Problems after dead battery
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 401
Likes: 0
From: Ogden Utah
Problems after dead battery
Hi all,
I had parked my Corvette during the winter, but was in a public underground garage so I couldn't use a battery saver. I just attempted to start it and it was dead, so I jumped it with my other car.
After it started, the DIC went haywire with trouble flags and two flags remain. Currently, the Check Engine icon is up, and Reduced Engine Power shows on the display. Also, the icon for the Traction Control shows as well.
When it idles, it idles incredibly bad. It idles at 500 RPM and trying to rev it up will go to about 1,000 RPM max. It also sounds like it is stuttering. I let it idle for about 10 minutes and it didn't really improve.
Is it all symtoms of a low battery voltage? I am thinking that the battery may be having problems as I couldn't enable the alarm after letting it run for 10 minutes at idle. I believe the Optima Red Top battery is about 2 years old now.
Thanks,
Ut-Driven
I had parked my Corvette during the winter, but was in a public underground garage so I couldn't use a battery saver. I just attempted to start it and it was dead, so I jumped it with my other car.
After it started, the DIC went haywire with trouble flags and two flags remain. Currently, the Check Engine icon is up, and Reduced Engine Power shows on the display. Also, the icon for the Traction Control shows as well.
When it idles, it idles incredibly bad. It idles at 500 RPM and trying to rev it up will go to about 1,000 RPM max. It also sounds like it is stuttering. I let it idle for about 10 minutes and it didn't really improve.
Is it all symtoms of a low battery voltage? I am thinking that the battery may be having problems as I couldn't enable the alarm after letting it run for 10 minutes at idle. I believe the Optima Red Top battery is about 2 years old now.
Thanks,
Ut-Driven
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 16,795
Likes: 62
From: Lake Havasu City, AZ
Sounds like my car two days ago...
I put my battery on a charger, and things went back to normal... had my alternator and battery load tested all are fine.... today same alarms!!!
I have cleared the codes. borrowed a good battery and will see if the problem comes back...
If it is not the battery it is likely poor frame ground...
So I'm told...
I put my battery on a charger, and things went back to normal... had my alternator and battery load tested all are fine.... today same alarms!!!
I have cleared the codes. borrowed a good battery and will see if the problem comes back...
If it is not the battery it is likely poor frame ground...
So I'm told...
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 401
Likes: 0
From: Ogden Utah
Well, after jump starting the car and letting it idle for around 10 minutes, I shut it off that Saturday and left it until this Saturday. I was expecting that I could pull the battery and take it to Sears and have them charge it up.
I hopped in the car to try and start it for the heck of it and it started right up with a normal idle. The check engine light came on this time, but I didn't get the reduced engine performance message and check ATC? like the last time.
I took it for a little drive to get dinner and shut it off. I started it up after dinner and no more check engine light. It has been running great ever since! I suspect the computer had to relearn some stuff, or that the plugs were a bit fouled when it was running rich the first time.
UT-Driven
I hopped in the car to try and start it for the heck of it and it started right up with a normal idle. The check engine light came on this time, but I didn't get the reduced engine performance message and check ATC? like the last time.
I took it for a little drive to get dinner and shut it off. I started it up after dinner and no more check engine light. It has been running great ever since! I suspect the computer had to relearn some stuff, or that the plugs were a bit fouled when it was running rich the first time.
UT-Driven
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,512
Likes: 49
From: Franklin IN
Originally Posted by UT-Driven
Hi all,
I had parked my Corvette during the winter, but was in a public underground garage so I couldn't use a battery saver. I just attempted to start it and it was dead, so I jumped it with my other car.
After it started, the DIC went haywire with trouble flags and two flags remain. Currently, the Check Engine icon is up, and Reduced Engine Power shows on the display. Also, the icon for the Traction Control shows as well.
When it idles, it idles incredibly bad. It idles at 500 RPM and trying to rev it up will go to about 1,000 RPM max. It also sounds like it is stuttering. I let it idle for about 10 minutes and it didn't really improve.
Is it all symtoms of a low battery voltage? I am thinking that the battery may be having problems as I couldn't enable the alarm after letting it run for 10 minutes at idle. I believe the Optima Red Top battery is about 2 years old now.
Thanks,
Ut-Driven
I had parked my Corvette during the winter, but was in a public underground garage so I couldn't use a battery saver. I just attempted to start it and it was dead, so I jumped it with my other car.
After it started, the DIC went haywire with trouble flags and two flags remain. Currently, the Check Engine icon is up, and Reduced Engine Power shows on the display. Also, the icon for the Traction Control shows as well.
When it idles, it idles incredibly bad. It idles at 500 RPM and trying to rev it up will go to about 1,000 RPM max. It also sounds like it is stuttering. I let it idle for about 10 minutes and it didn't really improve.
Is it all symtoms of a low battery voltage? I am thinking that the battery may be having problems as I couldn't enable the alarm after letting it run for 10 minutes at idle. I believe the Optima Red Top battery is about 2 years old now.
Thanks,
Ut-Driven
In a case like yours where you know that your can will sit long enough to kill the battery I would make the following suggestion. Pulll the ground cable if you have a good battery it will hold enough of a charge that it should start. Yes you will lose the computer memory but that is what is going to happpen anyway with a dead battery. Draining a battery till it is dead shortens the life of a battery tremendously. I was told by a mechanic friend that it can take up to 15 minutes for the car to re-learn its peramiters. So if you get a few alarms after waking it up don't worry give youself time for a 30 minute drive after 20-25 minutes shut her down in a safe area (in case you need to jump it) and restart and see if all the alarms are gone. You should be fine.
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 17,786
Likes: 4
From: Redsox, Pats, Celts & Bruins !!! Redsox Nation !!!
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Originally Posted by rws.1
Sounds like my car two days ago...
I put my battery on a charger, and things went back to normal... had my alternator and battery load tested all are fine.... today same alarms!!!
I have cleared the codes. borrowed a good battery and will see if the problem comes back...
If it is not the battery it is likely poor frame ground...
So I'm told...
I put my battery on a charger, and things went back to normal... had my alternator and battery load tested all are fine.... today same alarms!!!
I have cleared the codes. borrowed a good battery and will see if the problem comes back...
If it is not the battery it is likely poor frame ground...
So I'm told...
Just jumping the car will not bring the battery back to life. Everytime you let a battery go dead, you do damage to the cells. Put it on a TENDER, not a charger and the battery will get back up to 14 or so volts and you'll be fine. If not, you may need a new battery if you damaged a cell. What kind of battery is it?
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 34,873
Likes: 487
From: Lacey WA RVN 68-69
NCM Sinkhole Donor
The alternator is not meant to recharge a battery from a dead condition. You risk burning the alternator up by simply jumping the battery to start and then driving.
A good auto repair shop will perform a load test on the battery after charging it. That will determine the condition of the battery and if it really does need to be replaced. The alternator is tested as part of the procedure to insure it is putting out sufficient amperage to keep the battery up.
A good auto repair shop will perform a load test on the battery after charging it. That will determine the condition of the battery and if it really does need to be replaced. The alternator is tested as part of the procedure to insure it is putting out sufficient amperage to keep the battery up.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 58,551
Likes: 95
From: The warm part of Anger Island
St. Jude Donor '09
Originally Posted by c4cruiser
The alternator is not meant to recharge a battery from a dead condition. You risk burning the alternator up by simply jumping the battery to start and then driving.
I sold soooo many alternators when I worked in the parts business because of this. I'm also suspecting that your check engine lights went off when the battery reached it's full capacity, which is probably diminished because it was compeltely drained. Just to get that warm and fuzzy feeling, I would take the car to autozone or something and have them load test both the battery and alternator (for free) to see what the readings are. If the readings on the print out are within the parameters but extremely low, I'd start saving for a new alternator and possibly a battery (worst case scenario).
Congrats on getting the car running though.
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