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Hello, I'm having an intermittent issue with my Base C6. Sometimes the vehicle will not start after driving it, but currently is has not started the last 3 days I've tried. When pressing the start button, you can hear the starter solenoid click, but the gauges go dark for a few seconds, and then the solenoid clicks again and the gauges turn on and sweep. The battery is fully charged (been sitting on a tender for a week). In the past, i have gotten a 'Charge System Fault' with the battery voltage dropping down to 11v (which would lead me to believe a failing alternator), but before i Just go through and start replacing parts, is there anything else I could be missing? Thanks!
Do you have a digital multimeter? I would check the battery voltage and also check the voltage when you hit the start button. A good battery will read 12.6 or higher with the car off and should only drop to about 11V when cranking. You also need to check your battery connections and make sure they are tight and clean. How old is this battery.
A bad battery sitting on a tender will not start your car.
Best to have the battery load tested…just because it’s been on a tender doesn’t mean it good and even if it’s fully charged and at 12.66 volts…how old is the battery ??…a quick way to check for a bad battery ground is connect a 12 volt incandescent test light to battery negative…touch the tip of the light to the engine block while starting the car…if the light illuminates when attempting to start the car the battery ground connection needs cleaning…if you hear the solenoid clicking you may have a bad starter…if you can make a jumper wire as pictured below you can jump pins 87 and 30 of Crank Relay 43…that is a direct shot from the battery to the starter and takes the “control” side of the starting circuit out of the picture…also below is the diagnostic “tree” for “solenoid clicks and no start”.
I have a 2005 that was having an intermittent start issue. I changed the starter button and the starter because when I tapped it with a hammer it would start.
Then it would happen again, no start. Battery was good. I then checked the grounds under the battery tray, they looked fine but I unbolted them, cleaned them
reconnected them and it hasn't happened since. Try it, it is easy and costs nothing
Thanks for all the ideas everyone! I load tested the battery and it was good, checked and cleaned the engine bay grounds, and those seemed good. After finally getting under the car, it was the starter itself! The post was wiggling, and when I went to loosen the bolts for the cables, it broke right off. I replaced the starter and everything is great.
Last edited by Kenny Green; Aug 19, 2023 at 06:30 PM.
I just saw this and was going to say to look at the solenoid. This was a common issue on them. My Zo6 and CTS V both did this and many customers cars that came in had the same issues.
C6 No Start (Video)
