Hard Starting, Gears crunching, NPP issues.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 781
Likes: 0
From: Lost in the Mountains Virginia
Hard Starting, Gears crunching, NPP issues.
Hey Guys My 2014 Stingray with just over 1K miles is having issues. The first is a intermittent "hard" start, where the car will grind/turn over for 10-15 seconds before finally starting. The second is a grind or loud clunk when changing from first to second, sometimes third gear when cold. It USUALLY doesn't do it when warm but sometimes it does. The final issue is with the NPP exhaust. When I have the Sound Managet turned "off" the exhaust still goes into the "quieter" modes until I reset it to the "Track" mode every time. It is supposed to stay in the straight through mode when the system is in the "off" position of the sound management position. The Dealership is not being very helpful in resolving these issues since the don't happen all the time. Just curious, nayone with the smae issues? Thanks in advance for your help! 
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,269
Likes: 25
From: Simi Valley Ca
10-15 seconds to start is a long time. 3-5 not so much if it's really cold out and the car has been sitting. This is a normal thing when it comes to DI cars and has been discussed here in multiple threads.
The trans will be tougher to shift when the car is cold and somewhat clunky. Especially 1st-2nd and moreso when it's really cold out. Also discussed in several threads.
Even with NPP set to off, the valves still work to an extent and you will experience moments of reduced exhaust noise. That said, if the car is in Eco mode, you will really notice the change in exhaust when it goes into V4 mode regardless of the NPP settings. Also discussed in several threads.
If you are really concerned I'd contact another dealer. I'd also set a stop watch to see if it really takes 15 seconds to start. If that is true, it sounds excessive but I could be wrong.
The trans will be tougher to shift when the car is cold and somewhat clunky. Especially 1st-2nd and moreso when it's really cold out. Also discussed in several threads.
Even with NPP set to off, the valves still work to an extent and you will experience moments of reduced exhaust noise. That said, if the car is in Eco mode, you will really notice the change in exhaust when it goes into V4 mode regardless of the NPP settings. Also discussed in several threads.
If you are really concerned I'd contact another dealer. I'd also set a stop watch to see if it really takes 15 seconds to start. If that is true, it sounds excessive but I could be wrong.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,761
Likes: 240
From: Saint Louis MO
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
15 seconds is an absolute eternity for a new car/motor/starter. I mean seriously... if you sit there and crank on a starter for 15 seconds (or in this case, the car does), something is seriously wrong. 2-4 seconds is on the high end (as slief said, whip out a timer app or stopwatch).
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 781
Likes: 0
From: Lost in the Mountains Virginia
15 seconds is an absolute eternity for a new car/motor/starter. I mean seriously... if you sit there and crank on a starter for 15 seconds (or in this case, the car does), something is seriously wrong. 2-4 seconds is on the high end (as slief said, whip out a timer app or stopwatch).
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 781
Likes: 0
From: Lost in the Mountains Virginia
10-15 seconds to start is a long time. 3-5 not so much if it's really cold out and the car has been sitting. This is a normal thing when it comes to DI cars and has been discussed here in multiple threads.
The trans will be tougher to shift when the car is cold and somewhat clunky. Especially 1st-2nd and moreso when it's really cold out. Also discussed in several threads.
Even with NPP set to off, the valves still work to an extent and you will experience moments of reduced exhaust noise. That said, if the car is in Eco mode, you will really notice the change in exhaust when it goes into V4 mode regardless of the NPP settings. Also discussed in several threads.
If you are really concerned I'd contact another dealer. I'd also set a stop watch to see if it really takes 15 seconds to start. If that is true, it sounds excessive but I could be wrong.
The trans will be tougher to shift when the car is cold and somewhat clunky. Especially 1st-2nd and moreso when it's really cold out. Also discussed in several threads.
Even with NPP set to off, the valves still work to an extent and you will experience moments of reduced exhaust noise. That said, if the car is in Eco mode, you will really notice the change in exhaust when it goes into V4 mode regardless of the NPP settings. Also discussed in several threads.
If you are really concerned I'd contact another dealer. I'd also set a stop watch to see if it really takes 15 seconds to start. If that is true, it sounds excessive but I could be wrong.
When I was refering to the car having these issues when it is "cold" I meant that it had not been "running" that day. We are talking temperatures between 40 and 55 degrees,
Actually timed the long start time at 13 to 14 seconds last time it acted up. It is hard to have a watch or timing method handy every time we start the car, but the last time, we were ready!
On the transmission issue, again not really that cold! Maybe 40 degrees at the coldest, and it actually grinds going into second and sometimes third gear.
For the NPP exhaust, as it changes back to touring when you turn the car oof, the exhaust resets to touring also, it show stay in the :Track" mode when the sound management is turned off.
Thanks very much for your help. Hopefully I can find a more concerned Dealership than the one I have been working with.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 681
Likes: 39
From: Columbus Indiana
For your 1-2 shift, this is pretty typical at those temperatures. When ambient is below 50°, I do a 1-3 upshift until the transmission warms up.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 1,106
I have owned several GDI cars and none had noticeable starting delays. I have owned a couple of HPCR (high pressure common rail) diesel pickups which is like the gas version on steroids (rail pressure runs in the 30,000 PSI range) and like their gasoline counterpart the injectors won't receive a "fire" command until rail pressure is sufficient. Long crank/delayed starting with diesel results when there is slight leak in the fuel system that allows fuel to drain back while sitting and cranking is lengthy until the air is purged and rail pressure is built. Note that both times it happened to me there was no actual fuel leak because it was in the low pressure side and sealed when running however air came in while sitting. Perhaps you have an intermittent drain back when the car is sitting? I imagine a scan tool would display rail pressure while cranking if you have access to one.
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
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 8,615
Likes: 60
From: Haymarket Virginia
Like everyone else stated, 10-15 seconds is a very long time for a starter to be engaged. I would suggest you record a video of every time you start the car so that you can show your dealer that it is a issue and does happen. As always, when you bring it in the shop it will never do it.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 407
Likes: 1
From: Panama City Beach FL
Like everyone else stated, 10-15 seconds is a very long time for a starter to be engaged. I would suggest you record a video of every time you start the car so that you can show your dealer that it is a issue and does happen. As always, when you bring it in the shop it will never do it.
Also take your car to a different dealership, some chevy dealerships are top notch while others, not so much.... It is worth the drive,a good corvette Tech makes all the difference.
Cruising
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
I have 2014 Corvette Z51.
There are numerous problems with the car.
1. Grinding when shifting from first to second.
2. Control Climate DOES NOT WORK.
a. A/C on set to 68 degrees and hot air comes out the drivers lower vent.
b. Set temp to 78 degrees, outside is 50 degrees and cold air comes out the top vent.
c. One minute the temp is okay inside then it is either to cold or to hot.
d. And there is more.
3. The setting either for the heads-up, dash, ride control changes every so often on its own. Not while running. Park the car turn the car off, go back to the car start it up and things are changed.
4. Sometimes you get into the car and the radio does not work. Turn the car off and back on then it will work.
5. Sometimes the volume control on the steering wheel does not work.
6. Sometime the control on the steering wheel to change the radio stations will not work.
In my opinion the car has major programing issues.
There are numerous problems with the car.
1. Grinding when shifting from first to second.
2. Control Climate DOES NOT WORK.
a. A/C on set to 68 degrees and hot air comes out the drivers lower vent.
b. Set temp to 78 degrees, outside is 50 degrees and cold air comes out the top vent.
c. One minute the temp is okay inside then it is either to cold or to hot.
d. And there is more.
3. The setting either for the heads-up, dash, ride control changes every so often on its own. Not while running. Park the car turn the car off, go back to the car start it up and things are changed.
4. Sometimes you get into the car and the radio does not work. Turn the car off and back on then it will work.
5. Sometimes the volume control on the steering wheel does not work.
6. Sometime the control on the steering wheel to change the radio stations will not work.
In my opinion the car has major programing issues.
Last edited by RaPlump; Apr 25, 2014 at 06:17 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,694
Likes: 106
Anyway, if this issue developed after some miles, it'd probably be a deal-breaker for me, because that means even if I personally test drive the car before closing the deal, it could happen later on. Hope both of the cases above happened since new, and then I could catch it with a test drive.
Pro
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 681
Likes: 39
From: Columbus Indiana
Crap. I didn't want to hear this. Hey, did this start to happen since day 1, or after 'x' miles? That was the main reason I recently got rid of the '12 GS. And yes, it was doing it since day 1, but bought the car sight unseen in CA and shipped it to TX (NEVER again). Both GM and Tremec were well aware of those issues, so why the hell they didn't do anything about it for the C7? Are they still using that crappy 2nd gear design with side teeth, rather than straight?
Anyway, if this issue developed after some miles, it'd probably be a deal-breaker for me, because that means even if I personally test drive the car before closing the deal, it could happen later on. Hope both of the cases above happened since new, and then I could catch it with a test drive.
Anyway, if this issue developed after some miles, it'd probably be a deal-breaker for me, because that means even if I personally test drive the car before closing the deal, it could happen later on. Hope both of the cases above happened since new, and then I could catch it with a test drive.
This is no big deal for me, as I just do a 1-3 shift until the trans warms up a little.
Last edited by cam30era; Apr 26, 2014 at 08:38 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 3,960
Likes: 1,106
I have 2014 Corvette Z51.
2. Control Climate DOES NOT WORK.
a. A/C on set to 68 degrees and hot air comes out the drivers lower vent.
b. Set temp to 78 degrees, outside is 50 degrees and cold air comes out the top vent.
c. One minute the temp is okay inside then it is either to cold or to hot.
d. And there is more.
2. Control Climate DOES NOT WORK.
a. A/C on set to 68 degrees and hot air comes out the drivers lower vent.
b. Set temp to 78 degrees, outside is 50 degrees and cold air comes out the top vent.
c. One minute the temp is okay inside then it is either to cold or to hot.
d. And there is more.
This is a basic feature of GM auto climate control for many years, sometimes the implementation is not to the liking of some individuals and the personality of the system does vary some across models. If your unit is acting erratically then it is quite possible one of the sensors is not functioning properly.