Mysterious Post Storage Battery Drain
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Seaside Park New Jersey
Mysterious Post Storage Battery Drain
While my car was in storage in a non heated garage for the winter (only about 2 months this year!) I had the battery disconnected. When I picked up the car it started right up with no jump needed, but now when the car sits for just a few days the batt. drains enough so that it won't crank. A jump or 5 min. charge and the car starts right up. After driving the car and coming home the batt. will crank the engine all day. ALSO since bringing the car out of storage the heads up display doesn't retain it's setting anymore. The default for the bar graph is oil pressure but I like to keep it on fuel level but it always switches back to oil pressure the next time I get in the car. If it wasn't for the fact that the car started right up after 2 months when the batt. was disconnected I'd suspect the battery and it seems as if the alt. is doing it's job well (the gauge agrees). This combined with the simultaneous hud problem seems overly coincidental leading me to believe that the actual problem may lie elsewhere. Any thoughts? Thanks in advance.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,267
Likes: 40
From: Phoenix AZ
Thats a good one.
Since all you did was disconnect and reconnect the battery, I would disconnect both cables from the battery and clean and retorque them to spec.
Maybe one is loose or has corrosion on it?
Thats where I would start, and its free.
Since all you did was disconnect and reconnect the battery, I would disconnect both cables from the battery and clean and retorque them to spec.
Maybe one is loose or has corrosion on it?
Thats where I would start, and its free.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 552
Likes: 0
From: Alton Illinois
what does your battery voltage read? i would still suspect the battery or connections as already mentioned. put a charger on overnight just to make sure. is the battery very old? could have just a surface charge which will allow it to start but it can't sit long and hold a full charge. alternator keeps charge up but not good for charging a low battery if that is the case.
jim
jim
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,849
Likes: 0
From: Philadelphia PA
I am suffering a similar problem. My (less than 1 yr old) batt died in storage. I was starting the car periodically. Recharged it and the car started right up. Drove about an hour yesterday and when I returned home the voltage was around 12.8. Down from 13.7 when I started. Put it back on the charger.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
If the presets are resetting, your battery being LOW on charge will allow the 12 VDC output to drop below 9 VDC when you crank the engine. When the starter first hits, current is very high and voltage goes LOW!
Charge your battery over night and figure out if you have an excessive current draw.
Check your DTC's and see if you have a ton of U series codes and history codes. Clear them and see if they return when you see the issue.
BC
Charge your battery over night and figure out if you have an excessive current draw.Check your DTC's and see if you have a ton of U series codes and history codes. Clear them and see if they return when you see the issue.
BC
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 28
Likes: 0
From: Seaside Park New Jersey
Thanks everybody for the help. Excellent suggestions. jarsdad1 your situation sounds to me like your battery may have just given up the ghost during storage and will simply no longer hold a charge you should probably get it load tested at your local shop and if it fails just buy a new one (BTW can you introduce me to your avatar?). Bill that sounds like a super plan of attack that builds on the very consistent suggestions from the others and thank you for explaining the relationship between the starting problem and the preset resetting problem, I knew there had to be one.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 9,420
Likes: 8
From: Southern New Jersey, The wet part at the bottom
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10
what does your battery voltage read? i would still suspect the battery or connections as already mentioned. put a charger on overnight just to make sure. is the battery very old? could have just a surface charge which will allow it to start but it can't sit long and hold a full charge. alternator keeps charge up but not good for charging a low battery if that is the case.
jim
jim
My HUD defaulted when the battery was on the way out as well. Just the slightest dip in voltage and the computers rebel. I suggest getting the battery load tested and probably replaced. But I agree it's odd that it started the car the 1st time.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski