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Causes for battery drain?

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Old Nov 22, 2010 | 11:01 AM
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Default Causes for battery drain?

I have had my 2005 c6 for over 5 years and have never experienced DBS. However, the last 2 times I attempted to start my car, I found it completely dead. I brought the battery into autozone (their mid grade battery) and they charged it and told me that it was good. I installed the battery and the car started, but after about 1 week it was dead again. The battery is only 1 year old and they wont replace it since it checked out ok on load test.

Any comments on other battery drains?

I since purchased the cartek charger, but the battery is too dead for it to do anything.

thanks
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Old Nov 22, 2010 | 11:19 AM
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Originally Posted by vette-oholic
I have had my 2005 c6 for over 5 years and have never experienced DBS. However, the last 2 times I attempted to start my car, I found it completely dead. I brought the battery into autozone (their mid grade battery) and they charged it and told me that it was good. I installed the battery and the car started, but after about 1 week it was dead again. The battery is only 1 year old and they wont replace it since it checked out ok on load test.

Any comments on other battery drains?

I since purchased the cartek charger, but the battery is too dead for it to do anything.

thanks
If you have a manual tranny, obviously you still need to get the DBS reflash. And probably a new battery.
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Old Nov 22, 2010 | 11:27 AM
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My initial suspicion is it's just a bad battery.

Beyond that, there are any number of causes of excessive electrical drain. I have a problem believing something suddenly started causing problems after 5 years of trouble free use. If you're so inclined, you can take the car to your favorite mechanic and have a post shutdown battery draw test done. Not sure what that would cost. And like Hoonose said, if the car hasn't had the DBS flash done that might be a good idea. Good luck and please let us know what happens.
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Old Nov 23, 2010 | 04:47 PM
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what exactly is the DBS flash? is this like a retune?

Also, would it be normal for the battery to drain so much that I cant jump it?

Originally Posted by RicK T
My initial suspicion is it's just a bad battery.

Beyond that, there are any number of causes of excessive electrical drain. I have a problem believing something suddenly started causing problems after 5 years of trouble free use. If you're so inclined, you can take the car to your favorite mechanic and have a post shutdown battery draw test done. Not sure what that would cost. And like Hoonose said, if the car hasn't had the DBS flash done that might be a good idea. Good luck and please let us know what happens.

Last edited by vette-oholic; Nov 23, 2010 at 04:54 PM.
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Old Nov 23, 2010 | 04:54 PM
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Glad to see that AZ tested the battery instead of just giving you another one that would go dead. Have them test your electrical system.
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Old Nov 23, 2010 | 04:56 PM
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really? you would trust AZ to test the vette's electrical system?

Originally Posted by timd38
Glad to see that AZ tested the battery instead of just giving you another one that would go dead. Have them test your electrical system.
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Old Nov 23, 2010 | 05:01 PM
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Remove both battery cables from the battery and try the charger again, hopefully overnight. My '05 wouldn't take a charge until I pulled both cables, then it took a charge and the battery was still working a year later when I traded the car.
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Old Nov 23, 2010 | 05:04 PM
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Originally Posted by vette-oholic
what exactly is the DBS flash? is this like a retune?

Also, would it be normal for the battery to drain so much that I cant jump it?
The flash is a software upgrade of the Body Control Module, done by the dealer.

Sometimes when these batteries are stone dead, they need some time on the charger before they will take a jump. Or so I have heard....
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Old Nov 23, 2010 | 05:10 PM
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the battery wont charge because of the ground fault on the new chargers, just hook a jump box up or jump with a good battery a few seconds then turn the charger on
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Old Nov 23, 2010 | 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by vette-oholic
really? you would trust AZ to test the vette's electrical system?
A vette charging system is no diffent than any other car. Test equipment today is designed so even a saleman can use them with accurate results.

We have a whole team of people that go to AZ stores to teach them how the use the equipment.
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Old Nov 23, 2010 | 06:53 PM
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Sure sounds like a bad battery. What did you DIC volts look like? Can you borrow a battery for a few days. I also have a 05 MN6. I've never had DBS and have not had the flash. All 05's do not have the problem and I don't want to fix something that's not a problem. Make sure it's not the battery before doing anything else.
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Old Nov 24, 2010 | 06:59 AM
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I don't want to just speculate, but parts do go wrong, eventually. It would be good to check the entire electrical system, incl. and maybe especially the alternator. After all, while it seems sudden, there's nothing in the book that says parts must slowly go bad and give fair warning of imminent failure.
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Old Nov 24, 2010 | 11:17 AM
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Thanks - Ill give that a shot.


Originally Posted by haljensen
Remove both battery cables from the battery and try the charger again, hopefully overnight. My '05 wouldn't take a charge until I pulled both cables, then it took a charge and the battery was still working a year later when I traded the car.
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