Arthur Chandleer

Battery is brand new, but:

1) Car won't start, with "SERVICE COLUMN LOCK" message on the screen.
Solution: turn off car, wiggle steering wheel a few times. Vette then starts right up!

2) Car won't start. No message. Tried all the standard tricks (fob in glove compartment slot, etc.).
Solution: remove negative battery cable, wait 30 seconds, reconnect. Vette then starts right up, and continues fine for a few days until #1 or #2 occurs again.

Any suggestions about fixing this situation? At least I can get the car to start. But I don't relish the idea of standing in the rain disconnecting and reconnecting the battery cable.

rcallen484

If nothing bizarre before new battery I would take it back to where you got the battery and say WTH

RAGGDOLL

What year is your car, how many miles, any other details ?

undertheradar

Check out this thread:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...t-start-2.html

cclive

As stated above, the column lock is causing problems. If it were mine, I would get a column lock eliminator and replace it. A new lock is expensive and will probably fail again. This is why they eliminated the lock starting in 2006. They needed an exemption from the government to do it.

BillH2121

1) column lock eliminator;
2) replace battery with oem battery. I went through two years of starting problems because of cracked or defective Duralast batteries. Each time, I didn't consider battery because it was new. Both batteries defective - these cars are very sensitive to variations in voltage. Finally purchased Delco battery and no more problems.

Arthur Chandleer

My Vette is a 2005 coupe, manual trans, no mods.
I replaced the battery, and it checks out fine.
I also replaced the column lock module and the starter.
No change: the vehicle starts normally for a few days, then warps into one of those two "no start" modes.

The fact that it starts right up after a battery disconnect and reconnect suggests to me that it's a computer issue -- a hard reboot forces a reset. If it were just a battery or a faulty module, removing and replacing the battery cable wouldn't result in the whole system suddenly be able to start the vehicle just fine -- for several days.

My mechanics and I, I'm afraid, are very much old school: if it's a mechanical or electrical problem, we can figure it out. But if it's an onboard computer issue, I don't know where to turn.

So if anyone out there has a knowledge of what codes might be causing the malfunction, and how to reprogram the car to set matters aright, I'd be much obliged. If not… then I might have to start looking at the C7….

CO Lightfoot

C'mon, don't keep us in suspense. Describe what happens...

-- When it doesn't start, did it do absolutely nothing when you press & release the start button? (I assume you press & release the top of the button.)

-- Does it crank slowly but not start?

-- Does it crank normally but not start?

-- When it starts, did it crank normally?

Arthur Chandleer

In the no-start state: all the lights come on… but nothing happens when the start button is pushed: no groaning, weak-battery crank, nada.

But after the disconnect, there is the usual cheerful startup. Which continues for a few days, then… back to no-start unless I got through the battery disconnect-reconnect routine.

Has to be a computer problem, right? The battery disconnect must reboot the system, as when you cold-start a computer after a crash.

But I don't know -- out of my depth here. :<(

CO Lightfoot

Maybe.

But first check the nuts on your battery's terminal clamps.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1584533077-post13.html

That is, whoever installed your new battery might've used regular nuts on OEM clamps. If so, they will loosen!

Might explain why it fails after a few days -- then starts after disconnect & reconnect.

CO Lightfoot

Damaged post on the starter solenoid might also contribute to the problem:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...oid-cable.html

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...ont-start.html

kimdjay

When it comes to electrical components, new does not necessarily mean good. Did you take it in for GM to scan and diagnose? Computers in cars are always blamed, but they just take input from many sources and then make decisions. So first I would go back to what the first responder asked and question the battery.

Mrc100

Did you purchase the battery after this issue started to try and resolve it? If so I think as others have suggested it's a column lock issue especially since moving the steering wheel is one method you have mentioned will allow it to fire up. Disconnecting the battery just clears everything from modules and computers so it then starts but does not fix the root cause. It's like when techs can't find the source of a PC problem and reboot the PC. The original proble almost always returns later but is generally not the CPU at fault.

BillH2121

Yes, my car would start also with battery disconnect - until the time it didn't. Only other thing - I had ECM replaced at one point also - same problem returned later. My car was also a 2005 M6. Electrical gremlins are a pain to diagnose. Good luck! Keep us advised when you figure it out!

undertheradar

So you replaced the module behind the instrument cluster... The column lock solenoid in the column itself is typically the real culprit.. to replace that you have to tear the column completely down to the tube... or purchase the bypass that omits the use of the solenoid altogether by tricking the system into thinking its being activated.