Camaro SS Battery drain

16WhiteSS · 03-30-2018, 10:15 PM

So for the 2nd time now my car battery has drained to nothing just sitting in the garage. The last time I drove it was last Saturday. Today (Friday), I noticed the red security light was not flashing. Got the door/trunk open manually, checked the voltage; 3.66 volts. Jumped the car, drove around at 50-55 for about 30 minutes and the car is back up to 12.4 volts.

I’ve read some of the battery drain posts on the forum, but haven’t seen anyone with an issue similar to what is going on with my car. I think I found the problem and would like to post it here in case anyone else has this issue.

If all the lights are off in the garage, the car is locked and “sleeping”, I can see the back light on the LCD screen for the gauge cluster turns on for 30 seconds, then off for 5 seconds, and keeps repeating this behavior. I tested this a couple times by unlocking, turning on the ignition, then back off, locking and storing the key in its normal spot. It is repeatable and sometimes the steering wheel lights would flash every time the LCD backlight came on. It’s very hard to see with any amount of light and even hard to see before your eyes adjust to the darkness after turning the lights out. One off the tests the back light stayed off longer, about 20 seconds instead of 5.

My car is a 2016 Camaro 2SS 6 speed, 4700 miles and the only mods are Mishimoto catch can and SLP skip-shift eliminator. Both mods have been on the car for 6 months+ before having this issue.

I'm going to make an appointment at the dealer tomorrow and will post the results.

Martinjlm · 03-31-2018, 09:26 AM

I had noticed that anytime I let my car sit for more than 3 days without starting or being on the battery tender it would be dead as a doornail. Took it to the dealer and described the situation. They removed the battery, placed it on a cycle charger for a couple hours to completely drain and recharge it. So now I’m just watching it. Of course, now that the weather is changing (finally) the likelihood of it sitting 3 days without starting are super-slim.

Glen e · 03-31-2018, 10:09 AM

ive said this before but i think there is sometihng in a part or design that is causes a parasitic drain. i am on my second batt and this is a problem too much posted on here for all of us to have left something on.....yes, all new cars go flat after a month or two, but most people report less than 3days some when it happens. every car should go acouple weeks at least, or else every chevy parked in long term parking could start a class action suit.

all just my opin.....

JFM-jr · 03-31-2018, 10:25 AM

Not saying I'm immune to this issue but my car sat for 3 weeks in my friends garage while I had some house work done and started with no issue. (No I didn't leave him a key to it lol).

Glen e · 03-31-2018, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFM-jr

Not saying I'm immune to this issue but my car sat for 3 weeks in my friends garage while I had some house work done and started with no issue. (No I didn't leave him a key to it lol).

mine has made it 5 weeks, no problem, a month later , 3 days killed it....thats the point.....you never know....

KingLT1 · 03-31-2018, 10:34 AM

I agree with Glen...charge life varies. I now just keep it on a battery tender.

fxdxron1 · 03-31-2018, 10:34 AM

I am on my 3rd battery My car 2016 SS Manual. These batteries are poor quality. I had the slow start when hot on my first 2 batteries. Now on my 3rd and no more problems. My charging system is fine.

Martinjlm · 03-31-2018, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingLT1

I agree with Glen...charge life varies. I now just keep it on a battery tender.

At first I thought the battery tender was the solution. Then we had a warm stretch (70 degrees in December) where I drive it a few days and didn’t put it back on a tender. Then it got cold and when I went out to hook up the tender it was dead.

Between that and just the idea of what if I went out of town and left it parked at the airport (unlikely...Uber ). I would hate to come back to a dead battery at the airport. That’s why I took it to the dealer even though all appears to be fine for now. Now that I have the issue documented, I can make certain I get recourse if I get a repeat occurrence.

Soleil · 03-31-2018, 02:30 PM

Quite strange, I left my car in November in the garage and started it today with no issue.

sengli · 03-31-2018, 02:30 PM

Had the same issue with my Gen5 camaros. They would just go dead without warning. All of my cars are stock with nothing added, or modified. Ended up the battery was what fixed my last 2014 1LE car. Now I always have my car on a tender, when not driving it. My last corvette a C6 was the same way.

avalonandl · 04-01-2018, 09:55 AM

OP- suspect you have a bad battery....dealer should chnge it.

TRich2SS · 04-01-2018, 02:43 PM

I just had my battery replaced via warranty yesterday.

hotlap · 04-01-2018, 05:28 PM

I daily drive mine and I still had it run itself dead overnight twice within a week. Both times I could hear something running up front, down low. Jump starting it worked the first time but the second time it had to be flat bedded to the dealer ...who then said they just jumped it. It’s been fine since ...about one month. Car will be two years old on May 3.

I know low battery voltage will cause things to run that shouldn’t. Maybe the battery is crap and I’d do shelf a favor to replace it with a quality piece. Definitely before next winter

rotohead · 04-01-2018, 06:53 PM

Check the OnStar battery if it's bad or dead the sensors will pull power and kill you car battery in about three or four days!

03-30-2018, 10:15 PM	#1
16WhiteSS Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS 6spd Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Bradenton, FL Posts: 13	Camaro SS Battery drain So for the 2nd time now my car battery has drained to nothing just sitting in the garage. The last time I drove it was last Saturday. Today (Friday), I noticed the red security light was not flashing. Got the door/trunk open manually, checked the voltage; 3.66 volts. Jumped the car, drove around at 50-55 for about 30 minutes and the car is back up to 12.4 volts. I’ve read some of the battery drain posts on the forum, but haven’t seen anyone with an issue similar to what is going on with my car. I think I found the problem and would like to post it here in case anyone else has this issue. If all the lights are off in the garage, the car is locked and “sleeping”, I can see the back light on the LCD screen for the gauge cluster turns on for 30 seconds, then off for 5 seconds, and keeps repeating this behavior. I tested this a couple times by unlocking, turning on the ignition, then back off, locking and storing the key in its normal spot. It is repeatable and sometimes the steering wheel lights would flash every time the LCD backlight came on. It’s very hard to see with any amount of light and even hard to see before your eyes adjust to the darkness after turning the lights out. One off the tests the back light stayed off longer, about 20 seconds instead of 5. My car is a 2016 Camaro 2SS 6 speed, 4700 miles and the only mods are Mishimoto catch can and SLP skip-shift eliminator. Both mods have been on the car for 6 months+ before having this issue. I'm going to make an appointment at the dealer tomorrow and will post the results.

03-31-2018, 09:26 AM	#2
Martinjlm Retired from GM Drives: 2017 Camaro Fifty SS Convertible Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Detroit Posts: 5,219	I had noticed that anytime I let my car sit for more than 3 days without starting or being on the battery tender it would be dead as a doornail. Took it to the dealer and described the situation. They removed the battery, placed it on a cycle charger for a couple hours to completely drain and recharge it. So now I’m just watching it. Of course, now that the weather is changing (finally) the likelihood of it sitting 3 days without starting are super-slim. __________________ 2017 CAMARO FIFTY SS CONVERTIBLE A8 \| MRC \| NPP \| Nav \| HUD \| GM Performance CAI \| Tony Mamo LT1 V2 Ported TB \| Kooks 1-7/8” LT Headers \| FlexFuel Tune \| Thinkware Q800 Pro front and rear dash cam \| Charcoal Tint for Taillights and 3rd Brakelight \| Orange and Carbon Fiber Bowties \| 1LE Wheels in Gunmetal Gray \| Carbon Fiber Interior Overlays \| Novistretch bra and mirror covers \| Tow hitch for bicycle rack \|

03-31-2018, 10:09 AM	#3
Glen e Retired from Car mfrs.... Drives: 2LT RS/HR-V Join Date: May 2013 Location: /Fort Lauderdale Posts: 10,048	ive said this before but i think there is sometihng in a part or design that is causes a parasitic drain. i am on my second batt and this is a problem too much posted on here for all of us to have left something on.....yes, all new cars go flat after a month or two, but most people report less than 3days some when it happens. every car should go acouple weeks at least, or else every chevy parked in long term parking could start a class action suit. all just my opin..... __________________ Glen CLICK HERE for detailing a new car: detailing for non detailers CLICK HERE for how to rinseless CLICK HERE for EASY wheel sealant Last edited by Glen e; 03-31-2018 at 10:19 AM.

03-31-2018, 10:25 AM	#4
JFM-jr Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Suffolk Long Island Posts: 954	Not saying I'm immune to this issue but my car sat for 3 weeks in my friends garage while I had some house work done and started with no issue. (No I didn't leave him a key to it lol). __________________ 2016 Hyper Blue 2SS A8,NPP,Moonroof Pray ported factory intake manifold Ported TB Rotofab ARH 1 7/8 longtubes hi flow cats AFM deleted E85 11.0@124.9 11.65@118.8 pump gas,stock tune/exhaust New combo: Pray Performance Heads/cam MSD intake manifold and Circle D 3C 554/491 on E85 all work & tuning done by Pray

03-31-2018, 10:34 AM	#6
KingLT1 Drives: 2016 1SS NFG A8 Join Date: Aug 2017 Location: 46804 Posts: 6,792	I agree with Glen...charge life varies. I now just keep it on a battery tender. __________________ 2016 NFG 1SS A8 Options-2SS Leather/NPP Perf. mods-Whipple 2.9/Fuel System/Flex Fuel/103mm TB/Rotofab Big Gulp/Cat Deletes/Corsa NPP Per. times- 10.5 @ 137 w/ 1.8 60ft Full weight on 20's 1200DA

03-31-2018, 10:34 AM	#7
fxdxron1 Drives: 2016 Camaro 1SS Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Sacramento California Posts: 102	Batterry I am on my 3rd battery My car 2016 SS Manual. These batteries are poor quality. I had the slow start when hot on my first 2 batteries. Now on my 3rd and no more problems. My charging system is fine.

03-31-2018, 02:30 PM	#9
Soleil Drives: Camaro 50th anniversary edition Join Date: May 2017 Location: Europe Posts: 2,203 View My Garage	Quite strange, I left my car in November in the garage and started it today with no issue. __________________ Soleil _____________________________________________ A car is fast enough, if you fear to unlock it in the morning." (Walter Roehrl)

03-31-2018, 02:30 PM	#10
sengli Drives: 2015commemorative vert 2SS Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: northern Indiana Posts: 948	Had the same issue with my Gen5 camaros. They would just go dead without warning. All of my cars are stock with nothing added, or modified. Ended up the battery was what fixed my last 2014 1LE car. Now I always have my car on a tender, when not driving it. My last corvette a C6 was the same way. __________________ 2018 ZL1 Bright Yellow, A10, PDR, sunroof, carbon hood, and dash- sold 2020 2SS A10 sunroof..shock and steel special-traded 2015 commemorative vert 2ss

04-01-2018, 09:55 AM	#11
avalonandl Drives: 2019 ZL-1 Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Troy, MI & Naples, FL Posts: 2,019	OP- suspect you have a bad battery....dealer should chnge it. __________________ 2019 ZL-1 Acquired 4/23/21 at 6300 miles. Riverside Blue, A10, PDR. Traded in 2017 2SS with 6M and 32k miles. Continental Extreme Contact Sports. Now has 10,000 miles... 2012 Yukon XL Denali w/ 6.2 AWD

04-01-2018, 02:43 PM	#12
TRich2SS Drives: 2016 Camaro 2SS Summit White Join Date: May 2016 Location: Maryland Posts: 260	I just had my battery replaced via warranty yesterday.

04-01-2018, 05:28 PM	#13
hotlap Drives: 20 1LE 2SS M6 Rally Green Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Franklin WI Posts: 6,632	I daily drive mine and I still had it run itself dead overnight twice within a week. Both times I could hear something running up front, down low. Jump starting it worked the first time but the second time it had to be flat bedded to the dealer ...who then said they just jumped it. It’s been fine since ...about one month. Car will be two years old on May 3. I know low battery voltage will cause things to run that shouldn’t. Maybe the battery is crap and I’d do shelf a favor to replace it with a quality piece. Definitely before next winter __________________ "the trouble with our liberal friends is not that they're ignorant; it's just that they know so much that isn't so.” Ronald Reagan -

04-01-2018, 06:53 PM	#14
rotohead Drives: 2017 Camaro RS Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Washington DC Posts: 45 View My Garage	Check the OnStar battery if it's bad or dead the sensors will pull power and kill you car battery in about three or four days!

User Name		Remember Me?
Password