[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

So, this past Saturday a group of us from our local Camaro club went to Cars and Coffee at the Hungry Buffalo in the Hocking Hills! It was a huge turn out of cars and spectators and a total AWESOME time, and one of the largest C&C's I've attended! The best parts was the club members all drove down in a "Camarovan" <--- see what I did there!

When the event was over, we decided to grab lunch together at the Hungry Buffalo (great food)! I grabbed my Key FOB out of my pocket and pressed the lock button, but NOTHING happened! I pressed it like 3 more times and still nothing, so pressed the button on the door pull to lock the car. I thought, hmmm that's weird, and went in for lunch. When we were ready to leave, again, I had to use the button on the door pull to unlock the car. I started it up and noticed immediately it was running really rough and it died after about 6 seconds. I started it up again and it stayed running, but was still running rough. I revved it, and the RPMs just climbed really slowly (even after letting off the peddle and then the RPMs just came back down to idle slowly. I noticed, I had all kinds of dash lights on (including the check engine light) and had scrolling messages about different issues. I read the codes with my Banks Data Monster gauge (it's so sweet!), and here is what it showed:

P0700 – Transmission Control System (MIL Request)
U0073 – Control Module Communication Bus Off
U0101 – Lost Communication With TCM

I reset the codes, but the check engine light stayed on. So, I decided I'd just limb back home. But, when I started driving I noticed the car wouldn't shift out of 1st (I have an automatic). I decided to try manual shift mode, but, it still wouldn't shift. The dash indicated it was still in [D] automatic mode when I actually had it in manual shift mode. I pulled into a parking lot, shut it off, started it again, and drove a bit, but the problems persisted. I had to turn it off, start it and drive it like 3 times before it started acting normal. I wasn't running rough any longer and it would shift in both automatic and manual mode!

After getting home, I decided to take a few short trips, and after the 3rd trip the check engine light went off. Like always, after driving I hooked up my battery tender. I went in the garage a few hours later and noticed the charger was showing a [Red] light. It shows the +cable issue, but it was all connected correctly.

So does this mean bad battery? I remember once before, when my battery died over the winter because the charger was unplugged, something similar happened. My car is a 2023 that I purchased in December of 2022. I'll get the battery tested, but could it be time to replace the batter already after only owning the car 2.5 years? Take Care!

[dmcmahan60]

If you get it tested, have them test it from the battery itself in the trunk. Auto Zone tested mine a few times from under the hood and it gives a false reading as if the battery was bad. Got a free battery 2 times because of that The P0700 is a generic TCM code. Mine threw the P0700 and P0711 codes because the trans temp sensor wire was broken and that what caused the CEL. I see you are heavily modified, did you passenger side wiring harness fall on the headers and start melting wires? That would cause lights on your dash to go off like a Christmas tree. Hope some of this helps and keep us updated.

[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

Originally Posted by dmcmahan60

If you get it tested, have them test it from the battery itself in the trunk. Auto Zone tested mine a few times from under the hood and it gives a false reading as if the battery was bad. Got a free battery 2 times because of that The P0700 is a generic TCM code. Mine threw the P0700 and P0711 codes because the trans temp sensor wire was broken and that what caused the CEL. I see you are heavily modified, did you passenger side wiring harness fall on the headers and start melting wires? That would cause lights on your dash to go off like a Christmas tree. Hope some of this helps and keep us updated.

Good advise! I had already checked the wires and connectors near the headers. They are all good and clean out of the way. The car drove fine all the rest of the afternoon and that night with no issues. But, I put it back on the charger last night and just now had my wife facetime me so I could see the status of the charger, and its showing red light again. I told her to try and start the car, there was no open door chimes/dinging, no lights, no dash lighting on nothing, it would even try to start either. So, probably a bad battery? I think I will remove the battery and take it to Auto Zone and get it tested and go from there. I'll report back later tonight. Thanks

[dmcmahan60]

With your battery on a battery tender it should not be draining it like that, but you could have a bad cell in the battery? I drive mine everyday but I guess if you drive it all the time it could cause battery problems? Good luck.

[radz28]

It seems like batteries (bad ones) can really throw these cars for a loop. I seems like you're on the right track, but I'm not certain.

Car batteries have been junk for years. When I was at the dealership (late 90s, early 2000s) they were pretty cheap but we replaced them all the time. With all the stuff that seems to be going on in the background of our cars, it's no wonder they die, what seems like, so easily. Shoot - there's a transport mode to minimize battery drain, if that's any indication...

Also - an observation I made a long time ago, when I was working at a body shop for many years, was it seems like batteries create a sort of memory. So - if you take your DD, that you drive every day, for years, on the same battery, and leave it for a few weeks at a body shop for repairs, is those cars seemed to kill batteries pretty frequently. I can see an argument that cars (at shops) can be started several times a day (for days) moving them around and in and out of the shop, and that's only enough time to drain the battery and not charge them because they don't run long enough. That makes some sense, too. I'm just saying, personally, I've noticed a trend in what seems like a memory they seem to build, and once you start stepping out of that routine - it seems like they're easier to kill.

With you car being in the shop, and just not used the same for a good bit of weeks (albeit - that was some months ago), it wouldn't surprise me this might happen. And - with the conditions you experienced, seemingly, improving the more you drove the car (perhaps charging the battery as you drove more), it pushes me to believe your battery was either getting low on charge, needs a replacement - or both.

I remember when I first got my car (09/2019) - I didn't use the charger that came with it for months. And - within 6-months of owning the car (bought brand new), the battery ran out of charge. I wasn't driving it much (because of Winter), but it showed me just how much of a drain there was in the back ground, which shouldn't be surprising, IMO. Now - he's always on the charger.

JMVHO

[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

So yep and I agree with drain down. It's weird, I've noticed (since I've been working on the cooling loop for like a straight week. That when I have the hood open, and don't have the key fob with me. I seem to always hear "something" making "some kind" of noise? in the engine bay. It's weird, and I've not located source of the noise yet. Honestly I've not looked for it yet either, but, I will now. I might start just disconnecting the battery when parked in the garage. Does/will that have any negative effects?

[radz28]

Originally Posted by 2023_ZL1-AUTO

So yep and I agree with drain down. It's weird, I've noticed (since I've been working on the cooling loop for like a straight week. That when I have the hood open, and don't have the key fob with me. I seem to always hear "something" making "some kind" of noise? in the engine bay. It's weird, and I've not located source of the noise yet. Honestly I've not looked for it yet either, but, I will now. I might start just disconnecting the battery when parked in the garage. Does/will that have any negative effects?

Probably not much. The car will have to relearn long term fuel trims and crap, but that's not a bid deal.

What I might recommend thinking about is:

[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

Originally Posted by radz28

Probably not much. The car will have to relearn long term fuel trims and crap, but that's not a bid deal.

What I might recommend thinking about is:

Sweet! Great find! Thanks for sharing !!!

[2SS Capt]

Originally Posted by 2023_ZL1-AUTO

So, this past Saturday a group of us from our local Camaro club went to Cars and Coffee at the Hungry Buffalo in the Hocking Hills! It was a huge turn out of cars and spectators and a total AWESOME time, and one of the largest C&C's I've attended! The best parts was the club members all drove down in a "Camarovan" <--- see what I did there!

When the event was over, we decided to grab lunch together at the Hungry Buffalo (great food)! I grabbed my Key FOB out of my pocket and pressed the lock button, but NOTHING happened! I pressed it like 3 more times and still nothing, so pressed the button on the door pull to lock the car. I thought, hmmm that's weird, and went in for lunch. When we were ready to leave, again, I had to use the button on the door pull to unlock the car. I started it up and noticed immediately it was running really rough and it died after about 6 seconds. I started it up again and it stayed running, but was still running rough. I revved it, and the RPMs just climbed really slowly (even after letting off the peddle and then the RPMs just came back down to idle slowly. I noticed, I had all kinds of dash lights on (including the check engine light) and had scrolling messages about different issues. I read the codes with my Banks Data Monster gauge (it's so sweet!), and here is what it showed:

P0700 – Transmission Control System (MIL Request)
U0073 – Control Module Communication Bus Off
U0101 – Lost Communication With TCM

I reset the codes, but the check engine light stayed on. So, I decided I'd just limb back home. But, when I started driving I noticed the car wouldn't shift out of 1st (I have an automatic). I decided to try manual shift mode, but, it still wouldn't shift. The dash indicated it was still in [D] automatic mode when I actually had it in manual shift mode. I pulled into a parking lot, shut it off, started it again, and drove a bit, but the problems persisted. I had to turn it off, start it and drive it like 3 times before it started acting normal. I wasn't running rough any longer and it would shift in both automatic and manual mode!

After getting home, I decided to take a few short trips, and after the 3rd trip the check engine light went off. Like always, after driving I hooked up my battery tender. I went in the garage a few hours later and noticed the charger was showing a [Red] light. It shows the +cable issue, but it was all connected correctly.

So does this mean bad battery? I remember once before, when my battery died over the winter because the charger was unplugged, something similar happened. My car is a 2023 that I purchased in December of 2022. I'll get the battery tested, but could it be time to replace the batter already after only owning the car 2.5 years? Take Care!

Not sure if this is your issue, but you might want to have a read through this: https://www.camaro6.com/forums/showthread.php?t=585372

[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

So, I check the battery after I got home, opened my drivers door and noticed the window didn't roll down slightly like normal. Gabbed the key and nothing, and I had the battery on tender all day (still red LED). Had to crawl through rear seat to open trunk, removed battery and went to Auto Zone. They first tried testing it, and it was so dead it would do the test. They try to charge it for 30 mins and nothing totally dead. Bought a new one and things are looking ok. Have all kinds of engine code from I guess the battery running down. I'm going to go on a few drives and see if it all clears up.

[ZLRob]

Originally Posted by 2023_ZL1-AUTO

So, I check the battery after I got home, opened my drivers door and noticed the window didn't roll down slightly like normal. Gabbed the key and nothing, and I had the battery on tender all day (still red LED). Had to crawl through rear seat to open trunk, removed battery and went to Auto Zone. They first tried testing it, and it was so dead it would do the test. They try to charge it for 30 mins and nothing totally dead. Bought a new one and things are looking ok. Have all kinds of engine code from I guess the battery running down. I'm going to go on a few drives and see if it all clears up.

Yep. That'll clear it out just fine. Your battery was just toast is all. The vehicles sitting at the dealer for long periods of time get what is called "lot rot" from not being started/ ran/ charged up properly and the batteries on them subsequently do not last very long due to this.

As for your battery deal, I'm surprised you're not running a lithium battery back there with how much you've put into your build. I gotta tell you, you should just swing for it. As energy hungry as these cars computers and electronics systems are, stable and consistent voltage is something they crave and by installing one allows you that much more piece of mind by satisfying that need. Consistently STRONG start ups every single time. I've been running mine for about a year and a half now or so and it has been the best thing I've ever done for my car. Wasn't any more pricey than an AGM you can pick up from your local store either.

[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

Originally Posted by ZLRob

Yep. That'll clear it out just fine... I'm surprised you're not running a lithium battery...

DANG! I really didn't know anything about lithium batteries for cars, although I purposely bought Lithium for our Kayaks !!!

Also, what a pain to take out and replace the battery. I several years ago, I had a BMW 540 that had the battery in the trunk. But, it was a zillion times easier to take out and put back compared to the ZL1 Camaro.

[ZLRob]

Originally Posted by 2023_ZL1-AUTO

DANG! I really didn't know anything about lithium batteries for cars, although I purposely bought Lithium for our Kayaks !!!

Also, what a pain to take out and replace the battery. I several years ago, I had a BMW 540 that had the battery in the trunk. But, it was a zillion times easier to take out and put back compared to the ZL1 Camaro.

The Camaro is not too bad though I do understand why you feel that it is a PITA. Yeah dude, look into them for sure. They are an EXCELLENT weight savings compared to lead acid, both either AGM and flooded which are just heavy pigs and they are a much cleaner delivery of power (no corrosion build up to deal with and by extension won't damage the paint in the back of the battery tray etc) I felt the weight savings the moment I changed it out and took it for a spin. Much better now!

[2023_ZL1-AUTO]

So, car has been on CTEK charger for (2) straight days. I drove to Full Throttle Thursday's at a local car meet up, parked it for 2 hours at the meet, drove straight home. I put it on the CTEK charger right after getting out of the car. Now, the CTEK always take a few minutes to build up the LEDs the current level, and here after 30 minutes, it still shows more than 1/2 to go ??? I'm so confused with what this means, especially after a new 800CA AGM battery just a few weeks ago!