LeMans05C6

I have only left my car not in reverse once since i got the car. It drained the battery and problem was solved.

Car is running fine now and no issues but a new one and i didn't see anyone else with it.

When the car is turned off it says "Shift to Reverse", like usual i put it in reverse but now it still says i need to shift it into to reverse. I turn it on and off, shift to pretty much every other gear. Then after about a minute or two it will finally accept a shift to reverse and shut the car off.

Anyone had this before or know what causes it?

WAwatchnut

Just to double check... You are shifting into rev before you shut the car off, correct? Once you hit the off button, it doesn't matter what you do with the shifter, but you have to be in rev before you hit the off button IIRC.

C6CorvetteZ51

You can certainly shift into reverse after you turn off the car. Though i dont know the fix to the problem. Hopefully it only turns out to be some small/cheap sensor outside the transmission

slowery4

I dont get this shift to reverse thing... This is now the 3rd time I have heard this advice that I should put my car in Reverse. Am I supposed to be putting my MN6 in reverse or is this an issue that only earlier C6 models had? I leave mine in 1st gear everytime. I have never seen my dash say "shift to reverse" either... 2011 C6

Daekwan06

What does shifting into rev have to do with parking the car?

My '07 parks perfectly fine, left in 1st everytime.

slowery4

I just read up on this subject because I was wondering the same thing.. It appears only the 05 had this requirement of putting the car in reverse upon shutoff to reset the computer system but it caused "Dead Battery Syndrome"... Starting in 06 it was no longer necessary.

LeMans05C6

Yea guys its just a 2005 issue, how you choose to park your car on any other year isn't an issue. The 2005 vette requires it to be in reverse to fully shut off the electronics.

Ive tried before i shut off the car and after. Got to work today and it took about 2 min till it finally took shift to reverse and did the FULL shut off.

Hoping its just a sensor as well, guess ill have someone check it soon, just have to give myself a little time before i get places to leave my car.

capevettes

05 6 speeds only required the shutdown in reverse. I bought an early 05 new in 04 and no matter what I did the car's battery would run down. I even tried throwing salt over my left shoulder and blessing myself. Nothing worked. GM bought the car back. I wonder who owns it now. Early Precision red car 1SB.

Sparo2

It's a problem that some have had, along with the other 2005 issues. It's something to pay attention to because if the computer doesn't detect you're in reverse, you'll never get the car to shut down. You can try to disconnect the batter but as soon as you reconnect it the "Shift to reverse" will come back and ignition will be open.

Wayne O

It's a shame a small minority of C6's (from a range of model years) suffer from electrical/battery/starting problems. Why one car off the line is fine and the one behind it is a lemon. My 2005 has been great. You think GM would get a handle on this other than suggesting a battery tender as an option.

Slogo

Bill Dearborn

It used to be that all manual shift cars either had to be put in reverse or low gear to park the car. With the column lock ignition switch you couldn't pull your key out until you put the transmission into the correct gear. I think this from 1969 through 1996 on the Vettes. I know I had to put my 86 in reverse. It was part of the government's antitheft requirements.

No matter what gear is required when parking a manual shift car you should always use reverse since it is the lowest gear ratio and has more holding capability. People coming from wimp motor cars probably don't realize a V8 will hold a car on a steep hill with the transmission in reverse with no parking brake set. As long as the rear wheels don't slide it will hold it. The only reason to use the parking brake on a manual shift C6 is so you can open the doors.

Bill

6spdC6

I had a many time 05 DBS car. Back in 05-6 I posted hundreds of times about it. Reason I now drive a 07!

HAs your car had the computer reflash?

The problem was it APPEARED it was shutdown right but something in the large computer system stayed awake or possible came back to life.

Have you tried putting the car in reverse and actually backing up a bit just to be completely sure you’re in reverse? The positions between 5 & reverse are close and I have noticed a few times at large Vette events the occasional mis shift into 5 when a C6 driver wanted to back up!

LeMans05C6

I am sure the car was in reverse. I know that feeling ive tried to move in about 5th before as well and went forward, whoops.

I double and triple checked this time.

I am going to have a mechanic look over my car since he has to put a new wheel stud in there since one got mangled on me. While he is there ill see if he can help me fix it. He did pull the Computer to look over the tune so maybe something there happened.

6spdC6

They came out with a reflash that worked in early 07 You still had to shut off in reverse, but it did cure the DBS BS. (Too late for me as i had other on order!)
Its number is, see if your car was done PIC4188B

5 Liter Eater

Do the reverse lights come on when you put it in reverse?

E Stumpff

You shouldn't have to backup to be sure you're in reverse. Shift into reverse and push the button to shut down. You should hear the steering column lock activate. The computer needs to have the car in reverse before it will lock the steering column. Until you put it into reverse it continues to wait for the signal to lock the steering column - running your battery down. The 2005 C6 is the last Corvette with a factory steering column lock ending a long unsavory history that started with the steering column locks in the C5. Why GM choose to continue with the lock into the C6 we'll never know for certain but it's there in the 2005 cars so we have to live with it. Eventually it will become second nature.

ED

6spdC6

I know you should not, but when you have a 05 with many times DBS, many times to the shop and nothing seems to work you try things. One of those was being a 100% sure you were in reverse as you never knew what bells, gongs or DIC messages the car would throw at you.

Not only that the idiots at cooperate GM and the dealerships were convinced we were just dummies and did not know how to shut the car down right! Almost got in a fist fight with a very arrogant service manager over that.

When I parked my 05M I had a check list that would make an airplane pilot proud As I got rid of the 05 in mid 07 I do not remember everything but it was something like this.

Pull into garage, make sure radio was off, lights were off, heater& AC were off, shift to reverse, back up a bit, push off button &ride seat back and get out, wait till the inside lights all went off check and see if reverse lights were on ,then go in basemen set fob down and make sure fob was over 50' from the car with a wall in-between.

Bottom line you never knew what the car was going to do and you covered all bases BUT STILL YOU HAD PROBLEMS.

LeMans05C6

Yes i was at my mechanics shop and they did check the reverse lights were coming on. That does signify that the rest of the car knows its in reverse to turn the lights on.

I was wondering myself if a wire was loose or something but if the lights come on then it shouldn't be that.

Ill keep messing with it and see. If it gets worse may have to see if Chevy can do something about it. I saw a "reflash got mentioned" maybe that has an updated in it for the DBS.

Hoonose

Reverse lights on does not necessarily mean that it has registered with the BCM. I don't believe we ever got an answer on that from GM when this was all being worked out back in 2005 and 6.

Have your dealer check the cars history and make sure the reflash has been done.