Hi. Yesterday my wife and I took the Corvette for a drive. We have a 2012 Grand Sport convertible which I bought new in April, 2012. I started it in our garage and we drove about five miles to a place to get a cup of coffee. I went in (fob in my pocket) and returned with the coffee maybe 10 minutes later. I just sat in the car for maybe five minutes drinking coffee, then I pushed in the clutch (6MT) and pushed the start button. Nothing. There was enough ambient noise, plus we had the top down, that I can't say that the normal and never very loud clicking sounds you hear when the car normally starts didn't happen. Those sounds might have happened or maybe not. I just can't say. But the car didn't start, the gages didn't come to life. Nothing. I waited maybe five seconds and pushed the start button again. Nothing again. No message on the DIC. Nothing. Then, while I sat there wondering what was (not) happening and while I was touching nothing, the gages came to life, the speedometer and tach did their swing to full scale and back deal and other normal lights and stuff came on. Then I hit the started button a third time and it started.

This has happened maybe a couple times in the past. This is the first time I decided to ask about it.

Anyone know what this means??? thanks... bob

 

Wierd, haven't read of this 'symptom' reported, before.
Checked if any code(s) have been set, Bob?
Codes will be the key to identifying this & by extention getting it resolved, IMO; otherwise, we're just guessing. Might have your battery load-tested also, just to rule out a failing battery.

In any event methinks it means a trip to your dealer because one day it likely won't start 'tall, leaving you stranded somewhere.

G/L & IF you find the solution please post it so we all may benefit.

 

First thing I would do is change the fob battery. These things only last about 1-2 years. Before anyone replies, I know they can last longer but I have two cars and a motorcycle that has these types of fobs and always keep a spare battery where I can get at it. The first battery for the motorcycle didn't even last a year.

 

That sounds like an intermittent start switch problem to me. If it were a fob problem you would get a No FOB Detected warning on the DIC.

 

You threw me with the lights coming on long after you pressed the start button. I have had this happen to me (without the gauges and lights coming on) a number of times: hit the starter button and nothing happens. Since it always started after the second or third time, I chalked it up to (and CF confirmed that it was) a fob-related issue. However, with the lights and gauges coming on as they did in your case, I hesitate to suggest that your problem is the same to mine.

 

Exactly. The car is not reading the fob due to the placement in your pocket or the battery getting low. Happened to me a couple of times,I just moved the fob and everything came to life.

 

If the car can't read the FOB you would get "No FOB Detected" on the DIC. He got no such alert.

 

Some of your replies jogged my memory that I did change the FOB battery maybe six months ago after this happened once before. I guessed at the time that perhaps it was a FOB battery issue so I changed it.

I have seen a different issue a time or two where the DIC lights up and says NO FOB DETECTED. That I solved just by reaching in my pocket, taking out the FOB and then the car would start. Seemed weird because I always keep the FOB in my pocket and that almost always works.

But yesterday's event of nothing happening also included that nothing came up on the DIC at all. I looked specifically at the DIC on the second push of the start button and I noticed all was totally dark. Then, as I said, maybe five seconds after the second push and maybe 10 seconds after the first push, the gages lit up and the speedometer and tach did their full scale deal as if the car had started. But I then had to push the button a third time to get the car to start.

The service manager at the Chevy dealer where I take the car for oil changes posts on this forum. I will ask his opinion or ask them to look into this when I take it in soon for another oil change.

thanks... bob..

 

How does one check to see if codes are being set??? thanks... bob...

 

Isn't there sometimes an issue with the fobs being too close to a cell phone?
I seem to recall hearing that out here on the forum before.

ETA:
Just saw there is a sticky at top of this forum.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-c...hat-to-do.html

 

It's funny because I never get that message. I just go in my pocket and move the fob and the dashboard comes to life and the car fires right up. Like I said before it has happened numerous times before and EVERYTIME I moved the fob it came to life. Go figure.

 

I just had that issue with my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I had my cell phone and fob in the same pocket and the car didn't see the fob. From now on I make sure they are not in the same pocket. So far not an issue and it's been more then a month.

 

Must have a OBDII reader, can be obtained on Amazon. Might check with some of our forum vendors, first.

OR you can go to most parts stores like Auto Zone, they'll have a reader and will scan your codes for you as a public service.

 

Check the connections on your battery and at the starter and ground.

If the fob was the problem, you would get a message in the DIC.

 

Interesting, more than one person has said that I should get a message on the DIC saying something like "No FOB Detected" if it's a FOB issue. But red2012 says he doesn't get that message but if he moves the FOB it lights up and can be started.

When I did the second push of the starter button the other day I was paying special attention to the DIC and it was blank as I'm pretty sure it was the first time, too.

I did do a sanity test last night. I used the FOB to unlock the car but then I brought the FOB back in the house and laid it down a fair distance from the car. I then went out, sat in the car until the dome lights and all went off, then I pushed the starter button (clutch in of course). This time the DIC DID light up and said "No FOB Detected" which makes sense.

But if I have going on what red 2012 has experienced, then it still might be something to do with maybe low power from the FOB (I replaced the FOB b battery the last time this happened maybe 6 months ago) or some interference issue with the FOB??? Someone else mentioned that cell phone interference might be an issue. And I always have my cell phone laying in the center console because I use it to play music through the car. The FOB is always in my right pant's pocket which is only maybe a foot or so from that center console so maybe I need to switch pockets for the FOB.

The real problem is this "car dead" deal has only happened two or maybe three times in 20 months since the car was new. So it just doesn't happen often.

bob

 

OP, every time your described situation has happened to me, it's been because I've been in a hurry, and pressed the start button before fully depressing the clutch.

You can test this by quickly releasing the clutch, then quickly depressing it to the floor.

If I'm correct, all the lights/guages will cycle quickly, and you can then press the start to fire up your baby.

 

I've done the same thing as Seadawg and what I have seen is the gauges will sweep and the car goes through the starting process but the started never energizes. This is different than what the OP is describing. It sounds like the switch may have an issue (unlikely) and is more of a computer issue. Meaning the computer is getting a signal to start but doesn't know what to do. Perhaps the computer is doing some kind of an internal process and when it is done the start signal is still hanging there and finally is able to initiate.

 

I have just gone through the exact same thing last saturday night…Come to find out one of my terminals had loosened up and was intermittently making contact thus causing the click click click then it would start. but before i figured it out it totally quit cranking and i had already fried the solenoid on the starter. what they (dealership)said is that the loose contact caused a arc across from the battery post thus sending a high voltage to the starter and it fried.Check it out before it fries like mine did.

 

Hi Bob,

I see the concerns you're having with your 2012 GS. I also read that you were talking to the service manager, and may even have it addressed on your next visit. Please keep us updated on your concern and if you get it resolved. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please do not hesitate to write us!

Terrell
Chevrolet Customer Care

 

I'm the original poster of this thread. Read that post if you want to hear what my original issue was. Still being interested in whether or not I have a start button issue (or something else?) on my 2012 GS, 6MT, I've been paying a lot of attention to what happens when I go to start the car.

Today, I had the car in first gear, clutch all the way down and I pushed the start button for what I would call a brief but normal amount of time. Nothing, at least none of the normal, fast clicking sounds you hear if you listen when the car is preparing to start. Nothing on the DIC, nothing like No Fob Detected or anything on the DIC. But there was one thing lit on the instrument cluster, the engine light was on. But nothing else. And no start of the car. I just sat there for a few seconds, noted that the gear was in 1st as it always is when I start the car, the clutch was depressed all the way to the floor (I never let up on the clutch as I sat there) but it just didn't start.

After maybe 3-5 seconds of just looking at stuff, I then pushed the start button again and it started like normal. When I got home I stopped and started the car several times. When you start normally, I hear all the fast clicking which sometimes lasts only a fraction of a second and is barely detectable and other times you clearly hear a series of fast clicks for maybe a half second or longer??? I also noticed when you start normally is that the very first thing that lights first is that engine light followed shortly thereafter by all the other lights and then the gage cycling.

A couple times I even tried hitting the start button for just a quick punch and when I do so the car goes ahead and starts just like it does if you hold the button longer. My thought there was maybe I hadn't held the button long enough when it earlier only lit the engine light but otherwise did not go ahead and start.

OK, a lot of words. Now, two questions. First, can anyone tell me what all the clicking is that you often but not always hear when you push the start button to start the car??? What is that and what is happening??? It sounds like relays clicking but I would doubt this car has tradional relays??? And has anyone seen this situation where the cycle to start begins but only goes so far as to light the engine light and then stops?? Only to go ahead and start on a second push of the start button a few seconds later??

As always, thanks for any thoughts or help.

bob.