Intermittent starting
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Discovery Bay CA.
Intermittent starting
Hello gang,
This problem just started - we were on vacation for a couple of weeks, so when I got home wanted to charge up the battery in my 1999 coupe. Stopped to get gas, car wouldn't start, battery ran down, but when I jumped it, it started right up. Fast forward two days later (after putting the battery on a charger) drove two miles to a friends, went to leave and no start. Tried jumping it but still no start. Next day jumped it and it started right up. Again put the battery on charger (only 15 months old) and now am having intermittent starting issues.
Car will try to turn over, but start clicking like the battery is too weak. The security light will blink, First three letter of odometer flash and the gage needles bounce around. I get a low voltage message showing volts 5.4 and I can't enter on board diagnostics. Did hear some buzzing coming from fuse box.
I have replaced:
Battery
Alternator
Fuel system relay
I unplugged the battery overnight to drain the capacitors but did not help. Still can't access OBD, but it did start and run fine in the garage for 10 minutes, then same problem after trying to restart.
I am guessing it is the ignition switch after scouting the net and forums. Does this sound like the issue?
Thanks for any help/ideas.
This problem just started - we were on vacation for a couple of weeks, so when I got home wanted to charge up the battery in my 1999 coupe. Stopped to get gas, car wouldn't start, battery ran down, but when I jumped it, it started right up. Fast forward two days later (after putting the battery on a charger) drove two miles to a friends, went to leave and no start. Tried jumping it but still no start. Next day jumped it and it started right up. Again put the battery on charger (only 15 months old) and now am having intermittent starting issues.
Car will try to turn over, but start clicking like the battery is too weak. The security light will blink, First three letter of odometer flash and the gage needles bounce around. I get a low voltage message showing volts 5.4 and I can't enter on board diagnostics. Did hear some buzzing coming from fuse box.
I have replaced:
Battery
Alternator
Fuel system relay
I unplugged the battery overnight to drain the capacitors but did not help. Still can't access OBD, but it did start and run fine in the garage for 10 minutes, then same problem after trying to restart.
I am guessing it is the ignition switch after scouting the net and forums. Does this sound like the issue?
Thanks for any help/ideas.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,590
Likes: 3,317
From: Virginia
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '21-'22
I would have your battery tested. Is it an AGM battery? They really do not do well if allowed to drain past a certain point. You need to keep it on a trickle charger if you don't drive it regularly. What you describe certainly sounds like the battery just isn't holding a charge anymore. Most auto parts stores will test the battery for free. That would be the first step. If the battery is still good, then you need to start looking for a power drain somewhere.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 21
Likes: 0
From: Discovery Bay CA.
That was my first go-to, especially since jumping it seemed to remedy. Battery was only 16 months old, had it tested at one store and they said it was fine, went to their sister store and they warrantied it without asking. So new battery was not the answer. I replaced the alternator thinking that maybe an internal short could be an issue, but the new unit has not changed anything. Ghost in the machine.....
Thanks for your reply.
Thanks for your reply.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 5,590
Likes: 3,317
From: Virginia
2021 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '21-'22
Be sure to keep the old alternator! Alternator swaps can cause issues on the C5! Although I don't think that's your problem.
You may want to go through and clean all of your ground wires.
You may want to go through and clean all of your ground wires.
Moderator, Tech Contributor
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 15,599
Likes: 4,057
From: Cape Coral, Florida
Hello gang,
This problem just started - we were on vacation for a couple of weeks, so when I got home wanted to charge up the battery in my 1999 coupe. Stopped to get gas, car wouldn't start, battery ran down, but when I jumped it, it started right up. Fast forward two days later (after putting the battery on a charger) drove two miles to a friends, went to leave and no start. Tried jumping it but still no start. Next day jumped it and it started right up. Again put the battery on charger (only 15 months old) and now am having intermittent starting issues.
Car will try to turn over, but start clicking like the battery is too weak. The security light will blink, First three letter of odometer flash and the gage needles bounce around. I get a low voltage message showing volts 5.4 and I can't enter on board diagnostics. Did hear some buzzing coming from fuse box.
I have replaced:
Battery
Alternator
Fuel system relay
I unplugged the battery overnight to drain the capacitors but did not help. Still can't access OBD, but it did start and run fine in the garage for 10 minutes, then same problem after trying to restart.
I am guessing it is the ignition switch after scouting the net and forums. Does this sound like the issue?
Thanks for any help/ideas.
This problem just started - we were on vacation for a couple of weeks, so when I got home wanted to charge up the battery in my 1999 coupe. Stopped to get gas, car wouldn't start, battery ran down, but when I jumped it, it started right up. Fast forward two days later (after putting the battery on a charger) drove two miles to a friends, went to leave and no start. Tried jumping it but still no start. Next day jumped it and it started right up. Again put the battery on charger (only 15 months old) and now am having intermittent starting issues.
Car will try to turn over, but start clicking like the battery is too weak. The security light will blink, First three letter of odometer flash and the gage needles bounce around. I get a low voltage message showing volts 5.4 and I can't enter on board diagnostics. Did hear some buzzing coming from fuse box.
I have replaced:
Battery
Alternator
Fuel system relay
I unplugged the battery overnight to drain the capacitors but did not help. Still can't access OBD, but it did start and run fine in the garage for 10 minutes, then same problem after trying to restart.
I am guessing it is the ignition switch after scouting the net and forums. Does this sound like the issue?
Thanks for any help/ideas.
