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Corvette C5 refuses to start

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Old Jan 24, 2015 | 01:25 PM
  #1  
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Default Corvette C5 refuses to start

Hi,
Today I decided to wash the car . My kid stays inside and played .
The keys stayed in the ignition .
When I asked him to open the passenger door, he hits the wiper switch and they started to wipe .
First strange thing, I couldn't stop them . They stayed in the middle of the windscreen moving just a little right to left .
When I tried to start the engine, nothing . Just click click .
Tried few time more . Still nothing .
Another strange thing when I am turning they key off to on, I can hear the courtesy micro relay toggeling hundred of times then stop .
Now, I don't have anymore the message "corvette by chevrolet" displayed when the key is ON .
And, no way to read the codes ....

Do you have any idea ?
Sorry for my english, I am french and arrived in USA just one year ago .

Thanks
Gepeto
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Old Jan 24, 2015 | 02:05 PM
  #2  
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Originally Posted by gepeto
Hi,
Today I decided to wash the car . My kid stays inside and played .
The keys stayed in the ignition .
When I asked him to open the passenger door, he hits the wiper switch and they started to wipe .
First strange thing, I couldn't stop them . They stayed in the middle of the windscreen moving just a little right to left .
When I tried to start the engine, nothing . Just click click .
Tried few time more . Still nothing .
Another strange thing when I am turning they key off to on, I can hear the courtesy micro relay toggeling hundred of times then stop .
Now, I don't have anymore the message "corvette by chevrolet" displayed when the key is ON .
And, no way to read the codes ....

Do you have any idea ?
Sorry for my english, I am french and arrived in USA just one year ago .

Thanks
Gepeto
Welcome to Corvetteforum, Gepeto. I believe your question would most appropriately be addressed to fellow C5 owners in the C5 General discussion area.

I suspect there are users in that section who have experienced a similar situation and may be in a position to tell you how they resolved the issue.

I'll be glad to move this thread from Ask Tadge to C5 Discussion.

Je suis Charlie



Jim
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Old Jan 24, 2015 | 02:17 PM
  #3  
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Lee DeRaud
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Sounds like the battery is (nearly) dead. If it was ok before you started washing the car, odds are something got wet, shorted out, and drained it.
I'd let it dry out, recharge the battery, and try again.
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Old Jan 24, 2015 | 02:21 PM
  #4  
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if you have a voltmeter I would check to see what your battery is reading, that would give you a good ideal on the current condition of it...I would also check your fuse's one in the pass. side foot well (interior) and the one in the engine bay by the battery just to be sure..sounds like a new battery or a charge on the old one might be in order
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Old Jan 24, 2015 | 02:33 PM
  #5  
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Make sure battery is fully charged and terminals are clean and tight. My '01 wouldn't start once when I just got it. It was the ground cable on the battery.
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Old Jan 24, 2015 | 05:07 PM
  #6  
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depleted battery (90%)
Try charging it or jumping the car. (jumping is hooking up another battery in parallel)
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Old Jan 26, 2015 | 11:28 PM
  #7  
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Thanks for your help . It was the battery .
I changed it and it is fine .
But I still do not understand why with a bad or low battery, I had these strange phenomenas on wipers or relay ...

Anyway, problem fixed .. Thank you
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Old Jan 27, 2015 | 06:39 AM
  #8  
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Low voltage in your battery will cause these cars to do all sorts of crazy things.
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Old Jan 27, 2015 | 07:01 AM
  #9  
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Relays DO NOT like under voltage. They will fry themselves trying to work.

Here is a good example when a column lock relay gets low voltage:



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Old Jan 27, 2015 | 10:48 AM
  #10  
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This is why I ALWAYS keep my car on the trickle charger when it's at home and I'm not driving it.
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Old Jan 27, 2015 | 10:53 AM
  #11  
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Great that you got it fixed. Any issues I have with mine I always check the battery first. These cars for some reason are very hard on batteries.

Welcome to the forum, lots of information and help here. Enjoy your car.
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Old Jan 27, 2015 | 11:10 AM
  #12  
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Originally Posted by Black 03 Z06
Great that you got it fixed. Any issues I have with mine I always check the battery first. These cars for some reason are very hard on batteries.

Welcome to the forum, lots of information and help here. Enjoy your car.
Most modern cars with several computers that need power 7/24 are hard on batteries.
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