My wifes 'Vette is starting to p-me-off . It is fine if it sits for one or two nights but if it sits for more than that it will not keep a charge enough to start the engine .


Any ideas what it might be?????????

 

yeah time to buy her a new one

 

Yes, I had the same issue going on with my DMax and it took two months and 4 batteries later before it was figured out. First, have you installed any aftermarket equipment on the car? Amp, added stereo equipment, etc..

 

i'd check all the odd things. any interior lights, glovebox light, underhood light (if it has one) any aftermarket alarm or audio visual equiptment. what you can do is take a nice voltmeter and put it on A (amperage) not mA and take the ground off the battery and hook the voltmeter inline with the cable end and the battery. there should be a reading. normally it'll be VERY LOW like less than 1 amp due to small things that retain a memory in the car. then you need to one at a time remove and replace EVERY fuse, relay etc until you see the reading go down sustantially (sp) then whatever that fuse or relay is for it'll lead you to the problem. make sure to get all the inside fuses too along with the ones under the hood. also remember to makesure the interior lights are off when you test the interior fuses as not to think the number increased. hope this helps.

 

nope; completely stock except for the hood


The only thing that I can figure is that the underhood light maybe staying on/ coming on.


Who knows, the only thing that I know to do is to test light it or ohm it out and see what is using juice..

would a code reader help with anything?

 

On GM vehicles there is a sequence for starting up and shutting down the computers. It typically takes 45 seconds to 1 minute for them all to shut down. If something happens that interrupts the start up memorizing sequence it will leave the BCM turned on which will draw current. Using and Amprobe or multimeter like Benjamin said, you will see around 10 amps when you shut the car off. It will drop to about 4 after a few seconds then successively down to .1 amp. The GM spec states that anything over .5 amp after all computers are shut down is not acceptable. You will typically see between .1 and .3 amps. If you can check this do so and report what current is being maintained. From there its easy to tell which computer is staying on. Also, bad lumbar or power seat switches can cause this.

 

nope a code reader wounldn't help at all....it'll take alot of time to disconnect the battery and Ohm out everything that could cause that. let alone the possability of finding something that might be it due to resistance but ends up not being it as that was the correct resistance for it.... Ohm-ing stuff is old skool (sorry but it is) and using a test light on a car that is equipt with airbags is also a big mistake that has been made before by alot of people. the only way to easily and quickly find out or narrow down the problem is the above post of mine. it'll take no more than 15-30 minutes to test each fuse and relay.

 

Thanks fellas I will try the way that you(Ben) sugested with the bat.

Hope it is not a major issue.

The other thing that has not happened lately is that the fuel guage will quit for about 150 or so miles usually after a fill up.and then at about half a tank it will wake up and go back to work.
:i give:

 

I would say first think to check would be the fuel gauge!
wire may have rubbed some insulation off a wire or corrosion on the connections maybe

 

If its not reading until is gets down to half a tank then it is a sending unit problem.




Scoggins, let me know if you dont find a current draw if you going to check your fuses and I'll walk you through how to test for one of the computers staying turned on.