Car Shuts Off
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Gilbert Arizona
Car Shuts Off
I have a 2000 C5 with the following problem.
Car starts and idles fine.
Goes into gear but when I let off the brake to start moving the car sometimes shuts off. This happens in both forward and reverse and is also intermittent.
After several attempts car will run fine.
The car displays several codes mostly lost communications.
I've had in the shop several times and they have checked cleaned all grounds, cleaned connectors, cleaned BCM, checked and cleaned connections on ignition switch. The last time it displayed a door module problem so they checked and cleaned those connections.
Each time the they drive the car, let it set, restart and everything seems fine. The last time they had it a week and after they finished what they found they drove it, let it set, drove it some more all seemed fine.
I picked it up and drove fine, stopped and the store, started up drove fine, stopped at the gas station started it up and it failed again. After three restarts it drove fine.
This morning I check the DIC codes and there were no codes displayed and the prior evening is when I picked it and had the issue.
Battery and voltage are good.
Not sure what to do next so I'm looking for suggestions.
Thanks for the assistance.
Car starts and idles fine.
Goes into gear but when I let off the brake to start moving the car sometimes shuts off. This happens in both forward and reverse and is also intermittent.
After several attempts car will run fine.
The car displays several codes mostly lost communications.
I've had in the shop several times and they have checked cleaned all grounds, cleaned connectors, cleaned BCM, checked and cleaned connections on ignition switch. The last time it displayed a door module problem so they checked and cleaned those connections.
Each time the they drive the car, let it set, restart and everything seems fine. The last time they had it a week and after they finished what they found they drove it, let it set, drove it some more all seemed fine.
I picked it up and drove fine, stopped and the store, started up drove fine, stopped at the gas station started it up and it failed again. After three restarts it drove fine.
This morning I check the DIC codes and there were no codes displayed and the prior evening is when I picked it and had the issue.
Battery and voltage are good.
Not sure what to do next so I'm looking for suggestions.
Thanks for the assistance.
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2018
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
I have a 2000 C5 with the following problem.
Car starts and idles fine.
Goes into gear but when I let off the brake to start moving the car sometimes shuts off. This happens in both forward and reverse and is also intermittent.
After several attempts car will run fine.
The car displays several codes mostly lost communications.
I've had in the shop several times and they have checked cleaned all grounds, cleaned connectors, cleaned BCM, checked and cleaned connections on ignition switch. The last time it displayed a door module problem so they checked and cleaned those connections.
Each time the they drive the car, let it set, restart and everything seems fine. The last time they had it a week and after they finished what they found they drove it, let it set, drove it some more all seemed fine.
I picked it up and drove fine, stopped and the store, started up drove fine, stopped at the gas station started it up and it failed again. After three restarts it drove fine.
This morning I check the DIC codes and there were no codes displayed and the prior evening is when I picked it and had the issue.
Battery and voltage are good.
Not sure what to do next so I'm looking for suggestions.
Thanks for the assistance.
Car starts and idles fine.
Goes into gear but when I let off the brake to start moving the car sometimes shuts off. This happens in both forward and reverse and is also intermittent.
After several attempts car will run fine.
The car displays several codes mostly lost communications.
I've had in the shop several times and they have checked cleaned all grounds, cleaned connectors, cleaned BCM, checked and cleaned connections on ignition switch. The last time it displayed a door module problem so they checked and cleaned those connections.
Each time the they drive the car, let it set, restart and everything seems fine. The last time they had it a week and after they finished what they found they drove it, let it set, drove it some more all seemed fine.
I picked it up and drove fine, stopped and the store, started up drove fine, stopped at the gas station started it up and it failed again. After three restarts it drove fine.
This morning I check the DIC codes and there were no codes displayed and the prior evening is when I picked it and had the issue.
Battery and voltage are good.
Not sure what to do next so I'm looking for suggestions.
Thanks for the assistance.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 10,247
Likes: 888
From: Hickory NC
2025 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2020 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
St. Jude Donor '17 thru '26
Fuel pump?
When you’re turning the key on can you hear the fuel pump hum? (Some cars you can and some you can’t so this is not a perfect clue).
Are you able to check fuel pressure in the fuel rail with a fuel pressure gauge? If you have access to a gauge, attach it to the port on the fuel rails. (Remove fuel rail covers if you have them on. There is a cap about the size of a dime in the front of the fuel rail on the driver's side. Hook the gauge up there). You should see approximately 55-58#. Get someone to try to start the car while you watch the gauge; there should be no drop in pressure when starting.
If you don’t have a gauge most car parts stores (Advance, AutoZone, Pep Boys, etc) have them for sale and they are not super expensive ($25-45). Many of these stores will also loan you one – the only problem with the loaner is you’re not too sure when the next fail to start will occur.
Best wishes.
When you’re turning the key on can you hear the fuel pump hum? (Some cars you can and some you can’t so this is not a perfect clue).
Are you able to check fuel pressure in the fuel rail with a fuel pressure gauge? If you have access to a gauge, attach it to the port on the fuel rails. (Remove fuel rail covers if you have them on. There is a cap about the size of a dime in the front of the fuel rail on the driver's side. Hook the gauge up there). You should see approximately 55-58#. Get someone to try to start the car while you watch the gauge; there should be no drop in pressure when starting.
If you don’t have a gauge most car parts stores (Advance, AutoZone, Pep Boys, etc) have them for sale and they are not super expensive ($25-45). Many of these stores will also loan you one – the only problem with the loaner is you’re not too sure when the next fail to start will occur.
Best wishes.
Moderator, Tech Contributor
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 15,643
Likes: 4,082
From: Cape Coral, Florida
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
You are not going to get very far with out firing the parts cannon at it UNLESS,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, You give us the DTCs that it throwing right after the car dies!!
The very next time it does it, (WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE IGNITION) clear any messages by pressing the reset button till they are gone and then pull up the DTCs in the DIC. Post everything that is there.
Its a good idea to get in there and clear out any old messages/DTCs before the issue. That way you are working on a clean DTC piece of paper so to speak.
The very next time it does it, (WITHOUT TURNING OFF THE IGNITION) clear any messages by pressing the reset button till they are gone and then pull up the DTCs in the DIC. Post everything that is there.
Its a good idea to get in there and clear out any old messages/DTCs before the issue. That way you are working on a clean DTC piece of paper so to speak.
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Gilbert Arizona
The last two times this occurred, I checked and there were no codes displayed for any function. This seemed strange since prior to the repairs some codes were displayed. I will try to start and stop the car to get the failure but it's not consistent so it may take a day or so. Thanks for the feedback. Not being an expert on cars I'm trying to think about this failure logically. What I don't understand is for instance the thread about the fuel pump. Can you get low fuel pressure when you start the car that somehow shuts the car down but once, after several tries, the pressure is ok and stays ok as long as the car is running? Can that be intermittent? What about the communications failure. If it shuts off for a communication failure and then communications is re-established the failure doesn't occur while the car is running. This doesn't seem logical an what I mean by that is the failure only happens when I initially start the car and once the car is running what ever causes the failure doesn't return or is not shutting the car off and does not occur again until car has been turned off and restarted and the failure doesn't happen every time.
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Gilbert Arizona
The column lock response seems to make sense based upon how the failure occurs. Here's additional questions about the column lock. I don't recall a code being displayed for this and the mechanic did not mention it as an issue. However. if the column lock has been disconnected, which I'm told was the case when I bought the car, (safety issue) would there necessarily be a code sent? I don't know what " disconnect" means with respect to the column lock so what is required to fully disconnect it? There are obviously some kind of connection or connections and software. So, if only one connection was removed could this failure still occur? In fact, when I shut off the ignition and remove the key there is a sound from the column like something is being engaged. Could this be the column lock still has a connection somewhere even though it is supposedly disconnected and one of the many modules is looking for a response and not always getting it so it shuts the car off?
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
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
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,017
Likes: 169
From: SE VA VA
That sound may well be the lock engaging.
If you can’t turn the steering wheel after you hear that sound, then the lock is active.
If the car is idling, but the column is stil locked, then the CPU shuts you down as soon as the car starts to move - because you cant safely drive with a locked column
It may throw a message on the DIC about service column lock or pull key, wait 10 seconds.
Knocking on wood, mine failed a bunch of years ago - car shut down as soon as I started to back out of the garage.
was still under warranty, so must have been about 2002 or 2003... got it to unlock by tapping the bottom of the column with a screwdriver. Immediately drove to the dealer, they replaced the module, and havent had a problem since.
If you can’t turn the steering wheel after you hear that sound, then the lock is active.
If the car is idling, but the column is stil locked, then the CPU shuts you down as soon as the car starts to move - because you cant safely drive with a locked column
It may throw a message on the DIC about service column lock or pull key, wait 10 seconds.
Knocking on wood, mine failed a bunch of years ago - car shut down as soon as I started to back out of the garage.
was still under warranty, so must have been about 2002 or 2003... got it to unlock by tapping the bottom of the column with a screwdriver. Immediately drove to the dealer, they replaced the module, and havent had a problem since.
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Gilbert Arizona
It does not appear the steering column is locked. After reading about the column lock problem I'm wondering if they just removed the pin that locks the column and left everything else in place. If that were the case then is it possible the system can still malfunction causing this problem? I think I also remember reading about a kit, that I think consists of a jumper, that can be installed at the BCM that eliminates this problem.
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
They DO NOT remove anything in or on the column lock motor.. They install a locking plate in the steering column that does not engage the locking pin. SO, the lock motor still functions and MUST be in the proper position for the BCM/PCM to allow the car to roll past the 2 MPH Safety Fuel Shut Off. When the locking pin moves to the locked position, can you still move the steering wheel??
IMHO, if you don't get and install a proper LMC-5 Column Lock By pass, ONE DAY,
,,,,you are going to get stranded and will not be able to get home.
IMHO, if you don't get and install a proper LMC-5 Column Lock By pass, ONE DAY,
,,,,you are going to get stranded and will not be able to get home.
Thread Starter
6th Gear
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
From: Gilbert Arizona
To all those who have responded to my post thank you your inputs they have been a big help. I thinik from the responses the problem lies in the column lock and will look there for solution.