Z06Vette.com - Corvette Z06 Forum

1BadLS6 · 07-13-2002, 09:52 PM

So it was my birthday tonight and I had alot of family over the house to celebrate. My niece wanted me to take her for a ride in the Z so I figured we could buzz down the street real quick.

So I pull out, turn off the traction control and stomp on it at about 20 mph. Next thing I know the car almost stalls, the check engine light comes on and it starts showing these phrases on the display.

"Reduced Power Setting"
"Washer Fluid Low"
"Service Traction Control"

I think there was another one in there too. Anyhow, I pulled into a driveway and shut the car off. Gave it about 10 seconds and then started her back up. It still flashed the same things in the display. I pulled out to head home but the car had NO torque and would not go over 2000 rpms. It literally took me one minute to get to 40 mph.

So I parked it and decided to go back to the party. After everyone left I went out and started it up. Nothing came up on the display but the check engine light was on. I took it for a quick drive and everything seemed normal.

Anyone ever have this problem? This is an 01 with just over 9,000 miles on it. My brother told me he saw some oil smoke from it last week when I pulled away from his house. He is a good shade-tree mechanic and said that it did not look normal. I wonder if the two things are related?

Any help here would be appreciated.

Sanford · 07-13-2002, 11:05 PM

Check the computer codes. Write them down and see what they mean. If it is something you can't fix take it to the dealer. He will fix the problem and reset the codes back to normal or 0.

proexpert · 07-14-2002, 06:24 AM

I think this is what happened: The computer lost communication with the power control module, which causes all the wierd codes. Then the car goes into 'limp home' mode, which is why you couldn't get any power. It has happened to me and other members here. I have not been to the dealer yet, but it is inevitable. Remember it's a POS chevy. Good Luck.

ROSSO Z · 07-14-2002, 06:36 AM

I know what caused the "Washer Fluid Low" message.

When you stomped on it the washer fluid forgot to move forward with the car.

Good luck with the other problems.

1BadLS6 · 07-14-2002, 09:51 AM

Maybe I should just trade this car in to the dealership for an 03. I've been disappointed ever since I got the 01 and realized that it had this many problems. I just don't know if they would let me trade in a car that I have only been leasing for 9 months on a new one.

Any salesmen out there that want to make a fast buck? I also qualify for the supplier discount through GM

Jayzvette · 07-14-2002, 10:20 AM

Hmmm I got 12,000 miles on mine with Zero problems!! Best of luck with what ever you decide

RocketSled · 07-14-2002, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by 1BadLS6
I think there was another one in there too. Anyhow, I pulled into a driveway and shut the car off. Gave it about 10 seconds and then started her back up. It still flashed the same things in the display. I pulled out to head home but the car had NO torque and would not go over 2000 rpms. It literally took me one minute to get to 40 mph.

I had something similar happen to my 98 a few years back. Hit a moderate bump in the road and the dashboard lit up like a christmas tree. Got the "reduced power" thing, and like you, found that you could probably push the car faster than you could drive it when the computer is in this mode.

I pulled into a parking lot and thought about it for a few minutes. I tried the ignition on/off thing to no avail. I figured that maybe the PCM wasn't checking to see if the problem was still present, it was just "remembering" it had been in "limp home" mode on the restart. I decided that if my assumption was right, clearing the codes would fix the problem. If my assumption was wrong, I'd clear the codes and they'd just come right back again anyway. Nothing to lose by trying, so I put the DIC in diagnostic mode, cleared the codes, and shut off and restarted the ignition. The problem was solved, the car drove fine, and the problem (whatever it was) never came back again.

Next time (if there is one), clear the codes and *then* try a restart. If there's nothing really busted, the problem will go away.

VettTheRipper · 07-14-2002, 02:03 PM

Sounds to me like you have electrical gremlins. All C5's models had a small percentage of cars that would do wierd stuff at times. They are usually related to faulty grounds or harness connectors and are very difficult to troubleshoot. There one minute.....gone the next.