Chevrolet Corvette Electrical Problems
Issues? Let's talk about them!
Edmunds Price Checker
Edmunds Lease Calculator
Did you get a good deal? Be sure to come back and share!
Edmunds Moderator
Tagged:
0
Comments
Tim May
1)Dead motor.
2)Bad wiring.
3)Bad switch.
What kind of mechanical skills and/or tools do you have?
Basically, can you remove the door panel?
For a few times. Then it fails again. And the same thing could happen for a failing switch.
Get it fixed. It may fail the next time in a down position. With it raining. Or 30 degrees outside.
Any ideas or anyone out there with similar problems??
I actually have a Camaro but I heard the power window stuff is the same. I am experiencing occasional problem with my passenger side window. Although it will usually work, there have been times when it will not go up. Fortunately it has not happened in a rain storm yet. I was intending to take it to a dealer but then it works perfectly again. Any ideas?
Also, low tire pressure monitor system needs to be serviced?
Interested in buying this car but am concerned about these two problems.
Where do you find an electrical outlet in a parking lot?
three if I'm right. The stock system, then the Z51 and finally the Mag Rheo....
adjustable system. Have to determine which and as you might expect it probably
gets more expensive as you progress through them.
As to pressure monitor system, again depends on why it needs service. I take off
my stock wheels to run track wheels and when I get about 25 miles from home the
system tells me it needs service, no signal from TPS (tire pressure sensors). Well
of course, they are back in the garage. Everything ok when I return, even gives me
pressures for wheels not on the car.
The most likely issue is one or more sensors damaged by changing tires, it
happens. Another possibility is that the system just needs to relearn which sensor
is at which wheel, done with a magnet, but don't know the procedure, have to look
it up in the manual. Another possibility is that the car has after market wheels and
they don't have sensors, hence no reading and needs service. I think a set of four
sensors can run up to $500 but I could be off on that by a large bit.
If the car is low miles, my wife's 04 has only 22k on it, I'm surprised that the shocks
are in need of replacement. I have an 02, Z51 with 75k miles and original OEM
shocks are still ok.
Randy
If you run the charger at home and then are away for a couple weeks it will probably
last longer than if you have left it several times in a row without charging in between.
One solution is to drive it more.
so yes it is common and you probably have lots more draw on a C6.
Randy
The current model tire sensors have a battery in them. With supposed life of 5 years. The ones on this car might just need batteries. Or, the wheels were switched around when mounting tires or rotating, and just need to be re-set.
This is a new car. The dealer should fix it. If they do not have a tech with enough electrical knowledge to track down the drain, take it somewhere else.
Is it actually a dead battery, or is the FOB not being recognized. FOB not being recognized is a known problem with 2008's, and the dealer should also have TSB's about this problem. I think the Body Control, or whatever module/computer that controls the security and starting system, is what has to be replaced to fix this problem.
Thank you for the reply. My service people at the dealership said that the 50ma drain is normal and that nothing is wrong. They just said to get a battery charger.
I forgot to answer one of your questions. It was a dead (low) battery. The FOB was recognized.
Thanks.
And I think Corvettes live a hard life if they sit on a dealer's lot for any lenght of time. If the dealer allows it, a lot of people can be getting into the car, moving the seats, leaving the doors open, maybe starting it up and not running for any length of time. This leads to a badly discharged battery. Modern 'sealed' batteries, if severly discharged, will can never be re-charged to full charge. The number I've seen, is a sealed battery discharged will only recharge to about 80% of it's original capacity. If discharged again, this falls even lower.
After opening and closing the door they would again work. Then the following day
all the switches went out and while driving the oil went to zero, the Temp went to
red and messages began to apear telling me, check engine, low engine power,
check tire pressure and some more. I pulled over, shut the car down and upon
restarting everything functioned fine except the door switched. As I pulled away
it started all over again (3 times) .I opened the door and squeezed the boot holding the wires and the door switches worked. All mechanical functions seemed to work fine during all this.
When the battery starts to go bad, cars loaded with electronics sometime show multiple strange displays, just like you said you saw. Low voltage makes the sensors start to display strange things.
For these kinds of problems, you probably need a Factory Service Manual. Chiltons will not get it done. Check on ebay, many used manuals are sold there. Or www.helmsinc.com is the publisher of factory manuals, and you can order from there.
The other problem - wow. So you start the car, something is NOT on, and you turn it on, and it will then not shut off???? Relays are involved in lots of things, but I don't see that multiple relays would fail at the same time. Even if controlled by a relay, different accessories should have their own relay.
Unless - has this car had a significant electrical problem in the past? Such as a big short to an accessory outlet? Some other electrical component that shorted out? If so, then wires inside wiring packages could have melted into one another, causing all kinds of cross-wiring across unrelated circuits.
Also, has someone put either a remote start or security system into the car? Or an aftermarket stereo? These require cutting into who knows what, and when they start to fail, and they will fail, they cause all kinds of strange problems.
The Door ajar makes sense, the actuators were replaced recently and I could see where the mechanic did not put everything back in place I will look into that. I already own a Factory Service Manual so I will get into that book and see what it says.
When I bought this car it had an upgraded stereo that is probably what's causing the issue I will take it to an electronics person and try to narrow it down.
Again thanks for the info.
Thanks
For about two months I have been experiencing a signal switch that malfunctions when turning right or left. The switch will either not go on at all or when on will just stop working even though the switch is still in the active position.
Took it to the Chev dealer and they changed the signal multifunction switch on the steering column. Not three days later the same problem is still there.
Anyone have any answers for a now invested $551.00?
JIM
all was well, but a few months ago, if i left the car in the garage for a week or so, the battery was dead. i put it on a battery tender and now it starts easily enough
my concern is either the battery is defective, or callaway might have done something to the electrical system. since i can only get the car serviced in philly, because new york does not have a GM authorized callaway dealer, i am at their mercy. should i start with replacing the battery first before looking for electrical gremlins??
The very first thing I do when I buy any vehicle is buy the real repair manual. (or if it's junker, the Haynes manual)
The best money you can spend on your Corvette is owning the "official" repair manual. Even if you don't want to do the work yourself, you will know what is wrong and what work should be done.
You don't have to be able to work on your Corvette yourself. Just being able to speak "mechanic" to the dealership? Will save you tons of money!
And oddly, if you read the manual you will realize there is lot of stuff any body can do. Even if you don't understand the full inner workings of the vehicle.
I've replaced a lot of things I never thought I could, just because I had instructions. Alternator, fuel pump, mass air sensor, distributor, etc. If I don't have to lift the engine or crawl under her, I CAN do it!
But, even if you don't want to get your hands greasy and your knuckles busted you will save money! You can waltz right up to the mechanic and say, "Dude, my %*^&$ is bad. How much to replace that?"
Money saved!
2009 BMW 335i, 2003 Corvette cnv. (RIP 2001 Jaguar XK8 cnv and 1985 MB 380SE [the best of the lot])