CEL - Car Will Not Start
Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,770
Likes: 3
From: 3rd planet from the sun
CEL - Car Will Not Start
Car has been sitting for quite a while - got a check engine light and car will not turn over. Car is stock - no mods. Would appreciate any suggestions.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 4,289
Likes: 129
From: Providence Forge, VA
St. Jude Donor '08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Battery is the most common and most likely issue. You do not say whether it was on a battery tender or not. If its going to sit for any time I recommend using one.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 1999
Posts: 41,732
Likes: 1,718
From: Springfield MO
Did you get the CEL light when the engine was running?
When you hit the start button, all the dash lights light up so you know they are working. After the engine starts, then the lights turn off, unless there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
It just sounds like you have a dead battery.
When you hit the start button, all the dash lights light up so you know they are working. After the engine starts, then the lights turn off, unless there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
It just sounds like you have a dead battery.
Racer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 374
Likes: 0
From: Houston Texas
Did you get the CEL light when the engine was running?
When you hit the start button, all the dash lights light up so you know they are working. After the engine starts, then the lights turn off, unless there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
It just sounds like you have a dead battery.
When you hit the start button, all the dash lights light up so you know they are working. After the engine starts, then the lights turn off, unless there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
It just sounds like you have a dead battery.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
I thought the C5 were sensitive to low voltage. The C6 does some VERY strange things if the battery isnt up to par. Make sure that you charge it fully and monitor it for properly holding a charge.
BC
BC
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
******RETIRED ARMY******
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 306
Likes: 0
From: VA
St. Jude Donor '12
You didn't say how you got into the car so we don't know the exact answer to give but if it lost any charge of the battery, did you have to re index the windows, or even use the key to get in through the hatch, the C6 is even more sensitive than the C5 as in battery voltage.
You said it started, was it warmer outside or where the car is located. If this is the case then maybe you have a bad cell in the battery and since it was warmer the drain was less. Either way sounds like a battery.
You said it started, was it warmer outside or where the car is located. If this is the case then maybe you have a bad cell in the battery and since it was warmer the drain was less. Either way sounds like a battery.
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Thread Starter
Safety Car
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 3,770
Likes: 3
From: 3rd planet from the sun
Just an FYI update - when the car finally fired up the battery guage read 14.2. It's a newer Exide +/- 10 months old so I doubt it was the battery (but could be). I plan to keep the battery on my CTEK just in case. I thought it might be the battery at first to. When the car did start the tire pressue on the right side of the car read zero...I drove it around for 20 minutes and they finally began to register. Weird problem IMO
Thank you for the replies
Thank you for the replies
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 32,910
Likes: 2,402
From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
The volt meter on the dash tells you very little about the battery. It just shows you battery voltage when the key is on/ engine off and alternator output when the engine is running.
Recommend having the battery fully charged and then load tested.
Thats the only way to figure out if it good or not.
BC
Recommend having the battery fully charged and then load tested.
Thats the only way to figure out if it good or not.
BC
