My C5 gauge and door lights won't turn off!!! Help...

TexasAg98 · 06-04-2004, 06:53 PM

I'm having some extreme problems with my C5 right now. I was originally blaming it on the battery, which I've taken to Interstate Battery twice because it was dead, they recharged it and told me nothing was wrong. Instead of insisting, I believed them and put the battery back in the car. Before the battery gave out the first time, the passenger door is completely dead. It won't lock/unlock, and the window won't roll up/down.

So, I take it for a drive and the radio turns off, and I get all sorts of errors (tires, low fuel, reduced power, etc) on the DIC. When I get home, I turn the car off and go inside and watch a movie. When I go back outside I see the gauge lights are still on. After opening then closing the door and waiting, it goes off, but the door lights are still on!

This is what has been killing the battery. Sounds like a loose connection somewhere, am I right?

Thanks.

bogus · 06-05-2004, 12:24 PM

you have a problem... and fixing it will require:

1) Time, lots of it

2) a test light

3) a good volt meter

4) More time

5) tools to take the interior apart (more than likely)

6) Did I mention time?

This is going to be a bitch to track down... I am betting you have either a bad ground somewhere, a bad connector or a bad component. Figuring out what is going to be the trick.

First off? Make sure the battery terminals and main chassis grounds are good, clean and tight.

I would then get a copy of your vintages' Helms Manual and trouble shoot all grounds. Make sure everything is good and snug. All you need is one corroded connector and you are out of business.

And this will take time... be patient... but it will more than likely cause you some serious annoyance before it's done.

knewblewkorvette · 06-06-2004, 02:09 AM

Take the whole car to an Autozone or Advanced Auto and have them check the system while it is in the car. This is a free service. Make them use a gound other than the neg terminal. I'm suspecting a bad ground, (God forbid a GM battery leaked on your vette computer

), could be an alt problem but it really doesn't sound like it. Corvettes do NOT like a weak battery

TexasAg98 · 06-12-2004, 11:35 AM

Thanks guys. Knowing this, I'm having it checked out soon (hopefully today) and I'll post back here to see what it was.

TexasAg98 · 06-16-2004, 04:04 PM

Well, the problem traced back to the passenger door module. We were getting a hot ground wire in there somewhere.

Taking that harness apart, redoing the sloppy aftermarket alarm work, and taping it back up worked!

We'll see for how long. I have my fingers crossed.

leolufse · 06-16-2004, 05:27 PM

You got lucky. Glad to hear it worked out for you.