Battery dead
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte North Carolina
Battery dead
Hi -
After about two months of inactivity due to back surgery, I tried to start my vette. It clicked a couple of times but wouldn't turn over. I tried to put it back in off mode but it stayed in accessory mode and there was a highly repetitive clicking noise, as though something was trying to activate. I had gotten out of the car by the time I heard this and the door wouldn't re-open so I had to go in thru the back. [no fun with the new lumbar fusion]
I again wasn't able to get it into off mode and the clicking continued until I disconnected one of the battery terminals.
My questions
1 Is there anthing unique I need to be mindful of in jump starting the vette?
2 Do you think whatever the clicking noise was, damaged something? [solenoid, etc...?]
3 If I can get it jump started and put some mileage on it, do you think the battery will go back to normal?
I never had any prior problems and my car's a 2006.
I greatly appreciate any insight, comments, suggestions. Thanks
After about two months of inactivity due to back surgery, I tried to start my vette. It clicked a couple of times but wouldn't turn over. I tried to put it back in off mode but it stayed in accessory mode and there was a highly repetitive clicking noise, as though something was trying to activate. I had gotten out of the car by the time I heard this and the door wouldn't re-open so I had to go in thru the back. [no fun with the new lumbar fusion]
I again wasn't able to get it into off mode and the clicking continued until I disconnected one of the battery terminals.
My questions
1 Is there anthing unique I need to be mindful of in jump starting the vette?
2 Do you think whatever the clicking noise was, damaged something? [solenoid, etc...?]
3 If I can get it jump started and put some mileage on it, do you think the battery will go back to normal?
I never had any prior problems and my car's a 2006.
I greatly appreciate any insight, comments, suggestions. Thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 461
From: Southern Utah
If its home in your garage, put it on a charger instead of jumping it. Unless you drive it for hours and hours, the battery will not be fully charged from driving it. Depending on how many times the battery has been discharged before, it may or may not be fine. This is completely normal behavior for a C6 with a low battery.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 16,684
Likes: 1,193
From: La Center WA
I doubt you did any damage. The clicking you heard is normal when the battery is nearly completely dead.
Once a battery is this far gone, it's highly unlikely that it will ever hold a charge again; you need to replace it. Assuming that it's the original, consider yourself lucky to have gotten this much life out of it.
One more thing - why did you climb in through the back? All you needed to do after opening the hatch with your key is pull the door release tab near the rear wheel well.
Once a battery is this far gone, it's highly unlikely that it will ever hold a charge again; you need to replace it. Assuming that it's the original, consider yourself lucky to have gotten this much life out of it.
One more thing - why did you climb in through the back? All you needed to do after opening the hatch with your key is pull the door release tab near the rear wheel well.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte North Carolina
If its home in your garage, put it on a charger instead of jumping it. Unless you drive it for hours and hours, the battery will not be fully charged from driving it. Depending on how many times the battery has been discharged before, it may or may not be fine. This is completely normal behavior for a C6 with a low battery.
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 299
Likes: 1
From: West Milford NJ
My 2 cents:
The clicking you heard was probably the starter solenoid. That is normal when your battery is very weak.
The jump starting procedure is in the owners manual. If you want to go by the book you will not damage anything.
Your battery is nearing the end of its life. You can get more time out of it, but why bother. It will just strand you somehere or do the same thing to you again in your own garage after a period of inactivity.
I suggest that you just purchase a new battery and not even bother trying to jump it. I have owned a few Corvettes and when they are put away for the winter I put a Battery Minder on the battery.
If you purchase a trickle charger go for a high tech one like battery minder or battery tender. They will not overcharge the battery like the old fashioned trickle chargers did.
The clicking you heard was probably the starter solenoid. That is normal when your battery is very weak.
The jump starting procedure is in the owners manual. If you want to go by the book you will not damage anything.
Your battery is nearing the end of its life. You can get more time out of it, but why bother. It will just strand you somehere or do the same thing to you again in your own garage after a period of inactivity.
I suggest that you just purchase a new battery and not even bother trying to jump it. I have owned a few Corvettes and when they are put away for the winter I put a Battery Minder on the battery.
If you purchase a trickle charger go for a high tech one like battery minder or battery tender. They will not overcharge the battery like the old fashioned trickle chargers did.
Last edited by AlfredMay; May 29, 2010 at 12:51 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte North Carolina
I doubt you did any damage. The clicking you heard is normal when the battery is nearly completely dead.
Once a battery is this far gone, it's highly unlikely that it will ever hold a charge again; you need to replace it. Assuming that it's the original, consider yourself lucky to have gotten this much life out of it.
One more thing - why did you climb in through the back? All you needed to do after opening the hatch with your key is pull the door release tab near the rear wheel well.
Once a battery is this far gone, it's highly unlikely that it will ever hold a charge again; you need to replace it. Assuming that it's the original, consider yourself lucky to have gotten this much life out of it.
One more thing - why did you climb in through the back? All you needed to do after opening the hatch with your key is pull the door release tab near the rear wheel well.
with Mike, if its still the original battery from 2006, then you are living on borrowed time, but still a trickle charger is a good thing to have in the garage.
