I bought my 2009 C6 two months ago and after a month I stored it in my heated garage. It ran flawlessly up to that point. I bought a battery maintainer and covered her. About a month into being stored I tried to start it. No go. It sounded like the battery was dead - it just "clicked" when I pushed the starter button. I've checked the battery and its fully charged. Has anyone had a similar problem? Whats the issue? How do I fix this? Thanks for your help. (FYI manual tranny)
Stored for the winter - now it won't start
- Thread starter jclockert
- Start date
The first thing I would do is check the battery cable connections to ensure that they are completely free of oxidation, but you may have done that already.
I had the same issue last year. I had the battery on a battery tender all winter. In the spring, after being in ACC mode listening to music while polishing the car, when I went to start it...nothing but a click. The voltage showed OK, but it was a shorted cell in the battery. Bought an Optima yellow top, and not an issue since.
In a c6, the battery is the issue with electrical problems 99% of the time.
Good Luck
In a c6, the battery is the issue with electrical problems 99% of the time.
Good Luck
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Sounds like your battery is dead. Replace, or try starting from another battery to confirm. Let us know what happens.
a bad battery may show a full charge, until a load is put on it, then "poof" charge is gone !! a load tester is a handy thing to have. they are only about 30 bucks or so. 
I'd agree with all the posts that indicate the Battery .The battery age would make me suspect .If you can't resist and absolutely have to start the car in the winter bring your oil temp up to 200 degrees or higher to prevent condensation.
Some times just giving the battery terminals and cable ends a good cleaning is all that is required with little effort and no expense for the try. Batteries can some times die pretty abruptly. We took our 1997 Olds out of storage one spring. It started fine and worked ok for a couple of days then all of a sudden, like this situation, it was just click, click and it was the battery. Bought a new one and the car worked fine. If you get six or seven years out of a battery, you are doing pretty well. Some last a little longer and plenty are done after three years. You just never know. I never had much luck with lawn tractor batteries getting 2-3 years on average. The last one has been in there for so long that I don't remember how old it is. Still works though even in 25F weather. I hate electrical stuff. I tend to want to take a wrench to the stuff.......a big wrench.
Thanks All. I'm going to go out and buy a load tester and try the load tester on the battery first. I'm certainly hopeful its only the battery. The battery I have is not an Optimia, but based on the recommendation above, I'll go that route if and when its replaced. I'll let you know if that's the issue.
On a related note, is there any truth to the FOB draining the battery if the FOB is stored too close to the car? I've read that it continually communicates with the car and may contribute to drain over a long (winter) period of time.
On a related note, is there any truth to the FOB draining the battery if the FOB is stored too close to the car? I've read that it continually communicates with the car and may contribute to drain over a long (winter) period of time.
your battery tender will take care of any of the low power draw things that your car may have. :seeya:
Welcome to the forum!!!! I think it's your tires. (ok, ok, just trying to be different). What battery maintainer are you using? Is it new? Does it cycle on and off or just keep charging?
I bought a load tester and the battery failed. Its a Duralast Gold which is rated very well in consumer reports. Nonetheless its toast.
I am using a CTEK 3300 to maintain the battery. It seemed to work fine, but now its just cycling on full time and never cycling off.
I called an Optima battery dealer and he recommends the red top vs the yellow top. (yellow top is a deep cycle battery) But what I've read the yellow tops the better choice because its a deep cycle. In any event I plan to switch the battery in the spring and let the maintainer continue to work on the Duralast until then to keep the window settings and other electronics alive and well until then.
Any issues with this approach?
I am using a CTEK 3300 to maintain the battery. It seemed to work fine, but now its just cycling on full time and never cycling off.
I called an Optima battery dealer and he recommends the red top vs the yellow top. (yellow top is a deep cycle battery) But what I've read the yellow tops the better choice because its a deep cycle. In any event I plan to switch the battery in the spring and let the maintainer continue to work on the Duralast until then to keep the window settings and other electronics alive and well until then.
Any issues with this approach?
you should be fine. deep cycle batteries are more for marine and rv use. for example, a boat has a starting battery for cranking and a deep cycle for power accessories [ lights, fridge, etc. ]:seeya:
I can tell you that my Optima Yellow Top works like a charm. I of course leave the Battery Tender Plus on it over the winter, but in the summer, even when the car sits for long periods of time, it still starts up no problems.
I have friend with the Red Tops, and they also perform very well. You can't go wrong with either, I don't believe.
My 2005 owner's manual says that if you don't put the manual transmission in reverse when you shut the car off and exit, it will not be secured the battery will drain and could be damaged. Page 2-21
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I can't say I read in the owners manual to keep the car in reverse - but I do it just to be safe - to avoid this very problem.
Thanks for all your input folks - 4 more months to go before the snow melts here and I can drive her out of the garage (I hope).
Cheers,
Thanks for all your input folks - 4 more months to go before the snow melts here and I can drive her out of the garage (I hope).
Cheers,
Amen to the only 4 months to go! I feel your "but it's a dry cold" pain! I hope I fall into a coma for January (except the 13th) and Feb!