Battery drain...redux
01-09-2019, 09:21 AM
#21
Race Director
No-start w/ '05's was a common & annoying problem.
As rux stated above, which I'd long forgot, a re-flash was issued to correct.
Sounds like yours never got the update so ask a Chevy dealer, of your choice, to do this procedure.
BTW I may have missed [it] but has car done this from day 1 of ownership, or start recently?
If update was never done it's likely because it was never an issue, until now years later,
As rux stated above, which I'd long forgot, a re-flash was issued to correct.
Sounds like yours never got the update so ask a Chevy dealer, of your choice, to do this procedure.
BTW I may have missed [it] but has car done this from day 1 of ownership, or start recently?
If update was never done it's likely because it was never an issue, until now years later,
01-09-2019, 01:19 PM
#22
Intermediate
Thread Starter
This has been an issue for me since I purchased the car in January 2017. I am not sure the prior owner used it much over the last few years of ownership. The dealer indicated that they took it in trade from his family, after he went into long term care.
I do try to get the car out once or twice a week, because it is fun; but sometimes it sits. This is the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast, so bad weather and salt on the roads is an issue in the winter. I will take it out if the roads have been brined and it has dried, but once they salt, I wait until a good rain washes it away.
I do try to get the car out once or twice a week, because it is fun; but sometimes it sits. This is the Mid-Atlantic/Northeast, so bad weather and salt on the roads is an issue in the winter. I will take it out if the roads have been brined and it has dried, but once they salt, I wait until a good rain washes it away.
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Landru (01-10-2019)
01-19-2019, 09:39 PM
#23
Intermediate
Thread Starter
So, a final follow up. The battery eventually charged and I took it in to a local GM dealership and had the PCM/ECM reprogramed as per PIC4188G.
A note in that bulletin indicates "...The Electric column lock waits to see if the shifter was placed in reverse prior to issuing the command to lock the column. If the column is unlocked there is a good chance the shifter was not in the proper location when the car was shut down and as a result, the BCM may not have "gone to sleep"." I always make sure the car is in reverse when I shut it off; but normally, I do not think to turn the wheel to lock the column. This made me think to check for this when I shut the car down, since I honestly could not remember if it was locking (as opposed to when it is not in reverse, since the DIC will indicate it is not in reverse.) When I arrived at the dealer, and shut down, I turned the wheel at least a quarter turn in either direction and the column did not lock. After the PCM/ECM was flashed, the column locks with a very small move of the wheel. Coincidence? Perhaps. Anyway, since there were a series of storms coming in for the weekend, I turned the car off, locked the steering column, and left it off the battery tender for two days. At the end of that, the car started with no problem. I shut it down, locked the column and popped the hood to hook up the battery tender. Less than an hour later, it was showing the battery was fully charged.
I think this may have actually resolved the issue.
Many thanks to ruxvette for remembering the bulletin number for the fix.
A note in that bulletin indicates "...The Electric column lock waits to see if the shifter was placed in reverse prior to issuing the command to lock the column. If the column is unlocked there is a good chance the shifter was not in the proper location when the car was shut down and as a result, the BCM may not have "gone to sleep"." I always make sure the car is in reverse when I shut it off; but normally, I do not think to turn the wheel to lock the column. This made me think to check for this when I shut the car down, since I honestly could not remember if it was locking (as opposed to when it is not in reverse, since the DIC will indicate it is not in reverse.) When I arrived at the dealer, and shut down, I turned the wheel at least a quarter turn in either direction and the column did not lock. After the PCM/ECM was flashed, the column locks with a very small move of the wheel. Coincidence? Perhaps. Anyway, since there were a series of storms coming in for the weekend, I turned the car off, locked the steering column, and left it off the battery tender for two days. At the end of that, the car started with no problem. I shut it down, locked the column and popped the hood to hook up the battery tender. Less than an hour later, it was showing the battery was fully charged.
I think this may have actually resolved the issue.
Many thanks to ruxvette for remembering the bulletin number for the fix.
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Landru (01-20-2019)
01-19-2019, 09:59 PM
#24
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01-29-2019, 06:15 PM
#26
Intermediate
Thread Starter
If you are having a problem, definitely read through PIC4188G. It seems to apply to the 2005 and 2006 model years for the most part.
If it is a 2005 manual transmission model, as mine is, definitely check with a dealer to see if the PCM/ECM has been flashed. I cannot tell you how much better it has been since that was done. The other thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the steering column is locked before exiting the car; that seems to be what tells the BCM to go to sleep.
If it is a 2005 manual transmission model, as mine is, definitely check with a dealer to see if the PCM/ECM has been flashed. I cannot tell you how much better it has been since that was done. The other thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the steering column is locked before exiting the car; that seems to be what tells the BCM to go to sleep.
01-29-2019, 07:34 PM
#27
Melting Slicks
My 2005 6 speed is doing the same exact thing, thanks for the post I will start calling the dealerships to see about the flash. Just out of curiosity did they charge you an hour or so labor to flash the computer or what did they do?
02-04-2019, 01:45 PM
#29
Intermediate
Thread Starter
Yes. The car is long out of warranty, so the cost was an hour of labor plus tax, about $142. It was money well spent. You can have them run the service history on your VIN and see if it has already been done.
You might also want to look into the column lock fix as torquetube suggested. You can download the TSB at the bottom of the thread.
Apparently, it will cost more ($450-600), since it involves replacing some pieces in the steering column and a BCM update, but it is a more permanent solution. It is still a bit wonky getting the column to lock, in my 2005 manual. I will probably spring for this fix at some point in the future.
You might also want to look into the column lock fix as torquetube suggested. You can download the TSB at the bottom of the thread.
Apparently, it will cost more ($450-600), since it involves replacing some pieces in the steering column and a BCM update, but it is a more permanent solution. It is still a bit wonky getting the column to lock, in my 2005 manual. I will probably spring for this fix at some point in the future.
Last edited by WaryOldGuy; 02-04-2019 at 02:07 PM. Reason: more info