could have caused this, I wanted to fix it so it does not act up on me when I'm driving around town or on the trail. - am thinking a starter problem, and someone else said ignition problem. I do not know any help would be nice

Thank ya
 
Lauren, I would check...
Both ground and hot cables
Connection to and at, the starter
Starter solenoid
Starter

From what you described sounds like bad cables or corroded ends
 
also it is possible you have a cell going bad in the Optima, they generally dont like to be stored "empty" for long.
 
I bought an '89 Cherokee this past Friday and the owner told me the battery wasn't any good in it. I brought some baking soda and distilled water with me and poured it in a few of the cells and the Jeep started right up. It's an old trick my Brother taught me.
 
could be a cell....but most likely Chip is on it.

battery sitis over time and oxidation (non conductive) forms between the battery cable and the terminal or between the bc and grounding point or starter/solenoid.

After it runs jiggles etc a conductive path can form, but not a solid one so hit a bump or jar it and then no more juice.

Take both ends of each BC apart and clean up the mating surface.

*If* it was the battery, and its bad, whose to say you stored it dead.
 
In addition to suggestions above:

ignition cylinder if nothing comes on

if it's a manual and dash lights come on in the on position: check the clutch safety switch
 
To avoid the oxidation for the future, you can eliminate it all together. At an electric supply store you can pick up a tube of "no ox" grease. Simply clean the surface, coat with a thin layer of no ox, and never worry about oxidation again. Wonderful stuff for ALL DC connections.
 
upnover said:
To avoid the oxidation for the future, you can eliminate it all together. At an electric supply store you can pick up a tube of "no ox" grease. Simply clean the surface, coat with a thin layer of no ox, and never worry about oxidation again. Wonderful stuff for ALL DC connections.
Click to expand...


or if you are cheap try vaseline
 
purpleTJchick said:
ugh, that would suck, Let me guess not under warranty because it is my own fault, right? I shall hope for the other reason.
Click to expand...


its still covered under warranty, they have a 3 yr free replacement IIRC. as long as you didnt drill holes in it or somethin like that:poop:
 
greg slade said:
its still covered under warranty, they have a 3 yr free replacement IIRC. as long as you didnt drill holes in it or somethin like that:poop:
Click to expand...

Nope, I just got boned with the same problem. The yellow top is one year free replacement, with two years "prorated" warranty after that. I had mine for 16 months, so they prorated the warranty. Want to guess how much the prorating was going to get me off the cost of a new one? $10. That's completely ridiculous, but it happened. I passed on their generous offer to take $10 off the price of a new $200 yellow top with another awful warranty and replaced it with a different brand. Optimas used to have a good product, but their quality has fallen off the face of the earth in the last few years, so unless something drastic changes with them I'll never own another one. Also, the guy did say that the red top does have three years free replacement, but not the yellow top.
 
Back
Top