C6 Corvette General Discussion General C6 Corvette Discussion not covered in Tech
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by: Feral Industries

"Battery saver active"

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 12:31 AM
  #1  
MisterMidlifeCrisis's Avatar
MisterMidlifeCrisis
Thread Starter
Drifting
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 6
From: Redmond WA
Default "Battery saver active"

I needed to just roll my car out of the garage today to do some cleanup, so I did the usual thing of holding down the accessory position on the start button for ten seconds until the car's systems turned on. I then pushed the car out onto the driveway and proceeded to do what I needed to do.

Our football team was getting spanked playing the Steelers, so I decided to go in and see how terrible it really was. I came back out a few hours later to go run some errands, and when I got in the car, all the systems were still on. The DIC had a message that said "battery saver active", which I had never heard of and didn't remember reading in the manual, but it is there and says:

BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable point. The battery saver
system starts reducing certain
features of the vehicle that you may
be able to notice. At the point that
features are disabled, this message
is displayed. It means that the
vehicle is trying to save the charge
in the battery. Turn off unnecessary
accessories to allow the battery to
recharge.


Considering all of the DBS threads, I wonder if this is something new for 2011? Anyhow, my car started up normally and ran fine. Cool feature, and definitely saved me from a dead battery today.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 08:55 AM
  #2  
Delbert's Avatar
Delbert
Instructor
10 Year Member
Conversation Starter
All Eyes On Me
 
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 205
Likes: 10
From: Godfrey Illinois
Default

There is a section in the owner's manual describing this feature which activates when the battery falls to a pre set voltage level.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 09:45 AM
  #3  
talon90's Avatar
talon90
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 35,617
Likes: 167
Tech Contributor
Cruise-In 11 Veteran
NCM Ambassador
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
Default

Nope, nothing new. My 2005 has it as do all C6 Corvettes. I can make it come up after about 20 minutes with the car in ignition on/engine off mode.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 11:42 AM
  #4  
cclive's Avatar
cclive
Team Owner
 
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 21,502
Likes: 462
From: Southern Utah
Default

The purpose of this system is to save the battery and keep you moving for as long as possible when the alternator is not keeping up with the electrical drain on the system. Since the engine was not running, the alternator was putting out nothing...obviously not keeping up with the load. This will only happen when the ignition is on since the expectation is that with the ignition on, the engine will be running.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 11:58 AM
  #5  
hawkgfr's Avatar
hawkgfr
Team Owner
15 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 22,581
Likes: 1,696
From: South Carolina
Default

Originally Posted by talon90
Nope, nothing new. My 2005 has it as do all C6 Corvettes. I can make it come up after about 20 minutes with the car in ignition on/engine off mode.
Actually I think it is something new...Its called battery protection package and it cost a whopping 100 bucks as an option...It wasn't on my 07 but it is on my 11.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 12:41 PM
  #6  
talon90's Avatar
talon90
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 35,617
Likes: 167
Tech Contributor
Cruise-In 11 Veteran
NCM Ambassador
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
Default

Originally Posted by hawkgfr
Actually I think it is something new...Its called battery protection package and it cost a whopping 100 bucks as an option...It wasn't on my 07 but it is on my 11.
No, actually it isn't.

The battery protection package for 2011 is a CTEK battery tender rebranded with the Corvette logo available from dealers as a stand alone option. This has nothing to do with the Battery Saver Active message as noted above on the DIC.

Here is the battery saver in action on my 2005 and as referenced in the owners manual:



Here is the Battery Protection Package:

Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 12:59 PM
  #7  
Gearhead Jim's Avatar
Gearhead Jim
Team Owner
Supporting Member
25 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
 
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,022
Likes: 2,715
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
Default

Just a side note, I use the ten second Acessory push (systems on but engine not running) as little as possible- it turns on the fuel pump, etc and drains the battery more quickly than Accessory. In fact, if I'm just programming nav destinations or listening to the music; I close the car door and turn off Accessory. That lets the radio/nav run for 10 minutes.

Amazing fact- on our 2009 A6, just using Accessory (and stepping on the brake pedal) will allow the transmission selector to move out of Park, so the car can be pushed somewhere.
I'd like to brag that I figured that out by myself, but someone else posted it here. :o
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 01:02 PM
  #8  
talon90's Avatar
talon90
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 35,617
Likes: 167
Tech Contributor
Cruise-In 11 Veteran
NCM Ambassador
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
Default

Originally Posted by Gearhead Jim
Just a side note, I use the ten second Acessory push (systems on but engine not running) as little as possible- it turns on the fuel pump, etc and drains the battery more quickly than Accessory. In fact, if I'm just programming nav destinations or listening to the music; I close the car door and turn off Accessory. That lets the radio/nav run for 10 minutes.

Amazing fact- on our 2009 A6, just using Accessory (and stepping on the brake pedal) will allow the transmission selector to move out of Park, so the car can be pushed somewhere.
I'd like to brag that I figured that out by myself, but someone else posted it here. :o
The 10 second push is ignition on/engine off mode. It allows the car to do anything it can do with the engine on, just with the engine off.
Reply
Corvette Stories

The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts

story-0

10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

 Joe Kucinski
story-1

Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

 Brett Foote
story-2

10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

 Michael S. Palmer
story-3

8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-4

10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

 Joe Kucinski
story-5

How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

 Joe Kucinski
story-6

Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

 Michael S. Palmer
story-7

Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

 Joe Kucinski
story-8

150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

 Joe Kucinski
story-9

8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

 Verdad Gallardo
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 03:05 PM
  #9  
z51vett's Avatar
z51vett
Le Mans Master
20 Year Member
 
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 5,394
Likes: 281
From: cumming ga
Default

Originally Posted by MisterMidlifeCrisis
I needed to just roll my car out of the garage today to do some cleanup, so I did the usual thing of holding down the accessory position on the start button for ten seconds until the car's systems turned on. I then pushed the car out onto the driveway and proceeded to do what I needed to do.

Our football team was getting spanked playing the Steelers, so I decided to go in and see how terrible it really was. I came back out a few hours later to go run some errands, and when I got in the car, all the systems were still on. The DIC had a message that said "battery saver active", which I had never heard of and didn't remember reading in the manual, but it is there and says:

BATTERY SAVER ACTIVE
This message displays when the
vehicle has detected that the battery
voltage is dropping beyond a
reasonable point. The battery saver
system starts reducing certain
features of the vehicle that you may
be able to notice. At the point that
features are disabled, this message
is displayed. It means that the
vehicle is trying to save the charge
in the battery. Turn off unnecessary
accessories to allow the battery to
recharge.


Considering all of the DBS threads, I wonder if this is something new for 2011? Anyhow, my car started up normally and ran fine. Cool feature, and definitely saved me from a dead battery today.
Did you have it in run or acc. mode.
z51vett
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 07:56 PM
  #10  
hawkgfr's Avatar
hawkgfr
Team Owner
15 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 22,581
Likes: 1,696
From: South Carolina
Default

Originally Posted by talon90
No, actually it isn't.

The battery protection package for 2011 is a CTEK battery tender rebranded with the Corvette logo available from dealers as a stand alone option. This has nothing to do with the Battery Saver Active message as noted above on the DIC.

Here is the battery saver in action on my 2005 and as referenced in the owners manual:



Here is the Battery Protection Package:




That was supposed to be in my car?
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 08:43 PM
  #11  
talon90's Avatar
talon90
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 35,617
Likes: 167
Tech Contributor
Cruise-In 11 Veteran
NCM Ambassador
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
Default

Originally Posted by hawkgfr
That was supposed to be in my car?
The "Battery saver" is in all Corvette C6's and has been since 2005. If you paid $100.00 for the Battery protection package RPO ERI and it is on your RPO decal in the glovebox then yes, it was supposed to be in your car.
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 10:07 PM
  #12  
hawkgfr's Avatar
hawkgfr
Team Owner
15 Year Member
Loved
Community Favorite
Top Answer: 1
 
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 22,581
Likes: 1,696
From: South Carolina
Default

Originally Posted by talon90
The "Battery saver" is in all Corvette C6's and has been since 2005. If you paid $100.00 for the Battery protection package RPO ERI and it is on your RPO decal in the glovebox then yes, it was supposed to be in your car.
Ha it is on the sticker, I'll check the glove box but it isn't in the car...I got it in a dealer to dealer trade on the 6th of September...I guess I'll get them tpo order me one...


thanks..
Reply
Old Sep 19, 2011 | 10:42 PM
  #13  
Bill Dearborn's Avatar
Bill Dearborn
Tech Contributor
25 Year Member
Liked
Top Answer: 1
Top Answer: 3
 
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,822
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Default

Originally Posted by talon90
The 10 second push is ignition on/engine off mode. It allows the car to do anything it can do with the engine on, just with the engine off.

Pushing top of button for 10 seconds turns on the ignition and pushing the bottom of the button puts the car in accessory mode. In accessory mode the car will shut down after 15 minutes After that time period, if you are listening to the radio in accessory mode you have to push accessory again to get the radio back on.

Bill
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2011 | 01:03 AM
  #14  
MisterMidlifeCrisis's Avatar
MisterMidlifeCrisis
Thread Starter
Drifting
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 6
From: Redmond WA
Default

Originally Posted by z51vett
Did you have it in run or acc. mode.
z51vett
Had it in what Talon90 calls ignition on/engine off mode (and thanks for the info that it's been in every C6). It was sitting there with probably the fan on the second speed, radio on, but headlights and parking lights off. I was inside for probably a couple of hours.

Hmm, I left the doors unlocked too. Would it have been possible to start the car from that mode without a fob in range? Mines is an MX0 so it couldn't have been compression started.
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2011 | 06:40 AM
  #15  
talon90's Avatar
talon90
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 35,617
Likes: 167
Tech Contributor
Cruise-In 11 Veteran
NCM Ambassador
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
Default

Originally Posted by hawkgfr
Ha it is on the sticker, I'll check the glove box but it isn't in the car...I got it in a dealer to dealer trade on the 6th of September...I guess I'll get them tpo order me one...


thanks..
Make sure you also check the storage compartments in the rear as well. If you didn't get it, you should.
Reply
Old Sep 20, 2011 | 07:27 AM
  #16  
B-Vette's Avatar
B-Vette
Melting Slicks
15 Year Member
 
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,303
Likes: 40
From: Edmonton Alberta
Default

Nice to know information for the C6, I already bought the conventional C-Tek charger for my old 2000.
Reply
Old Sep 21, 2011 | 02:40 AM
  #17  
MisterMidlifeCrisis's Avatar
MisterMidlifeCrisis
Thread Starter
Drifting
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 1,340
Likes: 6
From: Redmond WA
Default

Forgot to ask my original follow-up question, which is why this feature doesn't seem to prevent DBS? Is it only because it functions when the ignition is in the "on" position?
Reply

Get notified of new replies

To "Battery saver active"

Old Sep 21, 2011 | 03:19 AM
  #18  
rchbn's Avatar
rchbn
Pro
 
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 613
Likes: 1
From: Apache Junction AZ
Default

Originally Posted by MisterMidlifeCrisis
Forgot to ask my original follow-up question, which is why this feature doesn't seem to prevent DBS? Is it only because it functions when the ignition is in the "on" position?

No it functions when your driving to:

2006 manual page 3-61:

SERVICE CHARGING SYSTEM: Press the
RESET button to acknowledge that you have read
the message and to remove it from the display.
The message will reappear every 10 minutes until this
condition changes. You will hear multiple chimes
when this message is displayed.
If this message comes on while you are driving, you
may have a problem with the electrical charging system.
It could indicate that you have a loose or broken drive
belt or another electrical problem. Have it checked
right away by your GM dealer. Driving while this warning
message is on could drain your battery.
If you must drive a short distance with the message on,
be certain to turn off your accessories, such as the
radio and air conditioner.
Reply
Old Sep 21, 2011 | 06:20 AM
  #19  
talon90's Avatar
talon90
Team Owner
Supporting Lifetime
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 35,617
Likes: 167
Tech Contributor
Cruise-In 11 Veteran
NCM Ambassador
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'10
Default

Originally Posted by MisterMidlifeCrisis
Forgot to ask my original follow-up question, which is why this feature doesn't seem to prevent DBS? Is it only because it functions when the ignition is in the "on" position?
Correct. This system is in place to allow the car to continue "operation" when elements of the charging system aren't keeping up with demand (see cclive's post above). The reason we see it when the car is in diagnostic mode (ignition on/engine off) is because the system is returning a charge to the battery. The car just thinks it's on.
Reply
Old Sep 21, 2011 | 05:07 PM
  #20  
CO Lightfoot's Avatar
CO Lightfoot
Safety Car
15 Year Member
 
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 13
From: Loveland CO to Central Coast CA
Default

Originally Posted by Gearhead Jim
...Amazing fact- on our 2009 A6, just using Accessory (and stepping on the brake pedal) will allow the transmission selector to move out of Park, so the car can be pushed somewhere...
This is news to me. So, I just now tried it.

Works exactly like you said.


Originally Posted by Bill Dearborn
...Pushing top of button for 10 seconds turns on the ignition and pushing the bottom of the button puts the car in accessory mode. In accessory mode the car will shut down after 15 minutes After that time period, if you are listening to the radio in accessory mode you have to push accessory again to get the radio back on.

Bill
Just now tried this for the 1st time on my 09. Doesn't work exactly like you said...

When I push & hold the top of the ignition switch, the engine starts immediately.

When I push & hold the bottom of the ignition switch, after about 10 seconds it goes into "ignition" mode... the engine does not start, but it looks like everything is accessible as if the engine were running.

Good thread. I've had my C6 for 3 years and I'm still learning new things.
Reply



All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:33 PM.

story-0
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love

Slideshow: 10 ugly Corvettes that we still kinda love.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-06-03 10:34:17


VIEW MORE
story-1
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer

A lot of money has changed hands at the online auction house over the years.

By Brett Foote | 2026-06-03 10:21:50


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)

Slideshow: 10 great gifts Corvette enthusiasts actually want for Father's Day!

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-06-03 15:43:40


VIEW MORE
story-3
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems

Slideshow: These are the quirks, annoyances, and oddly lovable problems that every Corvette owner eventually learns to live with.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-05-28 09:31:39


VIEW MORE
story-4
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years

Slideshow: 10 reasons why the C6 Z06 is still a performance benchmark after 20 years.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 17:20:09


VIEW MORE
story-5
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972

Slideshow: How much horsepower every Corvette engine lost in 1972.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-27 16:54:53


VIEW MORE
story-6
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!

Slideshow: How to Protect A Convertible Top: 10 DOs & DON'Ts

By Michael S. Palmer | 2026-04-03 00:00:00


VIEW MORE
story-7
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!

Slideshow: The 10 most explosive Corvettes ever built based on power-to-weight ratio.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-20 07:23:03


VIEW MORE
story-8
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter

Slideshow: From C1 to C8 we compare every Corvette generation by the numbers.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-05-12 16:54:12


VIEW MORE
story-9
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time

Slideshow: Some Corvette pace cars became collectible legends, while others perfectly captured the look and attitude of their era.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-11 09:50:51


VIEW MORE