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Help! My 2005 Corvette base (Auto) will not crank.
Got into the Vette yesterday morning and it cranked fine just as usual.
Once shutting the engine off, I proceeded to swap my sun visor bulbs from factory to a set of LEDs,
I didn't bother to disconnect the battery because I figured the worst that could happen would be a blown fuse.
The entire time I left the driver's door opened because I was inside the garage.
Long story short, one of the bulbs snapped off in the visor, this led to me pulling it out with tweezers.
During that process, the interior lighting fuse blew.
I replaced the popped (#10 red) fuse underneath the passenger's carpet and the interior lights began to shine again.
However, when I attempted to start my car, I just get a loud clicking noise.
I removed the battery from the car and charged it overnight.
The battery has now been re-installed this morning, but the car still will not crank.
Any idea what may be the problem?
The battery could have a shorted cell, or the battery Clamp are not tightened enough.
I just put my car up for the winter, battery was fine, full charge, on a battery tender. I was playing around with the GM VCX Nano with the ignition ON, but car not running.
I noticed the Tender light went green to red...YUP!!!! a battery cell shorted out. The battery was 5 years old, so it was likely due for a change out anyway.
If the battery tender will not put the battery to green, it is toast. My tender flashes green occasionally, but I know the battery is toast.
I'd get that battery load tested to make sure it is OK.
Most times, not always, if a batter is down, and it is charged up, any deposits on the plates get shocked off the plates, and drop to the bottom, and that can short out a cell or two.
Thanks for responding back to me, I was beginning to think that I was talking to myself.
I figured that a faulty battery could have led to this problem.
Luckily, the 3 year warranty is still valid on the battery that is currently in my Vette.
I plan to return the battery tomorrow for a new one, hopefully that will rectify the situation.
Give the starter solenoid wires a jiggle with a long wooded dowel or something non metalic. The connection at the solenoid terminal is known to fail and the post loses contact.
Once the push-start button has been pressed, I hear a loud click.
This is followed by an engine symbol being displayed on the instrument cluster.
If I leave the push-to-start on that setting eventually the dash will light up.
The needles on the speedo will cycle as they should.
Also, the A/C-Heat functions will begin to blow air thru the vent.
Once going thru the display settings manually, I did notice that my battery voltage is reading 12.0v.
I recorded a short video of this which can be viewed in the link below: IMG_3429 (streamable.com)
Definitely not the battery:
I believe it maybe the result of a faulty starter.
I do recall my Vette being sluggish during start up from time to time.
I plan to order a replacement tonight once I’m done settling in.
Last edited by classof05; Dec 13, 2023 at 06:54 PM.
Definitely not the battery:
I believe it maybe the result of a faulty starter.
I do recall my Vette being sluggish during start up from time to time.
I plan to order a replacement tonight once I’m done settling in.
The starter solenoid, which is what fails to can be replaced at any decent starter/alternator shop for cheap. Mine was done in a couple hours for > $25.
Its looking like the issue is with the starter itself or perhaps the solenoid has failed.
So far, just this morning I have done the following:
1. Installed a brand-new (Panasonic) battery into the FOB
2. Re-installed the new battery that picked up yesterday (Left of trickle charge last night)
3. Check over fuses underneath the hood
- TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODUL/TRANSMISSION
- HORN, ALTERNATOR SENSE
- BATTERY MAIN 5
- FUEL PUMP
- BATTERY MAIN 3
- BATTERY MAIN 2
- STARTER
- FUEL PUMP
- CRANK
- POWERTRAIN IGNITION 1
4. Check over fuses underneath the passenger floor (BCM)
- IGN SW/ INTR SENS
- BTSI SOL/ COL LOCK
- GMLAN DEVICES
- ECM
* Did not check the RUN/CRANK due to it being located on the back of the BCM
Tried cranking my Vette once more but no dice...
In a few hours or so I plan to jack it up and check for bad wires near the starter, bad connections/ grounds, etc.
I will then remove the starter & have it tested at my local Advanced Auto Parts.
Removed the starter yesterday morning.
The process was time consuming due to the fact that the plastic connector was difficult to slide out.
Also, the terminals appeared to be glued to the starter/solenoid post:
The connections on both the terminal ends & the starter/solenoid are covered in a sap-colored resin:
Took the starter to a total of 3 Auto Parts store:
1- Advanced Auto Parts: The employee stated that she was fairly new; did not know how to operate the diagnostic machine
2- Advanced Auto Parts: The employees claim that the diagnostic machine is down.
3- AutoZone: The employee hooked the starter up to the diagnostic machine. Typed in the Year, Make, Model - Starter #. # Appeared greyed out. Employee claimed that the started cannot be tested outside of the car
Either or, I have a new starter on the way so "testing" the old one is the least of my worries.
Installed the new starter just yesterday.
My Vette fired right up once I pressed the brake pedal + push-start!
I've noticed that the car has a much quicker start up response now also.
Help! 2005 Corvette (Auto) will NOT crank.
