CB1953

Got to work today, shut the engine off, everything was dead. My car is a 06 with 89k miles. I had to use the manual release to get out of the car. Tried to start it, but there is no hint of any juice anywhere. The battery is new. The last couple of weeks I have noticed a slight hesitation when the starter engages, could this be the infamous bad starter/alternator connection? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated...I'll probably have it towed to the dealer this morning.
Thanks in advance.
CB

CB1953

Update: Just went out at daylight, opened the battery compartment, and everything came back on. Might just be something loose in there, so I will follow that lead. If anyone has any other input, I would appreciate it.

Clay Assassin

Very similar situation I had last week, trying to go to a track day.

Got in the car, hit the start button, car went dead.

Mine sits on a charger most of the time. Battery cable connection was gunked up at the post prety good.

Took it off, cleaned the post and connector. back to normal.

CB1953

Thanks....this was weird though, started normally this morning, drove in to work, and then when I shut it off, everything went black. There was no indication that anything was wrong at all. But all I did was open the battery compartment cover, and bingo...interior lights came on, and it started right up. I'm still not sure what's going on...I just replaced the battery, and the connections looked ok. I'll take them off and clean them again and see what happens.

DSteck

Did you get a vented battery? I'm just making a total guess here, but based on the fact that the stock battery has some sort of vent, maybe your new one needs it too, and that's why opening that cover is allowing it to work. I have no facts or proof to back up this theory, though.

CB1953

No...it is an Optima Red Top...no vent. I have seen many others on the forum using this battery. I don't think any Optima batteries are vented.

Clay Assassin

My car has run fine since 2008.

I only have 5000 miles on it.

I got up. Loaded the car with my track stuff. I had driven it the week before with no problem. Went and kissed the wife goodby, came back and hit start. The whole car went dead. I was locked in and had to use the emergancy door release.

I went back in and told her the whole car just took a crap on me, and I had to leave NOW!

I fiddled with it to no avail. Couldnt even get in the car. Door was closed - no power.

A couple minutes later, the door opened and lights came on.

I hit start again and the car went dead. This time I left the door open.

Went back to look at the battery. The positive post had a lot of crud on it.

Since historically on this forum, battery issues seem to cause most gremlins, I removed and cleaned the post and connector up. Car ran great all day at the track, no problems.

CB1953

I'm going to do just that as soon as I get home today...thanks.

RichieRichZ06

The vent is required because the battery is located in the passenger compartment and needs to have the gasses vented outside to keep you from huffing them.

DSteck

That's what the N2O bottle is for... right?...

SmokinZ

Just this last week my 2006 Z06 has been doing the EXACT same. It started with a small hesitation while starting and now twice it has gone totally dead as described by CB1953. I had also opened up the battery compartment and looked around, wiggled to make sure it wasn't loose. It seemed fine but the lights came back on and my radio clock was reset. It's something I'm going to look at closer now that someone else has come across the issue. Maybe some oxidation on the cable or the battery poles? But charging/starting doesn't act like a weakened battery, ie it starts quite easily.

CB1953

I got home yesterday and checked out the battery connections. All seemed fine, but I went ahead and cleaned the posts and tightened everything back up. Started up fine this morning, got to work and shut it off...no problems. We'll see what happens....hopefully all is well.

PureSwank

If it happens again, buck it. Take it to the dealer.

Joe C5

A quick thought. The new battery terminal I think is harder to get on (compared to the side post or old big lead clamp). I find you have to use a small screwdriver and a hammer <eek> to tap on the edges to get it to go down far enough that the wierd clamping action works. Just saying...

GMuffley

Electrical issues are always the worst to troubleshoot.

SmokinZ

Today I had the electrical go completely out again. It happened while trying to start the car. It almost seemed like it happened because I momentarily pushed the start button as opposed to holding it down. I'm not sure if that really was the difference though. Again going to the battery fixed it. Seems kinda hokey and my terminals are not lose. How exactly that fixes it, I have no idea yet. I suppose it's time to pull the cables off the terminals.

SmokinZ

Update:

Got the terminals off, they were not "loose" but, the positive did pop off without having to loosen the nut. Hehe so nevermind I guess it could qualify as loose then...

After inspecting the terminal clamps I think whomever last changed the battery used the wrong nuts for the terminals. My car had the nut with the flat washer being used on the battery terminal. I looks to me that the terminals were designed to use the other one. As it would tighten the terminal as you tightened the nut. The nut with the flat washer would then be used on the plastic battery hold-down.

Ryan Welmans

Exactly the same issue as OP.

Tried to start my Corvette C6 (2006), ignition failed and vehicle experienced immediate total loss of power... literally had to use the manual levers to get out. Did some Googling, there is talk of immobiliser auto-triggering or key failure issues but ignore those if you have a total loss of power (both are lights on issues).

Just a 2 minute job to re-tighten the battery connector leads and normal service restored immediately.

dmuellenberg

Since you are a new member, we will give you a break. You should read the forum rules, one of which is not to revive old threads, especially one as old as this one is, unless you have new/updated information.