ousig2408

hey everyone, I have read a few threads on here regarding the "high tech" or pain in the rear charging system these trucks have and how lots of people are getting stranded with dead batteries. Anyway we just got the truck a month ago and I have already had to jump it twice.

today I took it to the car was and from the time they put it through and dried it outside the battery did not have enough juice to turn over. everything else was working fine - even the rear liftgate.

I have taken it to AutoZone to test the battery and they say it shows ok.
my question - should I just get a new one since this one is 3 years old or go for an Optima? If I got an Optima should I go with a red top or yellow top? I simply want a battery that wont leave us stranded somewhere.

thanks for any help!

s34n

what kind of battery do you have now brand wise? is it stock battery? i have an optima red top battery simply for its built for off roading. the yellow top is made for car electronics pretty much. i think the blue is built for marine use. but dont quote me. i've had one optima battery go bad on me but that was because i had knee surgery over summer and the truck sat for weeks at a time. since replaced in september it has run good. only time i had problems was running my radio for a couple hours and my subs drained the battery but "power cycling" these batteries is good for the spiral cell technology it has. check out the optima website and see which battery fits your needs. good luck.

ousig2408

it is the stock original battery so that could have something to do with it. I just want to be able to keep the doors open with the radio on for a while - not too much to ask of a good battery I think, especially with the stock radio.

s34n

normally factory batteries last about 6 years or so. but that doesnt mean every battery is a great battery. so it is possible that the battery has gone bad. if you have a stock sound system ie speakers and head unit a yellow top battery should be fine, if its too pricey(not sure what your price range is) interstate batteries are good. stay away from autolite batteries. other good brands are napa batteries and duralast batteries. i put in a yellow duralast battery in my moms car a few years ago and havent had issues with i

before investing in a new battery take it to your local autozone or kragen checker shucks store and get a 2nd opinion. which is always good. look at the battery meter with the guy instead of just letting him tell you its good now get out lol. jk. i believe a full battery should read 12.6 volts or 12.5. get one with a lot of cold cranking amps also. you're battery probably puts out between 600-700 cca i would go with 800cca and 1000ca

ousig2408

any other info from people with similar situations? I may just go for the best "regular" battery replacement and not spend the extra $100 on the Optima

s34n

how much would a normal battery cost you?

SabrToothSqrl

I had a red top in my last Tahoe... LOVED IT.. I'd get a new one, but the new tahoe has a bumper to bumper 5 year 60,000... so GM can replace my battery whenever it fails... after that I want a yellow top, but the red is cheaper...

Hardin Thicke

It is the opinion of a number of people here including myself that the OEM battery just plain sucks. If you experienced the 2007 BCM battery rundown problem a number of times, your battery life will be greatly shortened. A starting battery isn't made for near total discharge. Once the internal voltage drops to about 10.5 volts, it's usually a goner..or will be soon. The battery rundown problem in the 2007's completely discharges the battery if left for a work day or overnight. If you've experienced this, you need a new battery. I recently replaced mine after less than 3 years. I went with a Bosch flooded cell battery for $90. I don't have a problem with the Optima Red Top. In fact, I run a Yellow Top in the auxilliary tray which is isolated from the starting battery. I just didn't require the advantages the Red Top offers.

BTW, the recall for the BCM battery rundown issue is #07033

ousig2408

thanks Hardin - it seems that we need a combo yellow top and red top battery...something that has enough power to start the engine even when having a strain of all the random electrical draws that occur when the door is simply open and will not die if it was totally discharged a few times...have you had to start up with your new battery after you have been running the radio or have had the doors open for a while?

I simply want a battery that will start the truck if I have left the doors open to clean it out or run the radio for a little while. Doesn't seem like too much to ask - never had this issue with any other vehicle before

Hardin Thicke

When you have the igntion set to ACC, the entire vehicle's systems are awake. Even with the radio off, when you hit the Fob to get in, the audio amplifier powers on as do all the rest of the vehicle's systems. I haven't check the current draw (it's easy to do), but it's significant. So when you're listening to the radio, you're also pulling current to power the rest of the vehicle. A Yellow Top will start the Tahoe, but that's not its primary use. I've seen guys use a pair of Yellow Tops to start a Dodge/Cummins diesel and the pre-heat grid heaters pull 180 amps before cranking it, and they worked fine. You'll probably be ok if you like the reserve of the Yellow Top. As I mention earlier, I ise a Yellow Top in the aux. tray to power amateur radio gear. The battery is charged only when the engine is running, and the two systems are isolated from one another.