[z06dustin]

Hi All,

I have a '13 Volt, which I've owned for about 2 months, car has ~42kmi on it. Recently, within the past few days, when I park and then turn off the Volt, the radio doesn't turn off after opening a door. There seems to be an extreme delay between turning it off, and the car actually turning off. Symptoms:

*I can charge, get a green light and honk, with the radio still playing.
*I tried walking away from it for 15min, and when I returned, radio was still playing.
*If I wait ~5min, and open/close the door numerous times, it will finally turn off.
*I've tried all 4 doors and the trunk lid, same results.
*No codes thrown or lights lit.

Thoughts? Man I hate having a car that I can't fix!

 

[saghost]

Are you getting other indications that the car knows the door is open and then closed, like the dome lights and the triple honk if the key is left in it?

The car only knows about the door position from a mechanical switch in the A pillar area, and if that stops reading correctly it would cause your symptoms (other things could, too.)

 

[z06dustin]

I'll try the key thing, but I don't believe the car will let you charge if it's "ON", no? Also I've tried gently forcing the shifter to "P" just to make sure it's parked properly.

And I think the switch is working, because the other doors opening don't cause it either?

 

[saghost]

I'll try the key thing, but I don't believe the car will let you charge if it's "ON", no? Also I've tried gently forcing the shifter to "P" just to make sure it's parked properly.

There's "On," and there's "On."

The car will not charge if it is in ready mode. More accurately, the car won't "qualify" a source of power while in ready - the dash light will stay amber. You can be in ready and charging, though - if you turn the car off for the couple seconds until the amber light goes out and the green or flashing green light comes on, and then turn it on after that.

None of that is relevant for this discussion, though, because that's all about the pushing the brake and power button version of turning the car on and off, and you're talking about the car shutting off the radio when you open the door after you've already turned the car off, right?

Whether the radio shuts off or not, the car would be "off" for the purposes of charging here. I tend to think the easy way to tell if it is seeing the doors correctly is to set the dome lights to the door position and observe when the come on/off as you open and close the doors.

 

[z06dustin]

Door open/close turns on/dims the lights, with the radio on.

Key left in the vehicle, closed, radio on with no warning honks (like you get when the car is "on, on" as Walter says.

Turning off the radio manually, and shutting the door, the "volt" splash screen stays on the display, and it stays lit.

 

[2VoltFamily]

If you hold the Power on/off button too long it will go into accessory mode. Perhaps that is what you are doing.

 

[z06dustin]

Regrettably not that simple, short push or long push, same result.

 

[Nebula]

open the door find the mechanical switch on the a-pillar and poke at it. I think the switch is faulty/stuck.

 

[Cord]

If you open the hood and the engine start to run - then I would say the car is ON.

 

[z06dustin]

open the door find the mechanical switch on the a-pillar and poke at it. I think the switch is faulty/stuck.

Mine, a '13, doesn't have a mech switch on the A pillar. (Other generations may?)

I did however play with the latching mechanism, and when I throw the latch with my finger, I can get the lights to dim, and when I reset the mech with the exterior latch, lights fade on. More importantly the radio goes off. The door position is apparently determined here, and I'm pretty sure this is out of alignment. I'll try to realign myself, and if I can't take it in. I"ll report back either way... still not convinced this is the issue because I don't get why the lights would dim but the radio would stay on. Perhaps it's intermittent during the close transient, just enough to trigger the light circuit but not the radio.

Thanks all.

 

[z06dustin]

If you open the hood and the engine start to run - then I would say the car is ON.

Does opening the hood trigger an engine run? I didn't know that.

 

[z06dustin]

More confused now than ever. There must be several contactors in that switch, or the impedance somehow matters, doesn't make any sense to me.

Symtoms now;
Opening drivers door makes DIC light up with "car charged" indicator, closing door makes this display go away.
Opening drivers door does not light interior lights, closing doesn't turn them off.
Manipulating the switch by hand no longer affects the lights either, but does change the DIC.
Opening/closing passenger doors lights interior correctly.

I'm giving up... I'll take it in if the battery runs down or affects drive-ability, otherwise I'll just tolerate this as "character".

 

[bentbiker]

Have you tried your tests with a 12v charger connected to the battery? These cars have done some pretty crazy things when the 12v battery starts to fail. Also, while you're back at the battery, disconnect the negative terminal for a few minutes to force the computers to reset.

 

[freshcut]

Does opening the hood trigger an engine run? I didn't know that.

Yes, it's a safety thing that alerts anyone attempting to work on the engine with the car powered on, even with a fully charged battery.

+1 on the battery suggestion to pull the negative terminal as well. If that doesn't solve the issue, I'd suggest getting the 12V battery tested, especially if it's the original battery as our '13's are approaching that time where original OEM batteries may start showing signs of failure.

 

[z06dustin]

Just an FYI, if anyone else encounters this... car is still doing this, although it seems to do so less frequently. I've driven it about 6,000 mi, and I live in Phoenix so it's seen some heat. I think if it was the 12 V battery, it would have failed by now. So lesson I guess is; it doesn't matter just a quirk, deal with it.

 

[z06dustin]

Update about 1.5 years later, I've driven the car about 40 kmi and the problem seems to have gone away. Still on the "original" (to me, so at least 2 years old) 12 V battery. Same 12 V battery as when I had this issue. No idea what it was.

 

[KD in TX]

Update about 1.5 years later, I've driven the car about 40 kmi and the problem seems to have gone away. Still on the "original" (to me, so at least 2 years old) 12 V battery. Same 12 V battery as when I had this issue. No idea what it was.

That's personality in my book!