Will My Corvette Suffer Amnesia?

[Carol]

Question: OK, so I'm waiting months for my C6. I've viewed the DVD that comes with the brochure and it tells me to disconnect the battery for winter storage. The thing is, what happens to electronic memory such as the odometer reading and seat position memory settings? How are these retained for months without any battery power? :confused

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,
You will have to relearn your memory settings. Odometer is not an issue, the BCM records and saves it.
You are told that if you store your vehicle for more than 2 weeks, without starting and running the car, disconnect the battery negative terminal.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[Carol]

Sounds like there is no problem, but can you tell me what a BCM is?
Thanks,
Carol

 

[yellow_2002_germany]

BCM=Body Control Module. It is one of the many computers in your car.

 

[c4c5specialist]

HI there,
Randy is absolutely correct.
Just remember, the BCM is actually the central controller for ALL FUNCTIONS inside your car. It works and interpretes every single signal, from your transmitter function to doors, to seats.
It is much more complex than I think alot of people realize.
Always disconnect the negative terminal only, NOT the positive and you will do just fine.
Allthebest, c4c5

 

[JJS]

HI there,
Randy is absolutely correct.
Just remember, the BCM is actually the central controller for ALL FUNCTIONS inside your car. It works and interpretes every single signal, from your transmitter function to doors, to seats.
It is much more complex than I think alot of people realize.
Always disconnect the negative terminal only, NOT the positive and you will do just fine.
Allthebest, c4c5

I'm surprised that after all these years of computers in cars they haven't come up with a solution, such as a UPS for the CPU modules.

 

[OLDGOAT]

There must be a back up battery on the BCM motherboard or somewhere in the system. I wonder how this gets replaced if it fails. I also wonder what happens to the odometer mileage if the BCM is removed or fails?

Speaking of electronic in cars does anyone know if the "capabilities" of the black box event recorder has changed with the C6? Does it keep a longer record or more detailed? Just curious.

 

[Vettefan87]

If it fails don't they just load the mileage into the new one and put a little sticker on it or something on the title that says that happened. I am not totally sure someone will know.

 

[autocutter]

There are at least two UPS's-like the one's in a PDA, but bottom line is that they are only batteries too and without a power source within 48 to 72 hours....off they go. I do suspect; however, that Personal Settings are being saved to a "Flash" memory chip given the time it takes to save each Personal Setting. Flash memory are like the small disks the digital carmera's have to store pictures, or the so-called USB Thumb Drives. If there is Flash then your settings are there forever along with the car's current mileage.

 

[Dad]

If it fails don't they just load the mileage into the new one and put a little sticker on it or something on the title that says that happened. I am not totally sure someone will know.

It can't "fail" completely or they would not know the correct miles. Also the "black box" will retain information without power. So what it amounts to is GM don't want to add the 3.5 cents cost to give you retained memory. BUT, they will give it to the lawyers and the government at your added expense. That's the way it has been since Eve bit Adam's apple.

 

[mylotcat]

2 Weeks?

HI there,
You will have to relearn your memory settings. Odometer is not an issue, the BCM records and saves it.
You are told that if you store your vehicle for more than 2 weeks, without starting and running the car, disconnect the battery negative terminal.
Allthebest, c4c5

Serious? If the car sits for more than 2 weeks I'm supposed to disconnect the neg batt terminal? :confused I've never done it, the car has sat (grammar??) for more than 2 weeks (Wisconsin winters) and I've never had a problem. If this is true, how many of you that let the car sit for 2 weeks or more disconnect the battery?

 

[RonJ]

Serious? If the car sits for more than 2 weeks I'm supposed to disconnect the neg batt terminal? :confused I've never done it, the car has sat (grammar??) for more than 2 weeks (Wisconsin winters) and I've never had a problem. If this is true, how many of you that let the car sit for 2 weeks or more disconnect the battery?

If my 98 sits 3 weeks or so, the battery is pretty tired. So, I put a trickle charger on it every 3 weeks.

I've been meaning to get one of those "Battery Tenders" for winter storage.

Ron ...

 

[Dad]

Two weeks, surly you jest.

Well that may not be the most ridicules thing I've heard in awhile but it's close. No where that I can find does it say if you are not going to drive your Corvette for 2 weeks to disconnect the battery. Now on the other hand if you read the Owners Manual, (page 5-38), it does tell you if you are going let it sit for 25 days or more, remove the black, negative (-) cable from the battery. It is amazing how things like that get started and sometime by the dealers themselves. It pays to be informed about your car and what the manufactures say you should do and not by word of mouth, read the owners manual and get the service manual if you can't get good information any place else.
:confused