Hoyt Clagwell

I remember hearing a trick with the ignition button that turns on all the electric functions (not the accessory position), without starting the engine. It's supposed to let you access all the options, DIC settings, etc without starting the engine. Anyone know how to do what I'm talking about? thanks

TedG

Don't step on the clutch or brake on the auto and push the button.

Vette_DD

Maybe you're thinking about RAP (Retained Accessory Power). If the engine is off, press the bottom of the ignition button to put the vehicle in accessory mode. Press it again to put it in RAP mode.

RAP mode only lasts for about 10 minutes or until a door is opened.

Hoyt Clagwell

Thanks Ted, I just tried that with my automatic, but it won't let me access the DIC options. It just says "Accesory mode on".

RedC6 - I read about that in the owner's manual, but that just keeps the windows, radio, etc working. I'm trying to change the DIC preferences with the engine off, and can't figure out how to do it. Maybe it's too late in the evening for me to think straight.

Vette_DD

I guess I thought it would let you look at the DIC settings, but I've not tried it. I am pretty sure you can't program any of the DIC settings unless the engine is running.

Obviously I didn't understand your original question.

Hoyt Clagwell

I know my memory is getting worse with age, but I swear I remember being shown the DIC options with the engine off. Since it was over a month ago, maybe it was a pre-production car.

Hoyt Clagwell

Well, I just got lucky.

I pressed and held in the ACC button for about five seconds, and BINGO - every light on the dashboard lit up and I was able to access the DIC options without the engine running.

Vette_DD

Were you able to make changes, or did you try?

TRAYC7

I will have to try this...

Before I was unable to access the DIC unless I started the vehicle....

Hoyt Clagwell

Yes to both questions

TedG

You da man!

Pat W

I was going to post this under a new topic Hoyt, but it seems appropriate for here. Friday I walked out to the garage to leave for work and noticed the rear hatch was open. Once inside I see the shifter is in neutral (AT) and the green circle isn't lit on the start button. Well, the thing wouldn't turn over and the volt meter was reading just under 10 volts. I put it on a battery charger for a couple of hours and still nothing even though I was reading 12.6 volts. I called Chevy's Roadside Assistance and they sent a tow truck out and even with a jump, the engine would not turn over. He said there's nothing he could do and left. I called again and they sent a second tow truck and off to the local Chevy dealership we went. Once there, a service advisor (hadn't heard of that one before) said they could get to it in a few hours. When I mentioned that this was the first Chevy I had ever purchased and having it not start with 350 miles on it is not instilling a warm, fuzzy feeling in me, he went and grabbed some books and started studying. I mentioned to him what happened the night before was my 14 year old son was in the car playing with the stereo. I had showed him earlier how to use it with the accessory switch on. When he left the car, he had somehow opened the back hatch and put the transmission in neutral. This jogged the service advisor's memory and he said that the 20 minute safety feature built in to shut off all electronics to save the battery will not take place unless the AT is in neutral or the MN6 is in reverse and with the interior lights and climate control on, it drained the battery. He then did exactly what you did which was to hold the accessory switch down for 5 seconds to reset everything. I don't recall reading this in the owners manual, but wanted to pass it on should anyone here ever drain their battery. This little trick would have saved me and a couple of tow truck drivers a lot of time.

Hoyt Clagwell

Thanks for the info Pat. I hope I don't have the same non-start happen to me. If it happens to me, I'd probably be cussing too much to remember to hold the button in for five seconds.

You bring up a question - I wonder if holding it in for five seconds resets all the options back to their default condition.

Lawman31

I believe you must mean "unless the AT is in PARK, right???

Vette_DD

I can't find anything in the manual about the car having to be in any particular gear to invoke the 20-minute time limit for shutdown.

The last paragraph on page 2-20 says, "After being in accessory mode for about 20 minutes, the vehicle will automatically enter RAP or OFF, depending on if the doors are opened or closed."

Does the car have to be in PARK (auto) or REVERSE (manual) to get in accessory mode to start with?

Pat W

Yes, I did mean park. Sorry 'bout that.

Pat W

Just discovered a new little twist to the dead battery episode. I went to make a call on the Onstar system today. No joy. After talking with the Onstar folks, it seems the car needs to be taken to the dealer to have "something" (their words) reset. I guess the bottom line is you don't turn a 14 year old loose with this car even if he can't start it.