C6 completely dead/dark
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
C6 completely dead/dark
It did it again today. About the 4th or 5th time now.
2008 coupe, M6 tranny
I drove the car about 15 miles and was sitting in the car listening to the radio for about 5 minutes when I pushed the clutch in and pressed the start button and everything went dark and quiet, no relay clicks, no radio, no dash lights, no start switch lights. Repeated pushes of the start button did nothing. It is kind of embarassing when a pretty C6 is completely dead blocking a line.
I let the clutch out and put it back in and the ignition switch light came back on and it started.
Sometimes opening and closing the driver's door fixes it. Dealer never heard of it before.
All ideas welcome.
2008 coupe, M6 tranny
I drove the car about 15 miles and was sitting in the car listening to the radio for about 5 minutes when I pushed the clutch in and pressed the start button and everything went dark and quiet, no relay clicks, no radio, no dash lights, no start switch lights. Repeated pushes of the start button did nothing. It is kind of embarassing when a pretty C6 is completely dead blocking a line.
I let the clutch out and put it back in and the ignition switch light came back on and it started.
Sometimes opening and closing the driver's door fixes it. Dealer never heard of it before.
All ideas welcome.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 5,492
Likes: 808
From: West coast CA
It did it again today. About the 4th or 5th time now.
2008 coupe, M6 tranny
I drove the car about 15 miles and was sitting in the car listening to the radio for about 5 minutes when I pushed the clutch in and pressed the start button and everything went dark and quiet, no relay clicks, no radio, no dash lights, no start switch lights. Repeated pushes of the start button did nothing. It is kind of embarassing when a pretty C6 is completely dead blocking a line.
I let the clutch out and put it back in and the ignition switch light came back on and it started.
Sometimes opening and closing the driver's door fixes it. Dealer never heard of it before.
All ideas welcome.
2008 coupe, M6 tranny
I drove the car about 15 miles and was sitting in the car listening to the radio for about 5 minutes when I pushed the clutch in and pressed the start button and everything went dark and quiet, no relay clicks, no radio, no dash lights, no start switch lights. Repeated pushes of the start button did nothing. It is kind of embarassing when a pretty C6 is completely dead blocking a line.
I let the clutch out and put it back in and the ignition switch light came back on and it started.
Sometimes opening and closing the driver's door fixes it. Dealer never heard of it before.
All ideas welcome.
The starter can crank at a lower voltage than the computer requires to operate. A borderline battery can therefore keep the car from turning over, yet a minute later it will fire right up.
Pro
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 534
Likes: 33
From: Southern cali
check battery first by having it load tested... that way you can see how it responds under duress... simply charging it may not give you a true picture if it is good or not.
next if the battery is good, check that you cables are making proper connection.. the design of the cables for that year tend to come loose.
if that doesnt fix the problem, have your alternator checked -- the standard corvette alternator puts out 145amps and tend to fail. if it has failed, go up to a 185 or 200amp
if the alternator is good, lift the corvette up and check the connection to the solinoid-- make sure you dont just visually inspect it .. reach up and see if that connection is loose. Also it might be the center plug (purple wire) in the solinoid as that is a common start problem in corvette.. i personally would swap out the plug style solinoid for the post style.
that is where i would start..
next if the battery is good, check that you cables are making proper connection.. the design of the cables for that year tend to come loose.
if that doesnt fix the problem, have your alternator checked -- the standard corvette alternator puts out 145amps and tend to fail. if it has failed, go up to a 185 or 200amp
if the alternator is good, lift the corvette up and check the connection to the solinoid-- make sure you dont just visually inspect it .. reach up and see if that connection is loose. Also it might be the center plug (purple wire) in the solinoid as that is a common start problem in corvette.. i personally would swap out the plug style solinoid for the post style.
that is where i would start..
Last edited by C6topless; Jun 16, 2011 at 10:17 PM.
