We just bought a 85 corvette last week and it worked fine. The other day we drove it and came home and the car wont even turn over. The interior lights, radio, gauges, headlights work. Battery says 11.5 % and it tried jumping it from another vehicle. What is going on?

 

First, Welcome to CF.
I would look first to the solinoid. Check to see if you have voltage there. If so, Solinoid is my thought.

 

If all the gauges and stuff come on when you turn the key, and it says security or something like that, I think its the VATS key, (your ingntion key), this is just my guess, same thing happens to me every now and agian in my 86', I wait a few min then come back and it starts, Gotta have faith! [8D] im just to lazy to change it right now, doing other stuff to her!!! cheers

[IMG]local://upfiles/3562/955CC54D0A0649D4B1F991B91654580E.jpg[/IMG]

 

I'd have to guess VATS as well as I have had other GM cars where this was the issue. The easiest way to correct this is to DISABLE THE DAMN VATS. A module can be purchased at any locksmith and can be installed within minutes. On my '89 Trans Am it took longer to remove the underdash cover than it did to install the module. The module, which is just a very small plug-in, shouldn't cost more than $25. Of course, you can have another key cut but if the problem is the contacts in the steering column, a new key will only be a temporary stop gap measure.

 

My key doesn't have a vats chip in it. I talked to a chevy technician and he thought that it was either the clutch sensor or the solenoid on the starter. He told me that there should be power to the purple wire on the solenoid when the key is turned, if there is not power, the clutch sensor is bad.

 

wow I thought all vettes since 85 or 86 had VATS, I guess I was wrong

 

It ended up being a bad starter. The starter was fairly new. thanks for the help

 

It was the 1985 model year: http://www.drdetailshop.com/gmpellet.htm

I'd guess it has been disabled on this poster's car.