Dead battery electrical issue please help!
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 14
Likes: 9
Dead battery electrical issue please help!
So I have a 2015 c7 z51. I went out to start it and car was dead. Nothing at all. Battery would not take a charge. Taking the battery out was a real pain but got it out and installed a new factory battery from Chevy dealer. Got lights in the trunk but that’s all. Door still won’t open but clicks if I try. Nothing at all on the dash. Nothing at all if I try to start it. Put my factory battery tender on and the new battery was only about half charged. Shouldn’t this be enough to get at least the door open? The other issue is that for some reason while changing the battery the drivers window went down and is now down with not enough juice to put it up. I hope someone can help please???
I also tried jumping it with the new battery in by using a 500 amp noco jump starter. Shouldn’t that have worked with a new battery?
I also tried jumping it with the new battery in by using a 500 amp noco jump starter. Shouldn’t that have worked with a new battery?
Popular Reply
Jan 2, 2026, 07:17 PM
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 14
Likes: 9
Fire’s out. Problem solved
So I went out to disconnect the negative cable because the “trunk” lights wouldn’t go out. I noticed the dreaded buss bar seemed slightly misaligned so I loosened it and straightened it out and was able to tighten it down farther. As soon as I did that everything started working as it should. She fired right up. Seems like everything has to go back perfectly on these bad boys. Changing a battery shouldn’t be that hard but I’m happy now. Thanks for your replies
Drifting
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,352
Likes: 716
From: Terrell North Carolina
Look at this battery change link, make sure all is tight, my first guess that is you may not have all the connections tight. If all is correct and tight, possible the 350 amp fuse is blown, but as in most cases in the C7 battery change, something is not tight. See link.
http://netwelding.com/Battery_Issues.pdf
http://netwelding.com/Battery_Issues.pdf
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Just a wild guess, but did you reconnect the thin black wire that goes on the battery?
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 14
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I might have messed up
So I appreciate the replies and quite possible that something isn’t aligned right or blown fuse. I guess I should have mentioned that while reattaching the negative cable my wrench accidentally touched the buss bar on the positive contraption. Would this have blown a fuse? It did spark. I don’t have the tools to test the fuses or the know how. Guess I should have had it towed to the dealer for the battery change but thought I could do it myself
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2020
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From: Northeast
Are you talking about the 13mm nut on the red cable? Because that is the only bus bar attachment point. The only other attachment points are the actual leads on the battery itself.
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Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: May 2023
Posts: 14
Likes: 9
Fire’s out. Problem solved
So I went out to disconnect the negative cable because the “trunk” lights wouldn’t go out. I noticed the dreaded buss bar seemed slightly misaligned so I loosened it and straightened it out and was able to tighten it down farther. As soon as I did that everything started working as it should. She fired right up. Seems like everything has to go back perfectly on these bad boys. Changing a battery shouldn’t be that hard but I’m happy now. Thanks for your replies
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,491
Likes: 746
So I appreciate the replies and quite possible that something isn’t aligned right or blown fuse. I guess I should have mentioned that while reattaching the negative cable my wrench accidentally touched the buss bar on the positive contraption. Would this have blown a fuse? It did spark. I don’t have the tools to test the fuses or the know how. Guess I should have had it towed to the dealer for the battery change but thought I could do it myself
I have replaced batteries in two Stingrays. About to do my third. I have noticed warnings on Diehard battery listings that say: Requires Professional Installation.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Bonneville Salt Flats
These batteries are notorious, especially the mess on top connected to the positive post.
Do an "Advanced search" across the C7 Forums and you will find many posts, including my own that discusses the problems that can arise (like yours) by needlessly disassembling the multi-piece pos. plate assembly (as almost all instructions everywhere say to do
). The gist of the fix if this is the problem is to make sure there is a good connection between those two pos. plates. The only way I could get this to happen was sanding both with 2000 grit sandpaper and cleaning with contact cleaner; plus "warping" them slightly so that when I reassembled them they would be pressed FIRMLY together. This was a couple years ago and it has worked flawlessly since. All the best. 
Do an "Advanced search" across the C7 Forums and you will find many posts, including my own that discusses the problems that can arise (like yours) by needlessly disassembling the multi-piece pos. plate assembly (as almost all instructions everywhere say to do
). The gist of the fix if this is the problem is to make sure there is a good connection between those two pos. plates. The only way I could get this to happen was sanding both with 2000 grit sandpaper and cleaning with contact cleaner; plus "warping" them slightly so that when I reassembled them they would be pressed FIRMLY together. This was a couple years ago and it has worked flawlessly since. All the best.
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I never disconnected the bus bar when I replaced the battery, just pulled the cables off the battery posts. There’s no reason to disconnect the bar to replace the battery.
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It sounds so simple but I read more than a few posts here about the car not starting after a battery replacement, always check ALL of the battery connections to make sure they are clean & tight & the new battery is completely charged
Race Director
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From: SE WI
The trick is to hold that red cable end and twist it until the captured nut is perfectly parallel to the mating surface while starting the 13mm nut. It should thread on most of the way with very little effort. If that's not case, stop, start over. Twist the cable until that nut just threads right on. I only needed a wrench for the last turn at the most. And yes only detach the two battery posts, nothing else. You're just creating problems taking the other stuff apart. And the black wire should be inspected for a solid connection and proper routing. Don't pinch or pull on that connection. It has a routing from the factory that you should pay attention to before taking it apart. Take a picture.
The other thing many people screw up is the vent. Make sure to detach that elbow before removing the battery. Transfer the vent plug from the old battery to the new one. I believe there's a new plug on the new battery packaging but I didn't use it (never even saw it). I used the old one. Reconnect the old elbow and vent hose to the new battery. Make sure it's moved out of the way when lowering the new battery or it'll be hard to get at it.
The other thing many people screw up is the vent. Make sure to detach that elbow before removing the battery. Transfer the vent plug from the old battery to the new one. I believe there's a new plug on the new battery packaging but I didn't use it (never even saw it). I used the old one. Reconnect the old elbow and vent hose to the new battery. Make sure it's moved out of the way when lowering the new battery or it'll be hard to get at it.
Last edited by Zjoe6; Jan 3, 2026 at 09:02 AM.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Seal Rock Oregon
Pro
Joined: Jan 2021
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From: Treasure Coast
The trick is to hold that red cable end and twist it until the captured nut is perfectly parallel to the mating surface while starting the 13mm nut. It should thread on most of the way with very little effort. If that's not case, stop, start over. Twist the cable until that nut just threads right on. I only needed a wrench for the last turn at the most. And yes only detach the two battery posts, nothing else. You're just creating problems taking the other stuff apart. And the black wire should be inspected for a solid connection and proper routing. Don't pinch or pull on that connection. It has a routing from the factory that you should pay attention to before taking it apart. Take a picture.
The other thing many people screw up is the vent. Make sure to detach that elbow before removing the battery. Transfer the vent plug from the old battery to the new one. I believe there's a new plug on the new battery packaging but I didn't use it (never even saw it). I used the old one. Reconnect the old elbow and vent hose to the new battery. Make sure it's moved out of the way when lowering the new battery or it'll be hard to get at it.
The other thing many people screw up is the vent. Make sure to detach that elbow before removing the battery. Transfer the vent plug from the old battery to the new one. I believe there's a new plug on the new battery packaging but I didn't use it (never even saw it). I used the old one. Reconnect the old elbow and vent hose to the new battery. Make sure it's moved out of the way when lowering the new battery or it'll be hard to get at it.
I almost missed that when I replaced mine, but yes the new AC Delco battery comes with the plug attached to the protective plastic cover.