cj krause

we have a nox that was 2 years old end of July
went out today and the 6 year battery, 2 years in, completely died

took it out and had it checked. 0 cranking amps
one thing i noticed was the lower sides of the battery were slightly bulged. i am calling dealer in the morning to see if it is under warranty

i put in the battery I took out of the HHR when i put the Optima in and it works great.

guy told me today that they have sold alot of batteries and the heat is killing them.

any truth to this, especially you guys that live in Az?

jx3

Although I don't live in Az, I've never had a battery die due to heat. I've lived in Miami for the past 20 years, where it is d@m hot most of the year.

cj krause

i lived in S Texas, but we have had 105+ heat now for over 3 weeks, closer to 4

courthousedeb

Found this information HERE.

Effect of extreme heat on a battery.

Extreme heat causes the water in the battery to evaporate faster than under normal temperatures. The heat also causes the grids that make up the positive plates to corrode more rapidly. These two factors are detrimental to the long-term life of the battery.

Which is more detrimental to a battery, heat or cold?

Both extremes create battery problems. Extreme heat will allow the battery to increase its performance level for a short term. However, internally it accelerates corrosion and other deterioration factors, which lead to an overall short battery life. Extreme cold temperatures within the battery result in a reduction of battery efficiency level, which reduces short-term performance.

Life of the battery is considerably reduced by heat, overcharging and by keeping the battery in discharged condition.

oneton

oneton here; cj i work in a H-D after market shop we tried optima batt. in the customs we build very short life in a motorcycle no longer use, if batt. gets low very hard to recharge read how to recharge , can not use everyday charger and must ck charging rate often. if batt. falls below 10v you can not always bring them back. don't like or use any more

jx3

Just what is "extreme heat"? If the engine temp is normally about 200 degrees, then I can't imagine that 100 degree temps are "extreme".

Retroburban

CJ, for all it is worth, batteries die all the time, usually in the summer months, due to cold/ heat fluctuations. Also, if it`s a Delco, it will crack on the pos. terminal. As I am with you, this is rediculous after two yrs, to replace a battery, even if it is pro-rated. After 7 Delco`s in the old truck, I went Yellow top Optima out here in the desert. In-laws went Red Top. I had aftermarket stereo stuff. I called Optima, they said the red top will LAST 5 yrs in this heat, as it has a 3 yr free replacement warranty. I have had the yellow top now 2 1/2 yrs, without a problem. Not even a slight drain on the lights when cranking (turn lights on at night before starting as a test).
So, I will never go back. I did notice that Exide makes a similar type, no dice, gotta go to the original. I did speak to a Tech last time I was in the dealer, He stated his C1500 P/U has had the Red top in for ten years, and it now died. Wow 10 yrs on the same battery, I told him to call Optima, as he may get a free one for his testimonial. He was goning to get another red top.

courthousedeb

If you combine the heat generated by the engine with an additional 100 degrees, that's pretty extreme.

Modern cars restrict the amount of air flowing through the engine compartment to improve both aerodynamic efficiency and economy. New engine compartments are pretty crowded. The elevated temperatures are enough to boil the electrolytes right out of the battery. This is one of the reasons some cars have batteries installed in the trunk area instead of under the hood like we have on our HHR's.

SindyDix

We're not in AZ but live in the desert also. Near Palm Springs California. We are about 5 degrees cooler than what PS reports. We do see 108+ degrees for a few weeks out of the year. A few days run up over 116 on ocassion.
We have never has an issue with a dead one other then just plain old age in the life of a battery.

dbarberaz

I can not think of a time I had a battery die do to just the heat. I have had some that are like 4 years old die and told time and heat could have cause this. And I do not think I have ever had one die during the summer.
If it is only 2 years old it should still be covered