corvette77

Went to start the car the other day, and it gave a "Low Voltage" readout on the DIC, but went ahead and started a little slowly. Leaving work, it took about 4 tries to get it started, but it went ahead and kicked off, so I went home. It again read "Low Voltage" on the DIC.

Changed the battery to a new one, it kicks right off, so I back it out of my shop and park it, thinking all is well. The next morning I get up, and it won't start at all. The gauges flicker off and on, and "Low Voltage" is on the DIC, reading about 5 volts.

Push the car back into the shop and proceed to change the starter, thinking solenoid is bad. Get the new starter in, and it kicks right off, same as before. I put the exhaust system back on, and get ready to go for a test drive, when it happens again. The gauges flicker and I get "Low Voltage" on the DIC. I tried to pull the codes, but all it will do is default to "Reduced Engine Power", and read "Low Voltage", again around 5 volts.

Where do I go from here? All of the wires look great and tight, and I can't find any loose connections anywhere.

tcrote5516

Take a close look at the positive battery terminal and then move to the grounds.

Did you have to charge the battery between the time it wouldn't start and when you put in a new starter? Was it dead due to a parasitic drain or did the car just fire up with a new starter on the same ol' battery charge?

Dave68

I would check voltage at the starter when someone is turning the ignition switch. It could be the switch or alternator.

tcrote5516

Wouldn't be a starter issue if the DIC is also reporting low voltage. He has a ground issue taking down the whole system.

corvette77

The battery was only used to start the engine today. It had been removed, fully charged, when I replaced the starter. When it kicked off, I removed it again while putting on the exhaust. The battery only has a couple of starts on it, and has not been hooked up during the repair time.

Terminals, grounds, and wires all look good.

tcrote5516

Well the main feed link between the battery and the starter isn't that complicated so you have atleast one connection that is NOT OK. Since your DIC is reporting voltage issues as well I would lean towards the main ground cable snce this is the only connection shared between the two. Something there isn't making a solid connection.

corvette77

I think I may have found the issue. After searching through years of threads, it looks like it may be the ignition switch.

I am going to start there tomorrow, unless something else comes to mind first.

corvette77

I think I may have found the issue. After searching through years of threads, it looks like it may be the ignition switch.

I am going to start there tomorrow, unless something else comes to mind first.

jim993

I would clean the big ground for the battery first, then make sure the two grounds to the engine block are clean both ends and everything tight and finally make sure the battery side terminals are clean and torqued to 11 foot pounds.

In my case, I had two ignition switches go bad over a two year period and in each case one of the symptoms was a no start or start but with various faults including low voltage and a host of others. When that happened, turning the key off and attempting a restart usually resulted in a good start.

That said, I experienced all kinds of similar symptoms on one occasion that turned out to be a battery side terminal which I had tightened but not to 11 foot pounds.

Four tries and then finally a start could also be the ignition switch.

Dave68

I had a feeling that could be the culprit. Here's a great writeup by Bill Curlee about how to repair a switch:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-t...ch-repair.html

Ssbarbr

Keep us posted. I have the same issue right now and autozone says my battery is fine. Curious to see what you find out. Thanks.

Ssbarbr

Keep us posted. Have the same issue going on. Thanks

jim993

For those following this, you probably are aware of the GM recalls on newer vehicles for ignition switch problems. So far as I am aware, the C5 is not yet covered.

As I noted earlier, I have replaced two ignition switches in my C5 and also one ignition switch in my 2000 Buick Century.

The symptom on the Buick was no HVAC blower.

The symptoms on the two C5 ignition switch replacements included:
-crank no start
-start, but with multiple DIC warnings including:
low voltage
service traction control
reduced engine power
service engine soon
flashing DIC lights and warning symbols on instrument cluster
engine dies at stop sign, OK restart
crank no start, but crank, OK start on second or third try
crank, start but run on two or three cylinders. Crank OK start second try

corvette77

Turns out it was in fact the starter switch. Took it out this morning, it looked exactly like the ones on another post. Sanded, polished, and greased the contacts, now everything is back to normal!

corvette77

Mine did about all of these, except die at a stop and run on a couple of cylinders.