Well, this afternoon I waved goodbye as a tow truck operator hauled my stranded 05 back to the dealership for the third time in a little over a month. Same situation each time - won't start (the starter doesn't even engage). Some of these occasions were proceeded with a "service column lock" message, but not always. The dealership has thusfar replaced the computer (ECM), the battery and the fuse box under the hood (J-Box) - each time insisting that the problem was now fixed. Since the vehicle is out of warranty, it has cost me $1300 thusfar. I had previously passed on to them some of the suggestions that you good folks offered to me in this forum, i.e., column lock module, clutch switch, etc., but the service manager says that they tested ok. Since there is no other Chevy dealership in this area, I am stuck between a rock and a hard place, since I don't have the diagnostic tools to identify the problem myself. My question to you folks is as follows: Is there another resource within GM at the regional (or whatever) level that customers can contact when a problem is not being fixed by their local dealer? My frustration level is extremely high right now, and I have zero confidence in the ability of this dealer to correctly fix the problem.

 

Sounds like what some refer to as "DBS" or "dead battery syndrome". There was an ECM reflash for that a while back. Might do a search.

 

Might help if you told us where you are. Might also help if you had a dealer who didn't just read codes and go to a solution which is costing you, i.e., replacing parts. Codes tell you what to check and test, not what to replace.

What you need is either a an indy shop that understands that concept, or a dealership that does. So far, you're paying for new parts, none of which have solved the problem.

And this isn't the first time you heard what I wrote above:

12-29-2008, 10:35 AM #21
jabbott
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Member Since: Sep 2001
Location: Mechanicsville VA


It is not a battery I can promise that. I have had many with dead batteries and they will click before the module stops trying to start it. It sounds to me like they are hunting and hope that one of the parts they throw at it fixes the problem. That is the problem with most dealerships and mechanics now is they don't spend the time to figure the problem out, they just replace parts until the problem goes away.

 

I'd for sure get all my old parts back, since they seem to not be at fault. Giving a repair shop the ability to troubleshoot by R&R parts is like giving them a license to print money....

 

I will still bet you a dollar it's the clutch switch. Tell the dealer to jump it out (i.e. put a jumper across the contacts on the connector that comes from the car and connects to the clutch switch). If it starts that's your problem.

You might PM SchilitJ who had this EXACT same problem and compare notes.

 

I don't disagree with your assessment of the dealer's capabilities, but I don't have much control over that, other than make suggestions to him on things to check (based in part on some of the suggestions given to me by this forum). Unfortunately, I live in the Knoxville, TN area and there simply is no other dealership within close proximity, and local independents want nothing to do with late model Corvette electrical problems. Someone suggested that I call Bowling Green and speak with a tech there, so I plan to give that a try.

 

Understood. I just did a search in SE Regional forum, and C6. Came up with a name to at least ask the question of where a shop might be.
Contact moderator "Topless." Lives near you, at times.

See also this on Jeff Nance:10-28-2007, 06:51 PM #3
TOMTOM
CF Member

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Member Since: Jan 2007

Default Tuner
Try Jeff Nance at Speed Engineering and Dyno Tune. Extremely competent. His shop is in Decatur, Tn..

www.speedengineeringanddyno.com

423-476-8076
423-334-DYNO

And this thread, the last two posts:
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c6-t...from-mdmc.html

And take a look at this thread; it's old. (http://forums.corvetteforum.com/sout...ight-pics.html)

But look at the names on the posts, check out their last post on their profile page (such as the ones who attended the Hooters meet) and send them a pm or em on where they use. It might help some!

 

I had that problem and it was a bad ground.

 

You need to stop going to that incompetent dealer and talk to Forum tuner Nick Steffens, also in Knoxville. He's a great guy and will either fix you up or tell you where to take the car. I agree with previous posters that it's likely a ground, but you can't find that by reading codes off a Tech-2, so the dealership "tech" doesn't know how to deal with it.

Good luck, and stop taking it to that dealer!

 

If this is the 3rd time for the same thing. You may want to consult with the Service Manager to discuss GM Buyback options/Lemon Law. I have seen this happen before with friends cars. I would contact General Motors if your service manager is not willing to discuss this. I hope it all works out in your favor. Best of luck!

 

I think it's too late for that. This is a 4 year old car.

 

How soon after your last drive does this happen?
Can you enter the car normally?
Do some electrics work?

DBS happens within 24-48 hrs after the last shutdown, and everything is stone cold dead in the water. The 'service column lock' message is usually just a common code thrown when a dead battery starts to come back to life. But in rare cases it has been known to be the problem.

 

Huh?? There is West Chevrolet, Beaty Chevrolet, Reeder Chevrolet, Fox Chevrolet, and probably ten others that are within 45 minutes of Knoxville.

I can make a suggestion. Take your car to Beaty Chevrolet, talk to Greg at the Service desk and tell him that you want Sam Whitt to work on your car. Tell them both that Tim sent you.

Sam is one of the best mechanics in Knoxville. He helped me with my flood car so, trust me, he is very familiar with C6 electrical problems.

 

Mine did the same thing...and finally it was the big connector that
plugs to the ABS module in front of the motor that was faulty! :rolleyes
Thats another thing to look at...

 

Yes, it's within that time frame or shorter. This most recent occurence happened within 2 hours of shutdown, after a 30 minute drive into town. During the previous two weeks before this most recent total failure, I had twice received the "service column lock" message, but the car then started on the 2nd attempt. Also, I had once received a "check coolant" message, even though the reservoir was completely full. Maybe it IS a defective ground!

 

I had this exact problem towed three times to the dealer, when it was brand new. The culprit was a Lo Jack system that was installed. Somehow it was draining the battery and wouldn't allow the ECM to go into sleep mode. Took the dealer three visits to trace this problem. I got fed up with it and told them to remove the Lo Jack.
Once they removed the Lo Jack, all was well for 6 months, and once again dead battery. This time it was a defective battery and was replaced under warranty with no further issues and my computer til today is not flashed by the dealer due to custom tunes... Good luck..

 

Well 2 hrs is too short to be DBS, unless your battery is right at that point of failure already. A bad ground is making more sense here.

 

OMG, I just read the same thing in an old service bulletin, and I recall that the 2nd owner of this vehicle (I am the 3rd) telling me that the original owner had installed Lojack. Of course, I have driven it for 5 months without a problem, but just maybe...

 

http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/...harged+Battery