'05 Yukon 5.3,..Starter problem or WHAT??

[mountie]

It could be the starter, the relay and it could be the ignition switch or maybe even a tight dirty connection at the battery or....etc.

When you tried the key and it acted dead, did you immediately turn off and try again and it started or you let sit and it then started?

I reread the initial problem steps. Very easily could be the signs of an ignition switch problem. Neutral switch?

Tried numerous times, turning the key....nutti'n....... I carefully watched turning the key if something was different..... nope..... It didn't start all day.....
I moved the shifter to see if the neutral safety switch was glitching.... nope...
Second day, I was going to tap the starter..... But it started as if nothing was wrong.
That's when I went and got a relay. Holding on to the relay until ( if ) the problem returns....

Good grief..... I'll have my mechanic check the starter next week....

 

[Doubeleive]

Tried numerous times, turning the key....nutti'n....... I carefully watched turning the key if something was different..... nope..... It didn't start all day.....
I moved the shifter to see if the neutral safety switch was glitching.... nope...
Second day, I was going to tap the starter..... But it started as if nothing was wrong.
That's when I went and got a relay. Holding on to the relay until ( if ) the problem returns....

Good grief..... I'll have my mechanic check the starter next week....

going to be hard to "check the starter" until it just dies altogether, the best you will get is the hammer method, you could pull it and bench test it all day and it might not do it especially if it's not under a load.

 

[rockola1971]

Not everyone here was an aviation electrician on the F/A 18C Hornet let alone knows how to use a digital multimeter (AKA Voltmeter but does so much more). So if I didnt know how to use a multimeter I would buy a new starter relay and an ignition switch. They are cheap and stupid easy to replace. Sure it's possible that the starter is acting a fool or even a dirty ground or even a dirty hot connection. But our generation of K chassis is getting pretty old so might as well throw a relay and ignition switch in it. You might get lucky. The way I see it..... is the 2 parts are like maybe $40 combined and thats alot cheaper than a hour with a mechanic because if it aint the starter then you are paying a mechanic. If the starter is good and the 2 parts doesnt fix it. You are out $40 BUT you just added some reliability to your K chassis since your 2 new parts now will likely out live your engine if original. Plus if you have to get into troubleshooting it further you can get a cheap multimeter and I can guide you through the checks right here and tell you how to use your multimeter and even post electrical schematics for the starter circuit. (Before anyone says it, this is NOT a PASSLOCK problem since the engine wont even crank. The PASSLOCK system allows an engine to crank but kills it after a few seconds if theft or a malfunction of the PASSLOCK system happens).

Or get the meter, forget the parts for now and we can get on to troubleshooting this electrical problem.
A quick and dirty is next time engine fails to crank have someone try to start it while you have your fingers on top of the start relay. If you feel the start relay click then likely everything is good up to it which rules out the ignition switch and associated wiring to the start relay control circuit. Doesnt rule out the start relay contacts (which could be burnt) but its a start.

 

[mountie]

Not everyone here was an aviation electrician on the F/A 18C Hornet let alone knows how to use a digital multimeter (AKA Voltmeter but does so much more). So if I didnt know how to use a multimeter I would buy a new starter relay and an ignition switch. They are cheap and stupid easy to replace. Sure it's possible that the starter is acting a fool or even a dirty ground or even a dirty hot connection. But our generation of K chassis is getting pretty old so might as well throw a relay and ignition switch in it. You might get lucky. The way I see it..... is the 2 parts are like maybe $40 combined and thats alot cheaper than a hour with a mechanic because if it aint the starter then you are paying a mechanic. If the starter is good and the 2 parts doesnt fix it. You are out $40 BUT you just added some reliability to your K chassis since your 2 new parts now will likely out live your engine if original. Plus if you have to get into troubleshooting it further you can get a cheap multimeter and I can guide you through the checks right here and tell you how to use your multimeter and even post electrical schematics for the starter circuit. (Before anyone says it, this is NOT a PASSLOCK problem since the engine wont even crank. The PASSLOCK system allows an engine to crank but kills it after a few seconds if theft or a malfunction of the PASSLOCK system happens).

Or get the meter, forget the parts for now and we can get on to troubleshooting this electrical problem.
A quick and dirty is next time engine fails to crank have someone try to start it while you have your fingers on top of the start relay. If you feel the start relay click then likely everything is good up to it which rules out the ignition switch and associated wiring to the start relay control circuit. Doesnt rule out the start relay contacts (which could be burnt) but its a start.

Right on..... I had the thought replacing the ignition switch. ......( and feeling the relay)..... I forgot about that trick !
BTW..... It started up just fine this morning..

But a bad ignition switch should show a few problems..... Besides not starting, the "bad" switch should stall the truck while driving, and also shut off accessories, like the radio. It's not doing that stuff......

 

[MassHoe04]

In a way, you always have a spare starter relay with you at all times...

The "Park Lamp" relay, right next to the starter relay is the same. You could swap that relay over to the starter to test if actually a relay issue. You could even use it as a quick replacement, in an actual starter relay failure situation.

From what I have seen relays usually work or don't work. I have not seen a relay cause intermittent issues.

I was able to use my Tech 2 on one no-crank/no-start situation to determine I did, in fact, have a bad starter... I could go into the menu and read what the system was seeing from the transmission and the ignition switch. I was able to watch the status change from P-R-N-D-3-2-1, up and down. Since the transmission was properly telling the computer which gear it was in as I shifted, I could determine the Park/N switch was working OK. I could also see change in status on the ignition switch as I moved it from Off-Accessory-On/Run-Start. I figured the ignition switch was OK, if it was correctly telling the computer what position it was in and was seeing correct in/out voltage. I did all that before AAA flatbed arrived and had my new starter (sorry it was a late Sunday afternoon... No GM for me. Had to go with O'Reilly's best) ordered before I even left for home.

Most recent intermittent no-crank/no-start for me was loose connection at the positive battery clamp. I had stripped out the threads and Jerry-rigged a temporary fix to get me to work. New battery terminal clamps fixed that problem.

You mentioned having a new scanner. If it is a bi-directional scanner, you could see exactly what the ignition switch and Park/N switch is doing.

If not a bi-directional scanner, you might want to look at getting a Tech 2. Other bi-directional scanners like (Autel, etc.) if you have other vehicles you work on.

Intermittent no/crank/no-start on my Jeep turned out to be battery cables. It was an 05 with almost 200k on it at the time. I put new clamps on, but it was still calling the shots on when it felt like starting. New clamps and the cables looked fine, but the copper wires inside were all corroded inside, where you could not see what was happening until I made a cut into the jacket. Water and road salt had infiltrated the insulation. Instead of seeing bright coper strands, I saw black, green and everything in between. New cable set (Pos, Neg and Alternator) fixed that problem.

The fact that your issue is intermittent, would lead me to agree that it may be in connections/cables/grounds. I'd be surprised if it were the relay. It could be your starter with a flat spot on the commutator, if it were a reman. unit.

I would bet it is cables or connections, though.

Keep us posted on what you find.

 

[mountie]

In a way, you always have a spare starter relay with you at all times...

The "Park Lamp" relay, right next to the starter relay is the same. You could swap that relay over to the starter to test if actually a relay issue. You could even use it as a quick replacement, in an actual starter relay failure situation.

From what I have seen relays usually work or don't work. I have not seen a relay cause intermittent issues.

I was able to use my Tech 2 on one no-crank/no-start situation to determine I did, in fact, have a bad starter... I could go into the menu and read what the system was seeing from the transmission and the ignition switch. I was able to watch the status change from P-R-N-D-3-2-1, up and down. Since the transmission was properly telling the computer which gear it was in as I shifted, I could determine the Park/N switch was working OK. I could also see change in status on the ignition switch as I moved it from Off-Accessory-On/Run-Start. I figured the ignition switch was OK, if it was correctly telling the computer what position it was in and was seeing correct in/out voltage. I did all that before AAA flatbed arrived and had my new starter (sorry it was a late Sunday afternoon... No GM for me. Had to go with O'Reilly's best) ordered before I even left for home.

Most recent intermittent no-crank/no-start for me was loose connection at the positive battery clamp. I had stripped out the threads and Jerry-rigged a temporary fix to get me to work. New battery terminal clamps fixed that problem.

You mentioned having a new scanner. If it is a bi-directional scanner, you could see exactly what the ignition switch and Park/N switch is doing.

If not a bi-directional scanner, you might want to look at getting a Tech 2. Other bi-directional scanners like (Autel, etc.) if you have other vehicles you work on.

Intermittent no/crank/no-start on my Jeep turned out to be battery cables. It was an 05 with almost 200k on it at the time. I put new clamps on, but it was still calling the shots on when it felt like starting. New clamps and the cables looked fine, but the copper wires inside were all corroded inside, where you could not see what was happening until I made a cut into the jacket. Water and road salt had infiltrated the insulation. Instead of seeing bright coper strands, I saw black, green and everything in between. New cable set (Pos, Neg and Alternator) fixed that problem.

The fact that your issue is intermittent, would lead me to agree that it may be in connections/cables/grounds. I'd be surprised if it were the relay. It could be your starter with a flat spot on the commutator, if it were a reman. unit.

I would bet it is cables or connections, though.

Keep us posted on what you find.

I'll keep you guys posted...... As for battery cables, they are very clean,,,, and me, ( and previous owner) has an engine bay you can eat off..... There is no evidence of any corrosion / salt residue, anywhere on or under the truck. Past old battery fail, the cables were checked and are good.

Starter is not a reman. ( I have a tool kit always in the truck, and it includes a hammer )

The start problem was just one day only. Everything perfect before that day and perfect since.

A mystery so far........ But I will buy an ignition switch just in case and store it with my new relay. ( Good thing about a truck...... A place to store stuff !! )

 

[Joseph Garcia]

My '97 Yukon had that exact same symptoms. Mostly it would start, but sometimes, nothing. Eventually it would not start at all, and the solution turned out to be an ignition switch failure (only in the start position).

 

[mountie]

My '97 Yukon had that exact same symptoms. Mostly it would start, but sometimes, nothing. Eventually it would not start at all, and the solution turned out to be an ignition switch failure (only in the start position).

Good to know...... That was a thought I had,,,,,,, You are the first to mention that,
Thanks

 

[rockola1971]

Right on..... I had the thought replacing the ignition switch. ......( and feeling the relay)..... I forgot about that trick !
BTW..... It started up just fine this morning..

But a bad ignition switch should show a few problems..... Besides not starting, the "bad" switch should stall the truck while driving, and also shut off accessories, like the radio. It's not doing that stuff......

The bad ignition switch scenario is not limited stalling the truck or killing off the accessories also.
It all depends on which contact in the ignition switch is burnt and acting a fool. That will determine what is affected.

 

[mountie]

The bad ignition switch scenario is not limited stalling the truck or killing off the accessories also.
It all depends on which contact in the ignition switch is burnt and acting a fool. That will determine what is affected.

Sign of the times....... I looked EVERYWHERE for a :

ACDelco Ignition Switch D1426D​

No where to be found......
Now the question is....... Who makes the best non-GM version????
Maybe someone out there can find a Genuine GM one?