Stereo & Electronics - Trip meter zeroing out/gauges acting wonky on startup.

This is an intermittent problem. Only happens if I start the car cold and its been sitting outside for 12-48 hours.

Engine starts normally, but the trip meter zeros out and all the gauges go wonky. The tach and speedo sweep the entire range, all the smaller gauges show incorrect readings for a few seconds. After 10-15 seconds, all the gauges read normally.

Its really annoying because I use the trip meter as a gas gauge(I don't trust the gas gauge). When it gets to 300 miles, its time to fill up.

Sounds like a weak battery.
Get it load tested (AutoZone does it free).

Sounds like a weak battery.
Get it load tested (AutoZone does it free).

I'll check that, it only started this bs when it got cold. Battery is only a couple of years old though.

If the battery reads OK, but slightly low, try a new one anyway. If that doesn't fix it, you can always return it.

Just make sure you dont give them your core first.

Is that all thats acting up? I would clean the frame/engine grounds just for good measure

I posted about this same issue and found it is actually a mess up from factory that GM made a TSP about... let me find the thread...

Found it:

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/showthread.php?p=7931529&highlight=#post7931529

So the battery voltage may be just a bit low, however the battery will probably last a long time... It's just that the Camaro is real picky about it...

Thanks guys. I cleaned the terminals off on the battery today, they were a little funky, but not too bad. We'll see what that does.

Sorry to get a litte off topic but...I get the same sweeping zero odometer behavior also and thought my battery had a power leak but after reading this thread I'm not sure anymore. The battery is less than a year old. My question though is I don't drive my car very often so how long should the battery last between starts. I think I've only gotten like 2 weeks before it needed a jump. I have a trickle charger that shows battery %. I charged it to 70% then checked it about 24 hours later and it showed 30%. Anyone have any idea if that sounds normal?

No way that is normal. You should be able to go 2 months without needing a jump. How long do you drive it each time? You need at least 45 min. of driving for the alternator to re-charge a dead battery.

Driving time varies. Sometimes as little as 10 minutes, sometime about 40 minutes. Thinking back, since I got this new battery (maybe 4-6 months ago) I've driven the care maybe 10 times and only once or twice was it for close to 45 minutes.

I had this problem when I first bought my T/A. It's actually the computer resetting itself. It's zeroing out itself and calibrating the gauges as if you are driving it for the first time. So it's relearning everything, like if you disco'd the battery while doing maintenance and stuff, then reconnecting it afterwards. I had GM reflash the ECM, but after 3 reflashes it kept doing it and they ended up replacing the ECM itself. Never happened again after that, except when it's supposed to (after leaving the battery disco'd for a while). So if there is nothing wrong with your battery, I'd look into having your computer checked out

I had this problem when I first bought my T/A. It's actually the computer resetting itself. It's zeroing out itself and calibrating the gauges as if you are driving it for the first time. So it's relearning everything, like if you disco'd the battery while doing maintenance and stuff, then reconnecting it afterwards. I had GM reflash the ECM, but after 3 reflashes it kept doing it and they ended up replacing the ECM itself. Never happened again after that, except when it's supposed to (after leaving the battery disco'd for a while)

Does this jack up the tune???

Mine started doing that in my 99 ss. My battery was still original and getting old so I decided it was probably time to replace it. Hasnt done it since and I replaced it this past summer.