Priority Start Not Functioning???
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
Priority Start Not Functioning???
Has anyone who has installed a Priority Start had it gone bad after about a year? Mine does not seem to work anymore. I have disconnected it and then reconnected it and when you hook it up you first hear the gears starting to work in the Priority Start. This is not happening and when I hook my cables directly to the battery the car starts just fine. When I hook up the PS the car is deader than dead! I was just curious if anyone else has had one go bad on them. Also, it has worked flawlessly up to now and has saved me a couple of times.
Thanks in advance for any responses.
Thanks in advance for any responses.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,206
Likes: 6
From: Makena, Maui & NM
Interesting. I know that you wont neccessarily hear those gears going off on the PS as I have taken mine off/on a few times and I recall not hearing those gears grinding a few times. Suspicious the first time, I let the battery drain with the lights on and indeed the PS cut it off at 11.88 volts, so I know the PS can work without the gears grinding.
What you might have is a so-so battery in only fair condition that say is at 11.9 volts and just enough minumum voltage alllowing you to start it normally without the PS. Yet it is right at the PS cutoff threshold and immediately cuts your battery off at the get go when the PS is hooked up. Its either that, or a bad PS. You might want to have your battery checked first
What you might have is a so-so battery in only fair condition that say is at 11.9 volts and just enough minumum voltage alllowing you to start it normally without the PS. Yet it is right at the PS cutoff threshold and immediately cuts your battery off at the get go when the PS is hooked up. Its either that, or a bad PS. You might want to have your battery checked first
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 27,420
Likes: 64
From: San Clemente CA
What you might have is a so-so battery in only fair condition that say is at 11.9 volts and just enough minumum voltage alllowing you to start it normally without the PS. Yet it is right at the PS cutoff threshold and immediately cuts your battery off at the get go when the PS is hooked up. Its either that, or a bad PS. You might want to have your battery checked first
This was my first thought when I read your post.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,206
Likes: 6
From: Makena, Maui & NM
btw-do you have your battery hooked up to a tender? You might want to consider what I have...Battery Minder Plus..which charges, conditions and desulphates your battery. Since your PS went off a few times (like me) it might not be a bad idea to stick a tender on it...and keeping the battery in good condition...that is, if your battery is not shot already.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38,314
Likes: 35
Mine was doing the same thing before I took it out.
My battery died even though I had the PS on.
I removed all that crap after that and went to an Optima Yellow Top and have had no problems since.
If I do, then I will take the car in for the "dead battery fix". Forget the Priority Start.
My battery died even though I had the PS on.
I removed all that crap after that and went to an Optima Yellow Top and have had no problems since.
If I do, then I will take the car in for the "dead battery fix". Forget the Priority Start.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 4,206
Likes: 6
From: Makena, Maui & NM
Forget the Priority Start.
Sorry, but disagree with you. Found the PS a great thing to have on my new 2007...no worries if I left some lights on or other odd things while on the road. It wont save you if you got a bad battery, but otherwise its works just fine, particularly with the electronic oddities of the C6. Not saying the oem battery that came with it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but Optima's can also go brain dead too. Though for sure, if my oem battery dies, it will be an Optima to replace it, just like I got one in another of my car's.
Thanks for the input. Yes I have a Battery Tender on it. How do you hook your battery tender up?
If you got a Battery tender and been using it, time to check your battery out as mentioned above. I have mine hooked up with an SAE connector. Its attached to the + and - battery terminals and have the SAE plug & 2 foot wire attached by a moveable zip tie to a surrounding cable. When tendered, I just run the SAE plug/cord through at the top of the hood and can still close the hood (so the cat doesnt hop into the engine) and then connects to the mating SAE plug on my charger. I only attach it if I know I wont be driving it for a few days or more. Keep us posted as to the solution to your problems.
Sorry, but disagree with you. Found the PS a great thing to have on my new 2007...no worries if I left some lights on or other odd things while on the road. It wont save you if you got a bad battery, but otherwise its works just fine, particularly with the electronic oddities of the C6. Not saying the oem battery that came with it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but Optima's can also go brain dead too. Though for sure, if my oem battery dies, it will be an Optima to replace it, just like I got one in another of my car's.
Thanks for the input. Yes I have a Battery Tender on it. How do you hook your battery tender up?
If you got a Battery tender and been using it, time to check your battery out as mentioned above. I have mine hooked up with an SAE connector. Its attached to the + and - battery terminals and have the SAE plug & 2 foot wire attached by a moveable zip tie to a surrounding cable. When tendered, I just run the SAE plug/cord through at the top of the hood and can still close the hood (so the cat doesnt hop into the engine) and then connects to the mating SAE plug on my charger. I only attach it if I know I wont be driving it for a few days or more. Keep us posted as to the solution to your problems.
Last edited by siffert; Jan 3, 2007 at 08:53 PM.
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Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 38,314
Likes: 35
Forget the Priority Start.
Sorry, but disagree with you. Found the PS a great thing to have on my new 2007...no worries if I left some lights on or other odd things while on the road. It wont save you if you got a bad battery, but otherwise its works just fine, particularly with the electronic oddities of the C6. Not saying the oem battery that came with it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but Optima's can also go brain dead too. Though for sure, if my oem battery dies, it will be an Optima to replace it, just like I got one in another of my car's.
....
Sorry, but disagree with you. Found the PS a great thing to have on my new 2007...no worries if I left some lights on or other odd things while on the road. It wont save you if you got a bad battery, but otherwise its works just fine, particularly with the electronic oddities of the C6. Not saying the oem battery that came with it is the greatest thing since sliced bread, but Optima's can also go brain dead too. Though for sure, if my oem battery dies, it will be an Optima to replace it, just like I got one in another of my car's.
....
By that I mean the person who has been reading about DBS for over a year and is convinced that he may indeed be next, and perhaps has a trip planned or just for whatever reason, does not want to, or cannot get to, his dealer to have the reflash done just yet.
But I agree with you, it would definitely offer a bit more peace of mind if you are on the road and spent a night or two in a hotel. At least if something should happen, the Priority Start would offer some measure of protection unless the battery was bad to begin with.
Indeed after reading your post, if I take a road trip, the PS will probably go back on.
Right now the car is hooked to the Battery Tender.The point I was trying to make, and probably did a poor job of it, is that in a car which has had a known case, or cases of DBS, the Priority Start is merely a band aid.
The real fix, if you think your car is so afflicted, is the ECM reflash.
Last edited by '06 Quicksilver Z06; Jan 4, 2007 at 07:10 PM.
