Desert Nomad

Well, took the 'Z' out for a drive yesterday. Beautiful day, warm and not much traffic. Was on a rural country road mabey 60-70 miles from home and then it started. First indication was the theft deterent system warning along with ABS service warning. So I stopped, restarted the car and the warning's went away. Not more than a mile down the road all hell broke loose. Just about all warning lights came on as follows:

Fuel went to '0'
Oil pressure '0'
Water temp '0'
door unlock warning
Service engine soon warning
Service fuel system
Red infl rest warning on
Turn signal in-op
ABS warning on
Emergency Brake Light on
Exhaust flaps open(noisy)
Radio in-op
Windows would not open or close
Electical system completely unstable.

I believe the car went into a reduce power mode, but not sure. I babied the car the all the way back home approximatley 60-70 miles praying that it wouldn't shut down entirely. Pulled into the driveway and shut the car off. It was dead as a door nail. I couldn't open the door from inside. Luckily the window was open(wouldn't close anyway) and opened the door from outside. The passenger door wouldn't open at all so the wife the wife had to climb out my side. You should of heard all the whinning and complaining. Anyway. to make a long story shorter, put the "Battery Tender" on for about 5 hours and everything was back to normal. Car started perfectly with no warning lights. Now, this was the same basic problem I had earlier this year but dealer said battery was bad, which they changed along with replacing the fob batts. Did a complete download and update the system. Everything seemed to be 'OK' at that time. Seems to me that the battery is supporting the system and not getting charged enough some how properly although I'm not seeing it on the volt meter in the cluster. I can't remember what it was when all this was going on. I think it was the only instrument that was still working but can't remember the reading as I was concentrating on everything else that was going wrong and trying to get it home. I know the system must have experienced a loss of power or the battery had lost enough voltage to trigger all these warning to come on. The battery was definatley down as it normally wouldn't take that long to charge and top off. I love the car but I'm just so frustrated with these electrical problems. I'm afraid to take the car any distance anymore and the wife has lost all faith in it. Just not a reliable vehicle. Anyway, I'm off to the Chevy dealer in Long Beach first thing in the A.M. as its New's day today. God, I'm glad I got the extended GMPP. This could be a long and expensive repair. Its an '08' with 17K. No mod's, all stock except for a skip shift. I'll keep ya all posted on the out come. "Happy New Year".

Desert Nomad,
Torrance Ca.

Random84

first off, each door has a manual release lever down by the door sill on the inside of the passenger compartment!

Clearly sounds like an electrical issue: check the obvious, easy stuff first - like the battery cable connections, the alternator connections, and chassis grounds. Then recheck battery, alternator, etc.

If no-joy there, then things get more complicated. Good luck.

erikszr1

no biggie im sure its nothing that couldnt be fixed in less than an hour or so. no mightmare by any means thats for sure, probably needs a battery, alternatoror somthing else simple simple like that.dont stress it. and oh yea, read your manual if your not familiar with the fundamentals of this car, helps with the simple things you may not be used to. good luck

Desert Nomad

Yea, I'm getting ready to go out in the garage right now and look things over. I'll also check for 13.6-14.8 volts while its running to insure the battery is getting its charge.

Desert Nomad

Thanks for the moral support guy's . It helps. I'm thinking this particular Corvette really dosen't like me and its in "revenge mode".

miwitte

bad battery more than likely. If you have a cell short or get really marginal, it wont take a charge and will actually overload your charging system. I had a battery that died in my suburban and I couldnt even jump start the car it would almost kill the car doing the jump. Have the battery tested and if over 4 years replace it first.

Desert Nomad

The battery is a new AC Delco, 8 months old. Chevy dealer installed earlier this year when I had the same basic problem. I wish it was just a battery, but got a feeling its something beyond that.

Desert Nomad

Just did a voltage check at the battery while running. 14.4 volts which I believe is a good number. Could be that the battery is just not absorbing the charge though, will see what the dealer comes up with in the morning.

z10

Had a similar thing happen to me last May. Turned out to be the battery. Mine was less than a year old and lives on a tender. Do yourself a favor and replace it.

Good hunting.

07Z06FAN

I just got my car back from the dealer with a similar situation (07, 17K miles). I had been getting all the service engine, tc, ah, low fuel, etc then it eventually got to where the car wouldn't crank once it was shut off. I replaced the battery, which didn't fix the problem. Carried it back to the dealer who put a new BCM in the car and everything seems to be normal once again. Good luck.

1320IN9

it wouldnt hurt to buy a cheap $10 multi meter this way you can check to make sure the battery is always about 12.5v and you can also touch the prongs to the terminals while its running to make sure its about 14.2 14.5 give or take a few, and you can have the wife start it while you watch the multimeter and do a load test as it's cranking over, that should be about 11.2 11.7v while cranking over, i check mine every now and then to make sure all it good, takes 30 seconds at best

Falcon Pilot

I had the same problems two years ago. My Ipod adapter was the culprit and caused almost the exact symptoms. I don't know if this will apply to you or not.

Desert Nomad

I wish it was the battery. The battery was changed eight months ago and also lives on a Tender. But I got this sick feeling that it may go deeper than that.

Desert Nomad

That's what I'm thinking 07Z06FAN, alternator, ECM or as you said, BCM. I'll keep you posted on the outcome. Thanks for the input.

Desert Nomad

I'm well equipped with multi-meters. One of the first things I did when I finally made it home was to see what the static battery voltage was. It was 12.3 Volts. With the engine running voltage at the battery was 14.3 volts and directly off the alternator it was 14.5volts. I haven't tried doing a load test during cranking as you describe above but will give it a go.

Desert Nomad

No Ipod adapter here. Although I've heard the same thing.

dmuellenberg

Just because you got the battery 8 months ago, no telling how long it had been sitting on the shelf. Even if it is brand new, it could still be defective.

383vett

Might have a bad cell even though the battery is a few months old.

erikszr1

Bill Dearborn

I would discount the battery as the problem for now. Too many people jump on the battery when these types of things happen. Check all of the connections to the battery at the battery and at the other end. Frame ground and where the hot lead connects to the starter and alternator. Also check what kind of voltage you get in the +12V (B Plus) locations in the underhood electrical center with the car running and not running.

The problems you had are usually connection related and although cars with modern electronics act up when the voltage gets low cars of the time period before electronics would just die all of a sudden with no warning other than the radio quit just before the engine died.

Bill