Help!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 170
Likes: 18
From: Stuart, Fl
Help!
After not been able to use my car for seven weeks due to a broken femur and Sciatic nerve damage I was able to take it for a ride yesterday, everything worked just great. I had kept it on a trickle charger. Upon arriving at home it said update available, so I chose to do it (done a couple in the past with no problem). I went to try to use it today and the car would not start.
.It said update not successful. Made the mistake of closing the door and now it’s totally locked and my walker which I badly need is locked in the trunk, and so is my owners manual.
I'm 77 so my memory is not the best, but I think I need to remove the rear license plate and use the key in Fob to open the trunk and there is a latch somewhere inside to open the doors.
My plan then is to try and reach the frunk lever by the brake pedal to open the frunk and try to disconnect the negative battery terminal for ten minutes and see if it will start.
Any help with any suggestions would be appreciated.
TIA
JOHN
.It said update not successful. Made the mistake of closing the door and now it’s totally locked and my walker which I badly need is locked in the trunk, and so is my owners manual.
I'm 77 so my memory is not the best, but I think I need to remove the rear license plate and use the key in Fob to open the trunk and there is a latch somewhere inside to open the doors.
My plan then is to try and reach the frunk lever by the brake pedal to open the frunk and try to disconnect the negative battery terminal for ten minutes and see if it will start.
Any help with any suggestions would be appreciated.
TIA
JOHN
Racer
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 258
Likes: 82
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2021
Posts: 1,432
Likes: 925
From: Bristow, VA
2023 C8 of the Year Finalist - Modified
John, the trunk should be the easiest, the key cylinder is behind the plate. The articles I’ve read says it’s requires a little more force than you would think. Maybe push down on the trunk while turning the key. Getting into the car and frunk is going to require a little more dexterity. Gonna have to get on the ground and look up under the boomerang to see the key cylinder, again probably going to require a little more fore than you would think to release. Once in the cabin getting to the emergency release and releasing the frunk is going to be a chore! Might need help with this one but you need access so you can plug in the charger or access the battery terminals.
If I were a little closer I would be on my way over to help! Maybe one of our SC brethren will see the bat signal and rise to the occasion.
Good luck!
If I were a little closer I would be on my way over to help! Maybe one of our SC brethren will see the bat signal and rise to the occasion.
Good luck!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 170
Likes: 18
From: Stuart, Fl
OK. Took me awhile but I got the car opened. The trunk was easy. Happy to get my walker out. The door and frunk were a bitch!
I will leave getting to the battery until the morning. All the lights are out, so I’m not sure whether a battery disconnect is going to work. I’ve heard of updates totally draining the battery.
Thanks to all for your help!
I will leave getting to the battery until the morning. All the lights are out, so I’m not sure whether a battery disconnect is going to work. I’ve heard of updates totally draining the battery.
Thanks to all for your help!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 170
Likes: 18
From: Stuart, Fl
Well … I disconnected negative from battery for 15 minutes. When I reconnected there was no indication of any power. I only have a 1 amp charger, which I have connected at this time but, of course it will take at least twelve hours to charge the battery sufficiently, if it’s not shot.
I’m wondering if its possible that a breaker has tripped somewhere.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
I’m wondering if its possible that a breaker has tripped somewhere.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
Last edited by 91ZR1; Mar 7, 2022 at 01:56 PM.
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Drifting
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 1,423
Likes: 639
From: Columbia SC
John. Sounds like you have a battery maintainer not a charger. If I had one I would bring it over to you to use. Sorry. AutoZone or Advanced Auto has chargers ~$75 that would get your battery back to full charge overnight. Remember remove the neg batter lead when charging.
Then reconnect the neg lead and she should start right up. If you need help send me a message and we can talk on the phone.
Then reconnect the neg lead and she should start right up. If you need help send me a message and we can talk on the phone.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 170
Likes: 18
From: Stuart, Fl
Had service truck with jump starter come and got the car started. Drove it to the Dealer limited to 43 mph and a whole lot of warning lights, including brakes, which had lost boost.
Will see what they find tomorrow. Will never do anothe OTA update. When I take it for service I’ll let them take care of it.
Will see what they find tomorrow. Will never do anothe OTA update. When I take it for service I’ll let them take care of it.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 2,226
Likes: 1,029
From: Thomas Texas
I learned a valuable lesson when a software update drained my battery.
First, have a battery charger. Forget using a ~ 1 amp maintainer. Simple not enough juice. Mine is a 5 amp which is at the lower end of the spectrum. It took about 6 hours to get the battery up over 12 volts.
Second, practice using the key to open the drivers door. It takes some muscle to turn the key.
Third, find the frunk release cable at the firewall next to the steering column. It took me a while to locate it and it took a significant amount of effort to pull and open the frunk. Why in hell did GM hide the emergency frunk release where you have to get on your knees and crawl in the dark foot well then made it SO hard to pull. So I attached a length of parachute cord to the cable loop and tucked it into the dash trim by the door. All I have to do is pull the cord after opening the door.
First, have a battery charger. Forget using a ~ 1 amp maintainer. Simple not enough juice. Mine is a 5 amp which is at the lower end of the spectrum. It took about 6 hours to get the battery up over 12 volts.
Second, practice using the key to open the drivers door. It takes some muscle to turn the key.
Third, find the frunk release cable at the firewall next to the steering column. It took me a while to locate it and it took a significant amount of effort to pull and open the frunk. Why in hell did GM hide the emergency frunk release where you have to get on your knees and crawl in the dark foot well then made it SO hard to pull. So I attached a length of parachute cord to the cable loop and tucked it into the dash trim by the door. All I have to do is pull the cord after opening the door.
Last edited by RussM05; Mar 7, 2022 at 06:10 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 170
Likes: 18
From: Stuart, Fl
If I still lived in the CAE area I would have taken it to Randy at Herndon. He’s a great master mechanic and took care of my Corvettes for many years. I moved to the Upstate a year ago so I took it to Boyd in Hendersonville. They seemed quite capable but it’s my first time there.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 1,423
Likes: 639
From: Columbia SC
Yes Randy has worked on my 21 HTC for water leaking from the Air Con unit that dripped onto my Amplifier and caused it to short out. Did a great job on my 7500mile oil and DTC filter change.
I Hope your leg is healing well, and get back to flying, both on the ground and in the air!!!..
I Hope your leg is healing well, and get back to flying, both on the ground and in the air!!!..
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2,562
Likes: 1,579
Yeah, I made a list of stuff for new C8 owners, and one of the things on the list was to get a good battery charger (which I prefer to directly attach to the battery using the proper terminals since there is also a current sensor there). I don't like the frunk cigarette outlet charge option because they can fall out or break contact and they are also going through the fuse panel which is hard to get to. I also put on that list the OTA procedure making sure you had a window down, fully charged battery, and battery on a maintainer/charger. Glad you were able to get into it.
