Does OPTIMA Make a Battery for the PT Cruiser?

If you have questions about your OPTIMA batteries, we are here to help. You can reach us by phone at 888-8-OPTIMA or by e-mail at info@optimabatteries

Our first question comes from Van T., who says:

I need to replace my car battery (2005 PT Cruiser) and want to install an Optima Battery, however I cannot find a fit. The factory battery is a 26R but my car has an aftermarket cold air intake, which allows much more room.

There are more than 60 different BCI group battery sizes and unfortunately, OPTIMA does not offer what we consider "exact-fit" replacements for every application. However, many PT Cruiser owners have used our batteries in applications that we consider "custom." When selecting a battery for a custom application, it is important to consider the following:

Hood Clearance – There should be at least ¾” clearance between the top of the battery terminals and the underside of the hood. When we do our fitment studies we put a ball of clay on top of the post, and VERY carefully close the hood to make sure that nothing makes contact. By measuring how much the clay is squeezed down when the hood is closed, we can know how much hood clearance we have.

Trunk/Interior Mounting – If your battery is mounted inside the passenger compartment or trunk, the battery must be vented to the outside of the vehicle. Optima group 27, 51, 78, 34C, 31 and H6 batteries all have ports for connecting a vent hose.

Side Terminals – Optima 34/78, D34/78, 75/25 and D75/25 batteries have both top and side terminals. If you are using one of these batteries in a vehicle that uses the top terminals, it is important to ensure that the side terminals can not come into contact with anything metallic (for example, the firewall or fender well), thereby causing a short. We suggest keeping the post protectors on the terminals you are not using. Do not connect a winch to the side terminals.

Battery Modifications – Cutting, drilling, trimming or otherwise modifying your OPTIMA battery may present a safety hazard and will void the warranty.

Mounting – Your Optima battery must be securely mounted. The terminals are not intended to be used to secure the battery. Using the terminals in this way will damage the battery and void your warranty.

Heat – Protect your battery from high heat, such as turbochargers or exhaust manifolds