Question: starting problem

[retiredflyer]

I have a 2003 corvette and I tried to unlock the vehicle with the remote and it would not unlock. I unlocked the door with the key and the alarm went off. I thought maybe the battery was dead and I charged the battery. Today I tried to start the car and it does absolutely nothing. The lights on the dash come on but no radio or anything else. What could be the problem?
Regards,
retflir@gmail.com

 

[Huskerman]

How old is the battery? C5 and C6's are battery hogs and require them to be in prime condition. 700 CCA and 120 RC is what you should be running. Lots of threads on the CAC about the strange things that can happen when the batteries get weak. So start there first and then we shall see.

 

[retiredflyer]

How old is the battery? C5 and C6's are battery hogs and require them to be in prime condition. 700 CCA and 120 RC is what you should be running. Lots of threads on the CAC about the strange things that can happen when the batteries get weak. So start there first and then we shall see.

A new battery was installed around February or March 2012. I do not drive the car very much and it sits for up to 3 weeks at a time. I drove it about a week ago and when I tried to unlock it yesterday it would not unlock. I recharged the battery and this morning I tried to start the vehicle and it does absolutely nothing. I disconnected one of the battery cables and reconnected it and the vehicle would try to start but then quit. I tried to start it again after several hours and it does absolutely nothing again. I disconnected both battery cables and plan on cleaning them and reconnecting them tomorrow.
Regards,
Walter
Jacksonville Florida

 

[timfitz63]

Sounds like a battery problem to me as well, but that's pure speculation on my part.

As "Huskerman" pointed out, the C5 is temperamental about batteries. It wouldn't hurt to review the following thread (in particular, the videos it references) to ensure you've gotten the correct replacement battery for your car. As I recall, the battery model brought up in the videos was the side-post battery; I don't recall what year Chevy switched over to the top-post battery in the C5, but you may want to focus on the battery specifications rather than the model number.

Another point to make: if you let your C5 sit for long periods after infrequently driving it for only short distances, that's almost a guarantee that the battery life will be diminished. If yours (like mine) is mainly a 'garage queen,' you should probably invest in a good trickle charger. I personally use the BatteryMINDer Model 12117, but others on the forum use the Battery Tender. There are plenty to choose from, all do essentially the same thing, and will keep your battery strong!

Another possibility is that you got a faulty battery earlier this year when you swapped it out. Have the battery tested; it could have a bad cell.

Good luck!

 

[Junkman2008]

Another problem that frequently gets overlook is proper torquing of the battery terminals. Improper torque will cause starting problems every time. Your terminals should be torqued to 11 foot pounds. As for your fob, the instructions for reprogramming the fob are in your owner's manual. I suggest that you get your manual out and reprogram your fob(s).

Now there is also a chance that you have an ignition issue. This wouldn't surprise me at all. Take a look at Bill Curlee's thread on the ignition issue as you may need to look at yours.

You said that you used your key to open the door and the alarm went off. If you truly did use the key, this is NOT supposed to happen. You may have a VAT key issue. Look at this thread on getting a new key. That would be the order that I would diagnose this issue if I were you.