Help please: Dead Battery??
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 2,076
Likes: 86
From: San Jose CA
Thanks for the quick replies. I called GM Roadside Service to inquire about making sure that if I need a flatbed in the morning they will send one that knows how to load a Corvette without damage. Is there a way to get the tranny out of Park with a dead battery? Otherwise they will have to lift the rear wheels, right? Not looking forward to this. I sure hope I can drive it to the dealer tomorrow.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,146
Likes: 1,940
From: Hagerstown MD
St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
I'm guessing you don't have a service like AAA. Back a few years ago when my C6 batt. died, it was really dead. Maintainer would've taken maybe 1-2 days (yours could be better but I wouldn't count on it). Service came--he had a huge double batt. to start cars and mine started right up and it was really dead.
Don't know if car's charging system is still "undersized," but C6 was. BG told me that continuous short trips, couldn't keep up with the batt. discharge. His suggestion was to not try charging by driving but that if I did, it'd take 30-45 minutes, at 1500 rpm constant, or above.
If your charging batt. is strong, try it. If not, either tow it or get a service in with a big batt.
Hope it turns out well for you.
Don't know if car's charging system is still "undersized," but C6 was. BG told me that continuous short trips, couldn't keep up with the batt. discharge. His suggestion was to not try charging by driving but that if I did, it'd take 30-45 minutes, at 1500 rpm constant, or above.
If your charging batt. is strong, try it. If not, either tow it or get a service in with a big batt.
Hope it turns out well for you.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
Likes: 2,596
From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
I'd agree; it's probably either a bad batt. (most likely) or something in the electrical/charging system. Your description of the use of the car is almost opposite of short trips-only.
One last thing: do you have anything wired into the car like a Blendmount for a radar detector, a different stereo/nav, something else that's non-stock?
One last thing: do you have anything wired into the car like a Blendmount for a radar detector, a different stereo/nav, something else that's non-stock?
Last edited by AORoads; May 10, 2016 at 10:02 PM.
Racer
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 346
Likes: 70
I'd just buy the battery maintainer thing and plug it into the trunk cigarette lighter for one night and try it in the morning to get the alternator to charge it. If that doesn't work I'd pull the battery out and get it tested at autozone before getting a dealer involved
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,980
Likes: 12,383
From: NE South Carolina
I'd just buy the battery maintainer thing and plug it into the trunk cigarette lighter for one night and try it in the morning to get the alternator to charge it. If that doesn't work I'd pull the battery out and get it tested at autozone before getting a dealer involved
To access the battery you have to pull out the right rear of the carpet, which is very tightly held. Check the Owner's Manual but I'd suggest one thing it does not mention. To avoid ripping the carpet unclip the plastic wheel cover. There is a clip about 3 inches up from the carpet. You can actually do it with your fingers but a plastic trim tool or even a small paint scraper could be used. No need to remove the fasteners from the top, just pull it out a few inches while you pull out that section of the carpet.
Getting the battery out is also difficult, you can use a special lifting tool after removing the foam cover and the large power board and wires connected to the positive terminal.
If replacing with a AGM battery, as I plan this September (if not sooner, it will be 3 yrs old and has had a low voltage since new) the battery configuration must have recessed terminals to have the power board fit. An Optima will not.
There have been forum posts about the carpet ripping and expect an AAA person that has not jump started a C7 could easily cause a rip.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,146
Likes: 1,940
From: Hagerstown MD
St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
It's been on my CTEK all night and I'm going out in a few minutes to see if it has any charge at all. I do not have any accessories installed in the car other than my ipod which is connected to the USB port behind the screen. I really don't want to remove the battery myself so if it hasn't charged enough to start the car I will try to jump start it and drive to the nearest dealer which is about 15 miles away.
Update at 7:50 am: After over 12 hours on the CTEK battery is still completely dead. CTEK unit is telling me that the battery won't accept a charge. I was able to pull back the carpet to access the battery terminals. I will try to jump start the car later today when my wife gets home from volunteering for Hospice. I've jumped many cars before but is there anything special about a Corvette. I don't see anything in the rear hatch that I can use for a ground so I guess I will connect the jumper cables directly to the positive and negative terminals of the dead battery. Any other issues I should be aware of? Thanks.
Update at 7:50 am: After over 12 hours on the CTEK battery is still completely dead. CTEK unit is telling me that the battery won't accept a charge. I was able to pull back the carpet to access the battery terminals. I will try to jump start the car later today when my wife gets home from volunteering for Hospice. I've jumped many cars before but is there anything special about a Corvette. I don't see anything in the rear hatch that I can use for a ground so I guess I will connect the jumper cables directly to the positive and negative terminals of the dead battery. Any other issues I should be aware of? Thanks.
Last edited by rmorin1249; May 11, 2016 at 07:51 AM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,670
Likes: 134
From: merritt island fl
C1 of Year Finalist (stock) 2019
2016 C1 of the Year Finalist
2015 C2 of the Year Finalist
The people AAA contract out to do the roadside service are not always the best. I had an issue with my C-6 and the guy they sent out was clueless! He screwed around trying to do a diagnosis that didn't work. Finally I had to show him how to jump the battery.
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
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 1,106
In your case it sounds like your battery has an open cell and if so be careful with jump starting. Among its other functions the battery serves to absorb voltage spikes so you want to minimize the chances of that if the battery does have an open cell because it won't absorb spikes.
Before trying to jump start it if you have a test meter measure the voltage across the terminals and if it is extremely low (9 volts or lower no load) I would be risk averse and see if the dealer will send a tech out to replace the battery. If you are going to jump start a car with a defective battery a jump pack would be far safer than a high current charger/starter or another vehicle because you can securely make the connections and then turn the jump starter's power switch on without fear of sporadic connections which create spikes.
Most of the time jump starting a vehicle causes no problems but with an open cell battery in a car with the level of electronic integration of the C7 proceed cautiously. Also be aware that if you use a high current charger or another vehicle to provide power to the battery if it is able to accept a charge it will likely do so at a very high current level which is the perfect environment for outgassing hydrogen so do this in an open environment.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,146
Likes: 1,940
From: Hagerstown MD
St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
I haven't verified this personally but my museum delivery guy warned me that the port behind the screen is always "hot" for charging purposes so over a long period of time an accessory here can run down a battery.
In your case it sounds like your battery has an open cell and if so be careful with jump starting. Among its other functions the battery serves to absorb voltage spikes so you want to minimize the chances of that if the battery does have an open cell because it won't absorb spikes.
Before trying to jump start it if you have a test meter measure the voltage across the terminals and if it is extremely low (9 volts or lower no load) I would be risk averse and see if the dealer will send a tech out to replace the battery. If you are going to jump start a car with a defective battery a jump pack would be far safer than a high current charger/starter or another vehicle because you can securely make the connections and then turn the jump starter's power switch on without fear of sporadic connections which create spikes.
Just talked to Roadside Assistance. They cautioned about jumping the car myself. I have an appointment for a technician to come and try to start the car or tow it to my dealer. Crap, this is not what I wanted to do but life goes on.
Most of the time jump starting a vehicle causes no problems but with an open cell battery in a car with the level of electronic integration of the C7 proceed cautiously. Also be aware that if you use a high current charger or another vehicle to provide power to the battery if it is able to accept a charge it will likely do so at a very high current level which is the perfect environment for outgassing hydrogen so do this in an open environment.
In your case it sounds like your battery has an open cell and if so be careful with jump starting. Among its other functions the battery serves to absorb voltage spikes so you want to minimize the chances of that if the battery does have an open cell because it won't absorb spikes.
Before trying to jump start it if you have a test meter measure the voltage across the terminals and if it is extremely low (9 volts or lower no load) I would be risk averse and see if the dealer will send a tech out to replace the battery. If you are going to jump start a car with a defective battery a jump pack would be far safer than a high current charger/starter or another vehicle because you can securely make the connections and then turn the jump starter's power switch on without fear of sporadic connections which create spikes.
Just talked to Roadside Assistance. They cautioned about jumping the car myself. I have an appointment for a technician to come and try to start the car or tow it to my dealer. Crap, this is not what I wanted to do but life goes on.
Most of the time jump starting a vehicle causes no problems but with an open cell battery in a car with the level of electronic integration of the C7 proceed cautiously. Also be aware that if you use a high current charger or another vehicle to provide power to the battery if it is able to accept a charge it will likely do so at a very high current level which is the perfect environment for outgassing hydrogen so do this in an open environment.
Dealer can't or won't send a tech to my house, too far away. Called Roadside Assistance and have an appointment for a service call after lunch. Not looking forward to this but what can I do. I specifically told her the car was a brand new Corvette and it was in my garage. She assured me they contract with "professionals" that know what they are doing. Yeah, right.
Last edited by rmorin1249; May 11, 2016 at 09:25 AM.
Moderator emeritus
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 18,599
Likes: 3,954
From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
Hook up the dead battery first. Then the positive to the good battery and then find a ground source away from the good battery . All safe and no problems.
Elmer
Elmer
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 5,353
Likes: 100
From: And then it was said... "let there be blue Corvettes and yellow Camaros" Ft Worth Texas
Cruise-In IV Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
I had this happen to one of our C5's and a C6. Both times I called my dealer and explained the cars were dead in the garage and I didn't really want a tow. So both times I just removed the battery and took it to the dealer. Both had dead cells, got a new one under warranty and returned home and installed it. Good luck with yours.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,146
Likes: 1,940
From: Hagerstown MD
St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
I had this happen to one of our C5's and a C6. Both times I called my dealer and explained the cars were dead in the garage and I didn't really want a tow. So both times I just removed the battery and took it to the dealer. Both had dead cells, got a new one under warranty and returned home and installed it. Good luck with yours.
Moderator emeritus
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 18,599
Likes: 3,954
From: Jacksonville Florida BWO Dayton, Cincinnati, Bloomsbury NJ, Cincinnati
2015 C7 of the Year Finalist
Elmer
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,146
Likes: 1,940
From: Hagerstown MD
St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
Race Director
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 10,742
Likes: 629
From: Manheim Pennsylvania
Once power is restored to the car (jump start) wait a few minutes for the car's electrical components to power up or you will only get a click, click when you hit the start button. I had my car powered down to reboot the computer and I had to wait a few minutes before the engine would crank/start.
E-Ray, 3LZ, ZER, LIFT
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 34,980
Likes: 12,383
From: NE South Carolina
Yep, had it happen on one of the Wifey's cars. Brand new car, three months in the battery took a dump.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 7,146
Likes: 1,940
From: Hagerstown MD
St. Jude Donor '15-'16,'18
Once power is restored to the car (jump start) wait a few minutes for the car's electrical components to power up or you will only get a click, click when you hit the start button. I had my car powered down to reboot the computer and I had to wait a few minutes before the engine would crank/start.