C7 won't start
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2016
Posts: 13
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C7 won't start
My C7 will not do anything. replaced battery in my 2016 corvette z51 convertible with new GM, car will not start, no horn no headlights just running lights, replaced both key fob batteries, key fobs will not function, placed key fob in steering column still car will not start. to enter car must use key to enter trunk & release driver door with emergency release in trunk. to exit car must use door release lever on floor. HELP PLEASE
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 16,557
Likes: 2,108
From: Peoria/Phoenix AZ
C6 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
You have no power. If you just changed the car battery, you either bought a bad battery, broke or don't have a good/clean connection, or installed it backwards.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Sep 2016
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Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2018
Posts: 4,303
Likes: 2,055
From: Margate, FL
Get a volt meter and start poking around - either the battery is truly dead or something isn't allowing the current to flow. Could be a bad ground connection, the ground wire itself or a blown fuse on the positive side. Start at the battery and work outwards from there.
I've had battery cables go bad in my boat before, the wire corrodes from the inside out so the connection is fine but the juice will not flow. Now with a garage kept car critters might have chewed thru a wire.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 2,670
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From: New Jersey
There have been posts here on the forum, where the battery has been replaced, and similar problems have occurred.
The issue was that when the positive battery/fuse-block terminals was re-installed and tightened, one of the flat metal strap connection sections did not actually sit flush against another metal strap connection, even though the bolt was tightened. This causes a high resistance connection. Undo the bolt on the positive fuse block connection, and make sure that the 2 (?) flat metal plates/connections are really against each other, not cocked, before tightening the bolt.
See post#3 in the below thread:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rol-panel.html
The issue was that when the positive battery/fuse-block terminals was re-installed and tightened, one of the flat metal strap connection sections did not actually sit flush against another metal strap connection, even though the bolt was tightened. This causes a high resistance connection. Undo the bolt on the positive fuse block connection, and make sure that the 2 (?) flat metal plates/connections are really against each other, not cocked, before tightening the bolt.
See post#3 in the below thread:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rol-panel.html
Last edited by ersatz928; Dec 3, 2020 at 05:58 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 19,965
Likes: 6,770
From: Bonneville Salt Flats
I have bought a number of faulty new batteries over the years, including what will be my last Optima that would not hold a charge of more than 9 volts two day after being fully charged... out of the car. So, it happens. That's were to start.
I've also seen a battery cable with completely invisible internal corroding at the molded battery terminal. It looked brand new, the contact was cleaned and tight... intermittently dead. It drove us all nuts until wiggling the cable... a lot... disclosed it. So, don't discount anything without a thorough check. All the best.
I've also seen a battery cable with completely invisible internal corroding at the molded battery terminal. It looked brand new, the contact was cleaned and tight... intermittently dead. It drove us all nuts until wiggling the cable... a lot... disclosed it. So, don't discount anything without a thorough check. All the best.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 7,052
Likes: 945
From: DFW TX
There have been posts here on the forum, where the battery has been replaced, and similar problems have occurred.
The issue was that when the positive battery/fuse-block terminals was re-installed and tightened, one of the flat metal strap connection sections did not actually sit flush against another metal strap connection, even though the bolt was tightened. This causes a high resistance connection. Undo the bolt on the positive fuse block connection, and make sure that the 2 (?) flat metal plates/connections are really against each other, not cocked, before tightening the bolt.
See post#3 in the below thread:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rol-panel.html
The issue was that when the positive battery/fuse-block terminals was re-installed and tightened, one of the flat metal strap connection sections did not actually sit flush against another metal strap connection, even though the bolt was tightened. This causes a high resistance connection. Undo the bolt on the positive fuse block connection, and make sure that the 2 (?) flat metal plates/connections are really against each other, not cocked, before tightening the bolt.
See post#3 in the below thread:
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...rol-panel.html