Foosh

My 06 Z06 delivered in 12/05 still has the original battery. It has never been on a trickle charger, and it has never failed to start. I do not park in reverse (which was only necessary for 05 C6s). The passive locking feature has always been enabled. I have not had the TSB performed either, and the car is just as it was delivered.

I drove my car to work for the first time in 3 weeks after an extended period of bad weather. It sat all that period without being started and without a charger. It started instantly as it always has.

It is odd how random this appears to be from model years 06-08. The vast majority report no issue at all, but those that have difficulties seem to have them frequently.

Joe C5

Just another data point for you guys. I have an '06 and have left it for 1.5 weeks no problem (battery was slightly drained, but no problems starting). I keep my Fob's at the other end of the house (it is "possible" that if they are too close they might be waking up the RF module). In thoery, after 15 minutes the car is supposed to go to sleep (there are a dozen or so very power hungry computers in there). If anything keeps it from going to sleep, you would certainly have this problem. So for instance, if you had something near the car that emitted RF energy, it "might" keep waking up the RF modules to check for a Fob. This is obviously a SWAG on my part, but this is my third Vett, and all model years I have had complained about DBS, and I have not had it ('00, '03, '06). There are of course thousands of possible causes (bad battery included), but I thought I would give you another data point to consider... Oh, and I do park mine in reverse and auto-lock etc are all on (even easy exit), same as Foosh) . Good luck, and I truely hope you resolve the issue.

Auburnfred

I have a 06Z that had some problems with the battery running down. Showed 3 volts after testing. Went to the dealer and they said charging system is fine and the battery was able to charge. They claimed I left the ignition mode on. I wish that was the case so the problem would be solved. I keep classic cars for periods in the garage and use CTEK chargers. Even long periods charging and or driving the car would crank slow or need assistance. With the recent purchase of a MidTronics Digital Battery Analyzer test showed the battery was extremely low in CCA and should be replaced.

I believe as already mentioned its pot luck you get a good battery or a bad one.

Replace your own battery.

Best to keep it away from dealers unless necessary.

CORVETTE007

I had an '07 Z and now an '08 Z. I always park with it left in Reverse as well.

Don't know for sure of course, but you may be onto something here with the passive lock / unlock. I don't use this feature on the Z06.

I also have an '08 Prius Touring #6 as my daily driver / commuter car and it has Toyota's 'smart key' with a similar feature. It works so that when you walk up to the car and touch the door handle, it un locks.

I have read that if you are going to leave the vehicle unused for an extended period of time that you should disable this system (there is a SKS (Smart Key System) button at the bottom of the dash as it may drain the battery.

Although, I couldn't see how this would cause a battery to drain overnight or even after a couple of days...

Foosh

Listen to Joe (above). I don't think it has anything to do with passive locking, which we have both used for years, and I DO NOT park in reverse.

As Joe, said, if your fobs are too close, certain systems in the car may never be fully shutting down.

skudlw

Mine lasted about a year sitting up to 2-weeks. I had to get a tender since it is not driven daily and sometimes not for weeks. The car pulls 50mA just sitting based upon electronics and theft control being on. Since I placed her on a tender, no problems.

BernieR

"BYE BYE MISS AMERICAN PIE, DROVE MY Z TO THE LEVY AND THEN IT WOULDN'T START!"

SERIOUSLY...AFTER F'ING WITH THE BATTERY FOR TWO DAYS I THINK I'LL TRY A WARRANTY BATTERY, & IF THAT CROAKS ... GIVE UP AND GET AN OPTIMA


It's now time to cruise, drink beer, play golf, go to work go fishing or any other non-battery related activities!!

Bernie

Dicecal

I've had the same experience with mine, an 06'. It's usually just driven on the weekends.

BicketyBam

It happens to my '07 and I keep the key fob over a hundred yards away (I keep the car in a hangar at work and they key in my office).

I used a tender now, but at some point I am going to take it to the dealer and see what he thinks.

cbgpe

If your key fob is kept with in range of the car it will kill the battery.
The car stays powered up and lunches the battery
I use a motorcycle trickle charger which is set up with a male cigarette
lighter plug. I plug the car in when it is in the garage. No mods to the car an very sanitary. Just trail the wire out the door and close the door
simple and easy. You could set up a battery tender the same way ...others have
NO MORE DEAD BATTERIES EVER

gonzalezfj

This has not been my experience. I keep the FOB about 12 feet away from the car (06 C6Z) and it has never failed to start, even after 6 weeks sitting unused during the winter.

What do you base your assertion on, if I may ask?

Frank Gonzalez

C6Tim

Maybe if everyone could post what brand and model battery they have in their car and indicate if they have ever had a problem or not maybe we can see if there is a particular battery that seems to have the problem or not.

My understanding is that someone did some scientific testing and supposedly the car does not look for a FOB until you touch the button to open the doors or hit the button to start the car. No active roaming is done by the car looking for a FOB even if one is within range of the car.

dean23

Tht of the matter is the new gm batteries are garbage. Iw ork at a pontiac dealer and we go through llots of them, new cars on the lot wont start...battery toast. Leave a igniton key on in a new yukon withis 26 compouters and the battery is dead in 10-15 minutes. We have lots of problems withthe new gm top post batteries. corvettes arent the only affected vehicles. MY 2005 avalanche has a sid epost, I can play the stereo for 45 minutes in accessory positiona nd it starts liek a charm. Justmy 2 cents worth!!

ArrogantZ

I think that has a lot to do with it at least in my case I'm sure that is what happened.

I had a DBS but this was while trying to get my windows tinted properly. I had the car at 2 different tinters and this was 2 different days and about 8 hours total time with the doors open etc.... I think that the both tinters had the key fob with them in their pocket and from opening and the doors hatch this drained the battery.

I had to jump the car leaving the last tinters shop and he was baffled as to why the car needed to be jumped. Car was driven for about 200 after and started right after stopping for gas etc...

The car sat for 5 days and had a DBS. The battery would not take a charge at all. I just replaced the battery and have been fine ever since.

I used to do the park in Reverse and ever since the DBS I don't do it anymore.

JThomas

I got my '07 Z in September of 2006. It has now sat through two winters in Michigan, in the garage. No charger, parked in reverse, with fobs stored away from the car.

I start it maybe once a month during the winter, and if the roads are dry, I might take it out for a short drive. Started it two days ago without a problem.

I'm considering myself lucky.

Frankie2blue

I have had the same issues, and now have a battery tender. I was wondering if having a tender on the Battery all the time ends up being not that good for the battery in the long run? First time I ever had to do it. My C5 battery was original and was never charged in my 02 until I sold it a few months back.

=TheStig=

What modifications are needed to outfit an Optima battery in the battery hold. I wonder if using a higher amperage/hour battery from Delco would also help.

zo6landrocket

cbgpe

Left the fob near the car about 12 linear feet and one interior wall
& had a dead battery
Moved it 50 feet and a couple of walls in between and no dead battery
Others here have had the same problem. It may be if is is close enough to get a strong signal from the fob it will time out and not kill the battery but if it is marginal it many go thru repeated power up cycles ...that is a guess
Any body have any hard info other than hands on experience?

Hawkeye2

I just charged my battery to 100% - unplugged the charger,
checked again 9 hours later and it went from 100% to 90%.

Nothing left on, locks disabled, parked in reverse, FOB away
from the car. The only thing I can think of is a weak battery.

My car has a total of 20 miles on it. It goes dead in about
4 days.