[Calvear0]

Car wouldn’t start. Dashboard lights on and the car would just crank and not turn on. Smoke coming from what seemed to be the starter. Took it to the dealer and they said the battery was drained. They charged it and I was on my way. 30 mins later, the car wouldn’t start. Drained battery again. I put an audio system a month and a half ago and they said that would be the reason why. I disconnected the system from the battery and again my car still wouldn’t turn after running it for 30 mins. They tested the battery and said there was a bad cell. They replaced the battery and told me it was ready for pick up. 10 mins later I get a call that the car wouldn’t turn on. They kept it overnight and the next day they just tested the battery and cleaned the terminals and said the car was fine and that it turned in right away. Picked up my car and drove it for 30 mins and I turned it off and back on and it cranked like 10 times before it started. I knew this was more than a bad battery. Went to the dealer and they told me that the mechanic said it was because of my sound system. They told me the only way they’ll take my car back is if I put it back to factory system. So they jump started my car and I went to have them disconnect all the wiring so I can take it back to the chevy dealer. When they disconnected the sound system my car wouldn’t start. They charged the battery and i got it to start . Took it the dealer and they turned on my car and it cranked at least 10 times before it started. Service advisor noticed the RPM’S weren’t working when he was Reving the car. The car has been at the dealer for 5 days in and out. Any suggestions as to why this might be happening. I’d appreciate it.

[metros11]

Did anyone think to check the alternator?

[avalonandl]

You probably have a short and its draining the battery. Check all the connections on the sound system- did you add an amp?

[Calvear0]

They did a test on the alternator and it checked out fine

[Calvear0]

Originally Posted by avalonandl

You probably have a short and its draining the battery. Check all the connections on the sound system- did you add an amp?

Yeah exactly what I’m thinking, there’s gotta be a short somewhere. Which is why I had the sound system disconnected and all wires too. Sound system shop is telling me there is nothing wrong. Yeah I added 2 Amps.

[Dreamcar16]

could be a parasitic draw which could be caused by a short

[Calvear0]

Originally Posted by Dreamcar16

could be a parasitic draw which could be caused by a short

Any suggestions as to from where that draw might be coming from?

[BrianL]

Have you done any modifications that tapped into the electrical system somewhere? If so, I would start by looking there.

[jimmypop13]

What a nightmare. I think I'll leave my stereo alone. Hope you figure it out. I'd be so stressed

[Calvear0]

No i haven’t done anything to electrical system. I asked the shop where I had my audio system installed that question but no they didn’t. My car is still in the dealership so I’m sure they still have no clue what’s going on.

[Blazin383]

Last winter I put a tender on my 16 2SS all winter and in the Spring it started right up. However, about the 2nd time I went to start it was dead. Put it on a charger and it started but was dead again the next time I tried to start it. Took it to the dealership and the put in a new battery cause the original 1 year old battery wouldn't hold a charge. I think they put crap batteries in these cars from the factory! Low bid suppliers I'm sure!

[dpevans]

It's basic electrical system checks. Check battery, check cold cranking amps, check alt amps, check starter amps, check for parasitic draw, not rocket science and I would be taking it to another dealer. And if you added two amps did you add enough battery and alternator to compensate for the draw??

This is an article from Crutchfield on amps draw on system and how much is needed. I would think a reputable install shop would have figured this out.

Q: What's the biggest amp I can hook up to my car's electrical system?

A: Your car's alternator ampere rating determines how powerful an amplifier you can install. Multiply the ampere rating by 40%, and you'll get a rough idea of how much reserve current capacity your car's system has. Next, you'll need to calculate the approximate current draw of the amplifier you're considering installing.

To calculate the current draw of an amplifier, multiply the number of channels by the RMS watts per channel (a 2 channel amp rated at 300 watts RMS per channel would be 600 watts). Double it to account for amplifier inefficiency (600 watts X 2 = 1200 watts), then divide by the average output Voltage of an alternator, 13.8 volts (1200 divided by 13.8 = 87 amps). Since the average music signal requires about 1/3rd of the average power in a test tone, divide by 3 (87 amps divided by 3 = 29 amps). The result is the amplifier's approximate average current draw while playing music at top volume.

A fast-and-nasty way to ballpark an amplifier's current draw is to divide the total fuse value of the amp by two. For amplifiers with multiple fuses, the rating of all fuses provided with the amp must be added together. This will likely produce a significantly higher estimate than using the proper formula. Although inaccurate, this will err on the side of safety.



Finally, compare the amplifier's approximate current draw to your vehicle's reserve current capacity to determine if the electrical system can support the amplifier.

If all those numbers are a bit much, here's a simpler way to think about it: an alternator capable of producing 65 amperes is usually adequate for systems up to 540 watts RMS. A compact car with a 35-amp alternator can accommodate around 290 watts of power, while a Sport Utility with a 145-amp alternator should handle a 1200 watt system. A capacitor can help if your system is drawing a little too much power. Car audio competitors often replace their vehicle's alternators with heavy-duty upgrades to accommodate big power demands.

[fxdxron1]

FYI 2016 Camaro SS Manual. I just had my 3rd battery installed in a year and a half. I do think these are poor quality batteries

[Jackass]

Originally Posted by fxdxron1

FYI 2016 Camaro SS Manual. I just had my 3rd battery installed in a year and a half. I do think these are poor quality batteries

Three batteries in 18 months and they are all bad ! More like the problem isn't from those batteries