VATS
won't start, do C4s have DBS?
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 153
From: Antioch Ca
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
won't start, do C4s have DBS?
I tried to start the 86 this morning and nothing happened. No click, no clank, nothing. I think the battery is okay. Do C4s have the dead battery syndrome? The battery is about 6 months old and I drove her last about a week and a half ago. Something similar happened a couple of months ago. I took her out to Starbucks. When I returned, she would not start, same silence. Fooled with the fog switch and then coincidentally she started. Tried the same thing this morning but with no results. I am thinking it is the starter or alternator.
Elite Torch Red Member
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 57,805
Likes: 23
From: Exit 89 GSP,Lakewood,NJ The Land Of Mojo
Cental/South NJ Events Coordinator
CI 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12 Vet
CI-II Burnout & Drag Champ
St. Jude Donor '03-'04-'05-'06-'07
What kind of battery? If it's an AC Delco, check to see if the terminals fell off the battery.
Safety Car
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 4,290
Likes: 6
From: St Marys GA
That happened to me once. I drove the car 300 miles one day, parked it overnight, and the next morning the battery was COMPLETELY dead. Nothing, nada. Replaced the battery, and I've never had any power problems since.
6-month old battery shouldn't be doing that though. Not sure... :/
6-month old battery shouldn't be doing that though. Not sure... :/
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 153
From: Antioch Ca
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 153
From: Antioch Ca
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
No the security light does not come on, no chimes, dashboard or any other lights on the info screen do not come on either, just dead silence. As I said in the other reply I also tried to jump start it with my 93 Trans Am but was unsuccessful. Checked my battery tender and according to it, the battery is fully charged.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 20,179
Likes: 673
From: Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction.
St. Jude '03 thru '24
Definitely gonna need to have the batt checked at a local parts store. I lost a one year old battery when the cells shorted out. Showed as fully charged until the local parts guy threw a load on it. New batt solved the problem.
Don't cha have a voltmeter to check the voltage?
Don't cha have a voltmeter to check the voltage?
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 153
From: Antioch Ca
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Definitely gonna need to have the batt checked at a local parts store. I lost a one year old battery when the cells shorted out. Showed as fully charged until the local parts guy threw a load on it. New batt solved the problem.
Don't cha have a voltmeter to check the voltage?
Don't cha have a voltmeter to check the voltage?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 762
Likes: 2
From: Huntington ma
Sounds to me like you need to find the bad/loose/corroded connection. Either the positive cable at the solenoid or one of the major grounds. Something is not allowing current flow - assuming that the actual cables at the battery are tight, and not themselves faulty.
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 153
From: Antioch Ca
Finalist 2020 C4 of the Year - Unmodified
Thanks for all the replies so far. my next day off is on Thursday, so I will check the positive cable at the solenoid and the major grounds. This forum is the best.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,865
Likes: 6
From: Saraland Alabama
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I am not familiar with the exact battery cable setup your car has. However, for many years GM has used a double cable system on many of their vehicles which has a small red that powers all your accessories and the heavier red cable powers your starter. Both of these cables have a flat spade end which is concealed in the red plastic wrapped around the terminal end which the bolt goes through. On older cars these ends tend to get corrosion built up between the two spade ends and this causes intermittent no volt problems.
To remedy this, take a razor knife and carefully slit the back side of the red covering and remove the ends from the plastic wrap and clean them with a wire brush and fine sandpaper. Slip plastic back over spades and re-attach and hopefully your problem is solved.
I have had the same type problem you have described and fixed it using my method. My problem was with my '97 Buick Lesabre but the cables looked just like the cables on my C5.
Good Luck!
To remedy this, take a razor knife and carefully slit the back side of the red covering and remove the ends from the plastic wrap and clean them with a wire brush and fine sandpaper. Slip plastic back over spades and re-attach and hopefully your problem is solved.
I have had the same type problem you have described and fixed it using my method. My problem was with my '97 Buick Lesabre but the cables looked just like the cables on my C5.
Good Luck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 5,865
Likes: 6
From: Saraland Alabama
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16
I am not familiar with the exact battery cable setup your car has. However, for many years GM has used a double cable system on many of their vehicles which has a small red that powers all your accessories and the heavier red cable powers your starter. Both of these cables have a flat spade end which is concealed in the red plastic wrapped around the terminal end which the bolt goes through. On older cars these ends tend to get corrosion built up between the two spade ends and this causes intermittent no volt problems.
To remedy this, take a razor knife and carefully slit the back side of the red covering and remove the ends from the plastic wrap and clean them with a wire brush and fine sandpaper. Slip plastic back over spades and re-attach and hopefully your problem is solved.
I have had the same type problem you have described and fixed it using my method. My problem was with my '97 Buick Lesabre but the cables looked just like the cables on my C5.
Good Luck!
To remedy this, take a razor knife and carefully slit the back side of the red covering and remove the ends from the plastic wrap and clean them with a wire brush and fine sandpaper. Slip plastic back over spades and re-attach and hopefully your problem is solved.
I have had the same type problem you have described and fixed it using my method. My problem was with my '97 Buick Lesabre but the cables looked just like the cables on my C5.
Good Luck!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 54,124
Likes: 30
From: Cincinnati, Oh USA
First remove the battery cables (neg first) and clean the cable lugs, bolts, and battery posts and replace the cables (neg last). You can tell the state of charge by measuring the no load battery voltage. 12.0 volts and below, discharged, charge the battery up with a charger. 12.9 volts and above, fully charged and linear in between. If you have a charged battery, turn the headlights on and see if the battery voltage drops, it should be so small you can barely see it. Batteries with internal problems will show a significant voltage drop and should be replaced.
If the headlights will come on, then the fuseable link that supplies 12v to the ignition switch and thus to almost everything inside the car, is ok.
If the headlights will come on, then the fuseable link that supplies 12v to the ignition switch and thus to almost everything inside the car, is ok.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 9,758
Likes: 49
From: Houston Texas
