97titan

Uncovered my 13' GS Vert this past weekend for a little spring clean and little run and found my battery dead. So I jumped it, let it warm up for a while but soon noticed that she was running a little rough and sounded a slight bit louder.

When I got in I found my Service Engine light on and a "Service Traction Control" "Service Active Handling System Alert" on. I figured it was just a thrown code from the dead battery and after I turned it off and restarted it would clear. NOPE.

So I decided to take her for a little drive to wake her up and try to get the codes to clear..No luck there and she seemed to be running rough with vibrations (sort of like a cylinder was down). I also noticed my fuel mileage was running about 12-14mpg and I was babying her.

Any ideas

By the way she only has 21k miles on her.

let er eat

Probably need a new battery

crusher1

4SUMERZ

As soon as I saw that you jumped it, that dooms a dead battery almost all of the time. Your battery likely has a shorted cell, so it's not charging enough, even through the alternator. These cars need a good battery. Marginal ones will give all kinds of codes, alarms etc.
It's very unlikely that your car sitting over the winter caused failure of components that were OK when you put it away. The C6 needs a lot of power from charging system to fire properly.
New Battery required
Good Luck

madmatt9471

Before you go to crazy and too far - as noted above the battery definitely needs a full charge!

However, make sure you check your wires and that they are seated fully - believe it or not I had one pop off on the passenger side and you will get the very same "Messages" let alone driving and running conditions! Make sure it is not shorting out either or jumping spark!

It's also possible that a plug is now fouled, you might have to do a little investigating, but it sure sounds as if one of your cylinders is not firing.

You might also want to grab your code reader and see what codes it has thrown and why - just in case it is one of the coils not firing - "IF" it is a bad wire or plug you will not get a code for that.

Keep us posted on the findings and the investigating -

Thanks,Matt

BrknWndC6

I just had to get a new battery as well! The entire system is electrical hints why we have to have tenders for our Vettes. Get you a good battery and you should me good as new!

WHAT ARE YOU ALLS PERFERRED BATTERIES for you Vettes? ANYONE

Don-Vette

Don't even try to charge a dead battery, replace it with a new one. I put an Interstate battery in the GS last summer.

Bruze

But if the battery was fully drained for some undetermined amount of time it will never take a full (deep) charge and is essentially toast.

pocketrocket

You may want to make sure the spark plug wires are firm on the plug as well as the coil pack. I HAD 2 WIRES FALL OFF AT 6OOO MILES.The running characteristics you discribed were consistent to my experience.

stew1100

don't even waste your time with a bad battery. A new good battery is a way good investment towards keeping codes away.

Also, never try the charge a dead battery using the vehicle. This puts undue loads on your alternator. Invest in a battery charger.

My brother had a car that the battery always went dead in because of some parasitic draw on the battery he could never find. He would just jump it off and let the car charge it. Did not take long for the alternator to quit. New alternator did not last long either.

cclive

Jumping it and letting it run a few minutes will not get that battery back up to a full charge. You cannot leave a C6 all winter without putting the battery on a tender...it just cannot be done.

Allan

97titan

After unhooking the battery for an hour to try to reset the codes, buying a new battery....I still had the codes.

So after further inspection #5 spark plug wire was loose. Problem solved!

madmatt9471

That's why in my response in #5 "Before you go crazy ..." I mentioned that I had the very same problem and for you to check the plug wires -

I am glad you got it all situated and now have a new battery as well

Always do a full run down on everything before you throw parts at it - it's crazy that one wire can make it do these things but it can and will, just like yours did and mine did!

Thanks,Matt