My factory battery ended up with a dead cell, so I have been charging and jumping the car to get it started for several weeks while doing research to find another. Obviously I did not want to go with the factory battery but you cannot just go to your local parts store and get one to fit (I tried all major chains and some local stores).

What I found out was that there are only 3 manufacturers of batteries in the US and they make all of the various name brands. Johnson Controls makes all of the better/better known batteries (i.e. Diehard, Interstate, Optima, Duralast, etc.). Our battery is a Group Size 48, which is a designation that few even have.

Long story short, I found two batteries that would fit. The direct replacement is an Interstate MTP-91 battery (they have replaced the Group 48 designation with Group 91). The battery fits the battery tray perfectly but is about 1/2 in shorter so the battery hold-down makes just enough contact to hold it in place.

An Optima 34R will also fit, though not near as long but 3/4 in taller than stock (that bothered me because of very little clearance with the hood). Optima batteries, latest and greatest they say, are universal batteries and don't follow standard group size designations. You have to find one that will fit and go for it.

I went with the Interstate MTP-91. The list price is $124.00 but I got it for $90.00 through a local Interstate dealer. He had to order it of course, but got it in the next day from the distributor.

Hope this saves someone a little time and trouble. If you can't find a Group Size 48, look for the newer designation of Group Size 91.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

Pete

 

The stock battery is a Varta, which is also made by Johnson Controls. I installed the Optima 34R without any issues.

 

That is good to know...I started to go that way but was a little concerned about the height of the terminals. There was an Exide and some other battery that would work but they were very narrow for the tray as well. There are choices, you just have to search around and be prepared to special order.