C5 Corvette help
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Joined: Aug 2023
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From: Salt lake city
C5 Corvette help
Hey everyone, I am new to this thread as I have also just recently purchased an 2001 C5 corvette. I’m having problems with it however. I have put a new starter in it and the previous owner put a new battery and a new alternator. The car however will not start. It makes a loud click sound and then doesn’t want to start from there. I went into the on board code diagnostic menu and these are the codes I am reading. (P1518), (P1637), (P1638). I have tried doing research on these codes but it is sending me in all different directions. Could it be something as simple as I need a new battery? I have made sure that there wasn’t battery acid that has leaked down onto the module that sits below it, But the battery was dead every time I come back to it. It also says that there is a charge system fault when I turn the car on. Does anyone have any ideas of what I should do to trouble shoot/fix this issue?
Instructor
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 122
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From: Maui
Sounds like it's got some type of parasitic draw that is draining the battery when it sits. I've got this issue with one of my vehicles and the battery goes dead if I leave it sitting for more than a week so I just keep it on a trickle charger until I figure it out. I'd probably try a new battery or at least get yours tested and then start to investigate for what could be draining the battery. There's ways to do it by pulling the fuses and plugging that back in one at a time while watching in a meter of some type. I'm honestly not great with auto-electronics and would likely just take it to a shop but I don't think it's super high-tech... just time consuming.
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Moving this over to C5 Tech for advice.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 3,138
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From: Espanola New Mexico
The very first thing is have the battery load tested at a nearby auto parts store, if the load click is originating in the engine bay that's the starter solenoid pulling in. The starter could be at fault or there's simply not enough battery power to crank the engine over.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2014
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From: Havre de Grace Maryland
If you are not able to use a voltage meter to sort out the voltage drain issue as I am not, I would install a voltage cut off switch to the negative side of the battery and use it when you park the car until someone can help find what the problem is. I have one on standby should it happen to me,.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 1,213
Hey everyone, I am new to this thread as I have also just recently purchased an 2001 C5 corvette. I’m having problems with it however. I have put a new starter in it and the previous owner put a new battery and a new alternator. The car however will not start. It makes a loud click sound and then doesn’t want to start from there. I went into the on board code diagnostic menu and these are the codes I am reading. (P1518), (P1637), (P1638). I have tried doing research on these codes but it is sending me in all different directions. Could it be something as simple as I need a new battery? I have made sure that there wasn’t battery acid that has leaked down onto the module that sits below it, But the battery was dead every time I come back to it. It also says that there is a charge system fault when I turn the car on. Does anyone have any ideas of what I should do to trouble shoot/fix this issue?
P1518 Throttle Actuator Control Module Serial Data Circuit
P1518
P1637
P1638
Pro
Joined: Nov 2018
Posts: 674
Likes: 102
that there is a charge system fault when I turn the car on.
If you will look at the sticky threads in the above section you will find a section on the alternator in these cars. When yours was changed, the incorrect alternator was installed. That is why you are getting the charge system fault. it is not charging the battery
reading the sticky thread will explain in detail what I am talking about
If you will look at the sticky threads in the above section you will find a section on the alternator in these cars. When yours was changed, the incorrect alternator was installed. That is why you are getting the charge system fault. it is not charging the battery
reading the sticky thread will explain in detail what I am talking about
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2021
Posts: 2,555
Likes: 1,213
I made a post a while back, but i’m still having problems. I had a charging system fault and put in a new starter. That fixed it for a second before the charging system went out again. I went in and got my battery tested and it came back as bad so I bought a new one. I also had the alternator tested at the same time and it came back as bad so I sent my alternator in to be warrantied as i had just replaced it 4 months earlier and it was bad. I put my new alternator in and it still is having problems starting so i take it to get tested and the battery is fried. I get a new battery and they test my alternator again and the brand new installed one comes back as bad. So in the past 6 months I have been through 1 starter, 2 alternators and 2 batteries. Is this just a series of bad luck that I have or is there something more serious that is the issue?
It sounds like you probably have the wrong alternator installed. Review (or have your mechanic review) the sticky thread about alternators in the C5.https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...nd-issues.html
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