My 99 C5 won't go!!!

[pvtpilot]

I have had great experience with my 99 until last Sat night. The car was parked outside of a restaurant for about an hour and a half. When I restarted the car and put it in gear, IT WOULD NOT MOVE! At first, I thought I had not put the shifter into first gear (6 speed). But, after trying again, I noticed that the DIC was displaying the odometer mileage, which is not normal.. (normally blank). I thought uh-oh, some kind of a computer gliche on startup... I shut the car down and restarted... cleared the odometer display on the DIC and drove away normally... Boy, was I surprised.. it seems that some kind of a computer gliche at startup would not either allow the transmission to be put in gear, or the clutch to be released... Can anybody out there explain what happened and where I should be looking to avoid getting stranded somewhere and having to call the tow-truck gorillas?

 

[ddmau]

No experience with this, but it must have been a very sick feeeling...glad you weren't stranded.

 

[FRC99]

I'm sorry that it happened and I have never heard of that happening before.
Was it cold out or the battery old? Sounds like some of the freaky stuff that can happen when the voltage is whacky.
Just a thought.

 

[pvtpilot]

Nope, it wasn't that cold out. Car started right away, but I did notice a little stumble on startup..but it smoothed out right away. I put the car in gear and let the clutch out to pull away and nothing happened.. At first, I thought maybe I didn;t get it in gear.. tried again.. nothing. That's when I noticed the DIC displaying the odometer mileage. Now, with two unusual events (stumble and DIC display) I shut the car down and went through start sequence again. This time startup was normal, put the car in gear and drove away. Everythings been fine since then, but hard to drive without a little nagging feeling that something is up...

 

[Chuck2kc5]

Engine running, trans in gear, clutch out and the wheels weren't turning? If I was a betting man I would say that's impossible unless the clutch was totally shot. Now, if you were parked on a sheet of ice then maybe the wheels were turning but couldn't develop enough traction to push you forward. When you stopped the engine and restarted it, that may have been enough time for the tires to melt through the ice so when you tried it again you were able to move. All that still wouldn't explain the DIC issue.

Chuck

 

[pvtpilot]

I know, coventional wisdom would say "not possible" but believe me, it happened. I am almost 60 years old. I have had high performance cars since I was 17 and am very familiar with mechanics. I spent many years racing cars and building drag racers and circle track modifieds. It was hard for me to understand why nothing happened. You would think putting the car in gear and letting the clutch out is all mechanical (except for hydraulic clutch).. I still think it was a computer gliche. There was a slight engine stumble on startup. The DIC was displaying the odometer mileage. What has gone through my mind is traction control (although engine was responsive to accelerator), hydraulic clutch or CAGS problem. Whatever happened, this is not my imagination nor is it a loose nut behind the steering wheel. This was a real event. Hopefully someone out there has heard of a similar event or can rationalize how it could happen in a C5 with all the electronics.

 

[Chuck2kc5]

As far as I know the computer has no way of controlling the manual trans (except for the CAGS which only forces you to go into a specific gear). If you had an auto then I'd agree. From my way of thinking, the only thing that could have happened was that for some reason the pressure wasn't released when you lifted the clutch. I wonder if there is debris in your clutch hydraulic system? Unless... the computer has control over that and wouldn't let the clutch release. I don't have the Factory Manual so I can't trace the system.

Chuck