Possible car wash problem
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 2,995
Likes: 61
From: Fort Wayne IN
Could have been the car wash but let me tell you... coming back from Bloomington Gold last year wife and I went through a mammoth downpour for over 45 minutes. Visability was way down due to the rain so we were down to 45 mph for several miles on the tollroad (headlights were of course on) No problems at all with any of the electricals. $.02 deposited 
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 716
Likes: 1
From: Albuquerque New Mexico
My car acted freeklishly after my wife would drive it. Then I found out she was taking it through car washes. No problems since then and have driven through plenty of rain. I suppose the pressure and angle can be much more direct than a rain storm can produce.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 11,119
Likes: 672
From: SE Pennsylvania
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '26
Oldtimer
Car washes ?
"Let's look at the facts, shall we?
The OP stated that he never takes his C5 out in the rain and always hand-washes his car.
The electrical shorts were caused by water getting into electrical connectors, even though before the high-pressure wash, this had never happened.
Based upon these two crucial facts, how could anyone not surmise that the high-pressure wash was the culprit? The only other explaination would be if he parked over sprinkler heads that popped up during the middle of the night and soaked the underside of his car!
While we like to believe that GM tested prototype C5s under every possible condition and for the equivalent of 15 years of use, this just is not the case. How many "udders" get filled up with debris until they overflow? How many ground connections become corroded and fail after many miles of driving in the rain? How many door wire connectors work their way loose from the connector body and short, causing weird electrical issues after the driver's door is repeatedly swung wide open, hundreds of times? None of these things should happen, but they do. The fact remains that if you want to avoid many of these issues, you really can't treat your car as if it is a taxicab.
After owning Corvettes for a total of 32 years, that's the conclusion I have arrived at."
__________________
My point exactly. Leave it dirty till you get a chance to wash it by hand. If you don't like taking care of a Corvette or washing cars, . . . Buy a Toyota !
The OP stated that he never takes his C5 out in the rain and always hand-washes his car.
The electrical shorts were caused by water getting into electrical connectors, even though before the high-pressure wash, this had never happened.
Based upon these two crucial facts, how could anyone not surmise that the high-pressure wash was the culprit? The only other explaination would be if he parked over sprinkler heads that popped up during the middle of the night and soaked the underside of his car!
While we like to believe that GM tested prototype C5s under every possible condition and for the equivalent of 15 years of use, this just is not the case. How many "udders" get filled up with debris until they overflow? How many ground connections become corroded and fail after many miles of driving in the rain? How many door wire connectors work their way loose from the connector body and short, causing weird electrical issues after the driver's door is repeatedly swung wide open, hundreds of times? None of these things should happen, but they do. The fact remains that if you want to avoid many of these issues, you really can't treat your car as if it is a taxicab.
After owning Corvettes for a total of 32 years, that's the conclusion I have arrived at."
__________________
My point exactly. Leave it dirty till you get a chance to wash it by hand. If you don't like taking care of a Corvette or washing cars, . . . Buy a Toyota !
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 3,146
Likes: 203
From: Edmonton Alberta, Canada
These touchless washes also do undercarrage wash, and how much pressure, well its anybodys guess. I just know that with my Pontiac GP I have issues with stalling and rough running after a undercarrage wash. With a Vette, well stay away.
