Vette struck by lightning...Question
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 504
Likes: 2
From: Florida
Vette struck by lightning...Question
Not my vette, asking for a friend, but it got struck by lightning. has absolutely no power. Wiring is not melted or anything. Does all the computers need to be changed , etc...or is all wiring and electrical shot? Thanks
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,058
Likes: 9,820
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Could be just one thing or a bunch of things. His comprehensive insurance should cover it. Hopefully, he had a low deductible on the comp. Best thing to do is to take it to a dealer and let them figure it all out as they have the tools to talk to all the modules on the car. Despite the wiring not being melted the bolt could have generated a huge pulse of electricity in the modules. Since they can only take about 5V on their input lines a number of them could have been electrically overstressed.
Bill
Bill
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 923
Likes: 37
From: Green Bay Wisconsin
Hello,
Electronics can sustain damage that won't always show up immediately so even if you got it running again the car would most likely be problematic.
Lightening likely has arced across wires in the harness in multiple spots. Those carbon traces may cause immediate problems or problems down the road.
If it were my car I would want to give up on the car but I doubt the insurance company would not want to try and have it fixed.
The car may be as bad as a flood car!
Douglas in Green Bay
Electronics can sustain damage that won't always show up immediately so even if you got it running again the car would most likely be problematic.
Lightening likely has arced across wires in the harness in multiple spots. Those carbon traces may cause immediate problems or problems down the road.
If it were my car I would want to give up on the car but I doubt the insurance company would not want to try and have it fixed.
The car may be as bad as a flood car!
Douglas in Green Bay
Racer
Joined: Oct 2011
Posts: 287
Likes: 3
From: pembroke pines florida
ive done a few.most of time pcm and bcm are toast.sdm module too.you need a tech 2 to find which modules are not comunicating.and remember one module that is shorted can knock out others,you need to have someone that knows what they are doing ,because those modules are not cheap and non refundable. good luck
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 2,866
Likes: 45
From: Tampa Bay, Go BUCS!!!Go Rays!!!Go Lightning!!!
St. Jude Donor '12-'13-'14
dammmm, I thought we was just too fast to get hit by lighting. 
Must have been sitting at a red light... Sue the traffic department.
Sorry for your troubles. Hope they get worked out in your favor.
Must have been sitting at a red light... Sue the traffic department.
Sorry for your troubles. Hope they get worked out in your favor.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,518
Likes: 1,304
From: Windermere FL
These car's electrical systems/computers are so complex, that even if it could be fixed, I would drive it from the service area around front and trade it in on a new one. I think it would be as bad as a flood car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6,276
Likes: 227
From: Farmington CT
Cruise-In VII Veteran
I've been friends with the Curlee family(Bill and Cheryl) here in CT for almost 10 years, I also have the Snap-On Solis and GM Tech2 and an outstanding network of GM techs to rely upon.
OP'er, start with the "Physical" inspection, this is where a lot of the electrical problems can be traced
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 25,019
Likes: 2,713
From: Far NW 'burbs of Chicago
St. Jude Donor '13
On a steel car, most of it will go through the body and frame.
Since the "plastic" body of the C6 doesn't conduct very well, that leaves the frame and all dem little wires running around inside the car. Might work pretty well, or not.
The bigger question for me, is what happens to people who are in the Corvette when it gets hit? Might be fine, or not...
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,164
Likes: 103
Friend of mine was struck by lightning in his chevy van last week, it blew out the rear tire and fried the electrical system, most likely they will total it. Lightning is no joke, lots of bad strikes this year.
SUBVETTE
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 3,841
Likes: 93
From: San Diego CA
The inductive field surrounding a lightning strike will create electrical current flow in anything metal close by. A direct hit causing conductive flow is not necessary. Years ago, I had a close strike induce a strong overload in my house wiring blowing out circuit breakers. The same thing can happen in our Vettes regardless of the composite body.
Racer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 407
Likes: 2
From: Newnan Georgia
Having worked with and been to a place called Copart Auctions there are a lot of totaled cars there due to lightning they say if it is hit hard enough that pretty much every module has to be replaced at the same time for instance a Cadillac 2008 CTS its total was at $13,000 but in labor and 4 computers and 138 module components it was more like $15,000 totally not worth it .let them total it unless there was no insurance. Even window motors have modules in them .
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,411
Likes: 40
From: Smallingerland Friesland, Netherlands
Lightning, like any electricity, takes the path of least resistance.
On a steel car, most of it will go through the body and frame.
Since the "plastic" body of the C6 doesn't conduct very well, that leaves the frame and all dem little wires running around inside the car. Might work pretty well, or not.
The bigger question for me, is what happens to people who are in the Corvette when it gets hit? Might be fine, or not...
On a steel car, most of it will go through the body and frame.
Since the "plastic" body of the C6 doesn't conduct very well, that leaves the frame and all dem little wires running around inside the car. Might work pretty well, or not.
The bigger question for me, is what happens to people who are in the Corvette when it gets hit? Might be fine, or not...
