Infamous Dead Battery
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 8,895
Likes: 981
From: Whitby Ont.
Maybe there is a difference between the C5 and the C6 ? I had my car in the stealership on sat and after he messed around for an hour, wouldn t start, but everything else worked, technician, who has been there since 1976, told me there is lots of computer things running in the background, he said it would be hard pressed for these cars to start after two weeks of sitting. Told me to put the tender on all the time. Maybe has something to do with option packages ?, am not a tech, so just relaying what he told me, did a diagnostic check and no codes, is all I can say.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 14,475
Likes: 785
From: Las Vegas NV
Maybe there is a difference between the C5 and the C6 ? I had my car in the stealership on sat and after he messed around for an hour, wouldn t start, but everything else worked, technician, who has been there since 1976, told me there is lots of computer things running in the background, he said it would be hard pressed for these cars to start after two weeks of sitting. Told me to put the tender on all the time. Maybe has something to do with option packages ?, am not a tech, so just relaying what he told me, did a diagnostic check and no codes, is all I can say.
Dealer "technicians" are know for not knowing what they're talking about. Like the ones who still say to leave the manual shifter in reverse or the battery will die on a 2013.
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 78
Likes: 1
From: San Antonio TX
Dilema over. I just ordered the CTEK 56-158 Multi US 3300 12V Smart Battery Charger/tender.
Check this review of the product out! Very in-depth and it certainly proved the product's value enough for me to place my order. http://stevejenkins.com/blog/2011/08...tery-chargers/
Check this review of the product out! Very in-depth and it certainly proved the product's value enough for me to place my order. http://stevejenkins.com/blog/2011/08...tery-chargers/
Thread Starter
Advanced
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 78
Likes: 1
From: San Antonio TX
I also want to be sure to say thank you to everyone here! You guys are great! Thank you again.
One of the BEST pieces of advice I received, was from Lisa when she said, "Just drive it once in a while!" While that is a given, it kinda woke me up so to speak! I mean really... I SHOULD be driving her WAY more often and "this" battery issue is uncalled for..
Thanks again everyone!
One of the BEST pieces of advice I received, was from Lisa when she said, "Just drive it once in a while!" While that is a given, it kinda woke me up so to speak! I mean really... I SHOULD be driving her WAY more often and "this" battery issue is uncalled for..
Thanks again everyone!
Moderator emeritus
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 18,599
Likes: 3,954
From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
Get the CTEK and do this-->http://www.ls2.com/forums/showthread...battery-tender
Best thing out there and super easy to connect.
Elmer
Best thing out there and super easy to connect.
Elmer
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 11,367
Likes: 211
From: Edgewood Washington
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
If the car is operating correctly, everything in the car, all the lights, computers, etc., shut down after about 20 minutes.
Except the RCDLR. It stays 'awake' so the fob has a way to communicate with the car, but it only draws a slight amount of current.
But even this will kill a good battery in about a month +/-.
Except the RCDLR. It stays 'awake' so the fob has a way to communicate with the car, but it only draws a slight amount of current.
But even this will kill a good battery in about a month +/-.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 2,987
Likes: 16
From: Phoenix
So my car has been starting weird. Cranking real slow and barely getting started. Decided to check the water level in my battery. Two cells very low on water and one barely over the electrodes. Filled them up and it's on the charger now. I'm surprised this battery has lasted this long in Arizona since I bought the car in October 2011. Probably add six months to a year of it sitting on the lot.
Last edited by jon6.0; Nov 25, 2013 at 03:05 PM.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
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
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 26,745
Likes: 694
From: PA
So my car has been starting weird. Cranking real slow and barely getting started. Decided to check the water level in my battery. Two cells very low on water and one barely over the electrodes. Filled them up and it's on the charger now. I'm surprised this battery has lasted this long in Arizona since I bought the car in October 2011. Probably add six months to a year of it sitting on the lot.
You sure you still have the same battery? 
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 13
From: Loveland CO to Central Coast CA
Check this first: Loose clamps on the battery terminal! 
The ONLY way to secure the C6 cam-style clamp is with a special cone-shaped nut.
Regular nuts won't work:
http://www.ls2.com/forums/showthread...attery-Failure
The ONLY way to secure the C6 cam-style clamp is with a special cone-shaped nut.
Regular nuts won't work:
http://www.ls2.com/forums/showthread...attery-Failure
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 4,024
Likes: 13
From: Loveland CO to Central Coast CA
Use a good battery maintainer -- esp. if your car sits for weeks.
Very happy with my CTEK 3300. Works great, no problems.
And it's easy to hook-up with a cig adapter:
Very happy with my CTEK 3300. Works great, no problems.
And it's easy to hook-up with a cig adapter:
Pro
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 732
Likes: 2
Many Corvette owners (including me) use the CTEK 3300 so that I say that is a great choice. Plus, you can get it with a cigarette lighter plug so it will plug into the cigarette lighter socket in your center console.... Very easy!
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 128
Likes: 7
From: Godfrey Illinois
I had issues with my battery dieing after a week of inactivity. It happened to me twice. I opened the hood and took out the bulb for the hood to check the voltage of the battery. I decided not to put the bulb back in, well since then I haven't had any troubles with my battery. I guess the bulb was staying on while the hood was closed. Just a thought.
Instructor
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 202
Likes: 0
From: Wetumpka
I have had two of the Sears units for over a year and they work great. They have a hook on them so I hang them from the ceiling. They are plugged into the receptacle in the ceiling where my garage door openers are plugged. The cords are long enough to reach my batteries. They also come with the same style hookups as the battery tenders. I also have a battery tender jr. connected to my riding mower. It only has a couple of led lights the Sears units have a scrolling led message that tells you what it is doing. They work like a charm and are much less expensive than the other brands. I would buy the Sears model again in a heartbeat.
Supporting Vendor
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 2,144
Likes: 170
From: Central Florida
While I agree a tender is a great idea if the vehicle sits a lot, there were some GM calibration updates back in 05-06 for sure that specifically addressed 'potential battery rundown situations'. Might be worth checking out for some of the earlier C6 guys.
Moderator emeritus
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 18,599
Likes: 3,954
From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
Elmer
Pro
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 662
Likes: 111
From: Carmel, NY & Bradenton, FL
I can't believe that owners are willing to accept the DBS situation on a premier $50,000+ automobile. It's a pervasive problem that affects some, but not all C6s. This should be unacceptable on any car at any price.
Can anybody name another car that can't sit unused for a week without intervention?
OK, start flaming me but the DBS situation is impossible to defend. There should be a class action suit against GM for their refusal to even acknowledge the problem.
Can anybody name another car that can't sit unused for a week without intervention?
OK, start flaming me but the DBS situation is impossible to defend. There should be a class action suit against GM for their refusal to even acknowledge the problem.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 18,098
Likes: 1,597
I can't believe that owners are willing to accept the DBS situation on a premier $50,000+ automobile. It's a pervasive problem that affects some, but not all C6s. This should be unacceptable on any car at any price.
Can anybody name another car that can't sit unused for a week without intervention?
OK, start flaming me but the DBS situation is impossible to defend. There should be a class action suit against GM for their refusal to even acknowledge the problem.
Can anybody name another car that can't sit unused for a week without intervention?
OK, start flaming me but the DBS situation is impossible to defend. There should be a class action suit against GM for their refusal to even acknowledge the problem.
Team Owner
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 26,243
Likes: 4,362
From: Chirper Island
I can't believe that owners are willing to accept the DBS situation on a premier $50,000+ automobile. It's a pervasive problem that affects some, but not all C6s. This should be unacceptable on any car at any price.
Can anybody name another car that can't sit unused for a week without intervention?
OK, start flaming me but the DBS situation is impossible to defend. There should be a class action suit against GM for their refusal to even acknowledge the problem.
Can anybody name another car that can't sit unused for a week without intervention?
OK, start flaming me but the DBS situation is impossible to defend. There should be a class action suit against GM for their refusal to even acknowledge the problem.
lisa