I had this same issue with my 2009 Tahoe. After changing out the battery, the fuse, the fuse connection box, alternator, etc.....and having the problem go away for a while only to come back at some point later. I finally started testing on my own. I believe the ground cable from the batter is inherently too small for the electrical load. I went to a local auto parts store, but the biggest battery cable they had, put new larger connectors on both ends, and problem solved. Its been 6 months now, and no more electrical problems of any kind. To nmshep33: It could be your alternator was bad, and they need to output 14+ volts in order to run the computer and all other electronics, so I hope you solved the problem.....but I doubt it. Good luck.
2008 Yukon Electrical Problems
- Thread starter jpwood21
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Speck
Full Access Member
I have a 2008 Yukon Denali, and I too have been having several of the same issues. Mine started last summer when I had my transmission go bad (another long and angering story) at only 77k miles. It started with the popping speakers and then would kill all power when turning the truck off. It would sit powerless anywhere from 5 minutes to 2 hours. I thought it might be a bad ground or battery and replaced the battery and also added an additionl ground from the negative post to the chassis. That seemed to have resolved the issue up until about two weeks ago...
Now, my issues seem to have compounded and I'm not sure it is just a "ground issue." Like so many others on here, it again started with my speakers popping and the radio going black screened. Then I noticed that I lost all connection with my Sirius/XM radio and could not get a signal. When I turn the ignition off it again loses all power. The difference this time is now it is affecting the way the engine is running, it feels very down on power and runs very rough, the lights start to flicker while both driving and sitting at idle. The radio continues to cut in and out, and the truck actually stalled out on my while driving and I lost all power for lights ignition and everything. Thankfully I was on an empty road at night and had street lighting. I was able to open the hood and the only way to get the truck to reset was my tugging on the terminals. It is now occuring almost once per day and my headlights now cut out at random and my windshield wipers no longer sense rain or even work on a timer. I have to manually turn them on and off to get them to swipe unless I want them on full constant swipe.
At this point, I'm so frustrated with the vehicle that I just want to walk away from the darn thing. Since buying this truck 3 years ago, I have had nothing but problems with this piece of junk. The engine has had to be rebuilt (after only having it for 10k miles), both differential seals replaced, ecu, transmission replaced at 77k miles, and steering wheel replaced. I still have issues with the driver seat "moving" around and needing a new mount per the dealership. I do not drive this truck hard and always make sure to stay up on maintenance. This whole thing is very, very frustrating. I am almost starting to think that any GM newer than 1990 isn't worth having... Time for me to stick with my 72 C10 and 71 Chevelle...
Joe
Now, my issues seem to have compounded and I'm not sure it is just a "ground issue." Like so many others on here, it again started with my speakers popping and the radio going black screened. Then I noticed that I lost all connection with my Sirius/XM radio and could not get a signal. When I turn the ignition off it again loses all power. The difference this time is now it is affecting the way the engine is running, it feels very down on power and runs very rough, the lights start to flicker while both driving and sitting at idle. The radio continues to cut in and out, and the truck actually stalled out on my while driving and I lost all power for lights ignition and everything. Thankfully I was on an empty road at night and had street lighting. I was able to open the hood and the only way to get the truck to reset was my tugging on the terminals. It is now occuring almost once per day and my headlights now cut out at random and my windshield wipers no longer sense rain or even work on a timer. I have to manually turn them on and off to get them to swipe unless I want them on full constant swipe.
At this point, I'm so frustrated with the vehicle that I just want to walk away from the darn thing. Since buying this truck 3 years ago, I have had nothing but problems with this piece of junk. The engine has had to be rebuilt (after only having it for 10k miles), both differential seals replaced, ecu, transmission replaced at 77k miles, and steering wheel replaced. I still have issues with the driver seat "moving" around and needing a new mount per the dealership. I do not drive this truck hard and always make sure to stay up on maintenance. This whole thing is very, very frustrating. I am almost starting to think that any GM newer than 1990 isn't worth having... Time for me to stick with my 72 C10 and 71 Chevelle...
Joe
I'm new to this forum so I'm hoping for some good advice. I've been having electrical problems with my 2011 Yukon but they sound a bit different than some of the other posts. It started two years ago when at 40k miles some type of electrical issues caused the Anti-theft fuse to blow thus disabling the car from being started again. Although my wife was driving it at the time, she was able to get it off the road before losing power. The dealer tore the dashboard apart but couldn't find the issue. The second time this occurred was a few weeks ago and now at 74k miles. This time it was much worse since it died while my wife was driving it on a busy street. She lost ability to steer and I'm thankful she was only going 35mph instead of 70 on the interstate and was somehow able to get off the road without crashing. Its been at the dealership for 3 weeks now and they can't figure it out. They think it is an electrical short but can't find it. And they won't honor the extended warranty to replace anything since they don't know the "real cause". Despite not knowing the exact cause, they are now telling me they should replace the battery and ignition switch (at my cost of course) and that they should add temporary bypass circuits with fuses for all of the circuits that feed the anti-theft fuse. They indicated this was the only way to identify what is causing the electrical short. Of course, this also means us having to continue to drive a car in hopes this significant safety issue happens again so they can identify the problem?!?! Yikes! What type of idea is this?!?! Oh, and dont bother calling GM Customer Service. They only send you back to the dealer. Hoping someone has some ideas for me. In the meantime, I'm authoring a letter to the GM CEO and their liability insurance carrier.
Scottmeadows1
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2010 Tahoe Electrical problem
I can't believe these post I'm reading. I have a 2010 chevy Tahoe with 48K miles that has these very same symptoms!! I purchased the truck used from a dealer in June 2014. I've been fighting this problem for 7 months. I'm afraid someone will get injured or killed.
The Tahoe has an intermittent electrical problem that is very dangerous. At random while driving down the road the radio will make a pop or snap sound then black out. The gauge cluster will go nuts. The door locks - lock and unlock, lock and unlock repeatedly all while the head lights blink and or go out completely. The engine dies down to no power then it may resume only to lose power again. There's no power steering, no power brakes. It comes and goes. Often if the truck dies completely it will not start back. It sits dead. If you wait a minute or two or up to several hours it will wake up on its own. The AC resets to a default setting. I've had it at my local chevy dealer at least 6 times. They are trying to help but have not been able to reproduce the problem. Just 2 weeks ago it died for 12+ hours so I had it towed to the dealer. When the tech began to troubleshoot it woke up.
They decided to replace the ground cable (that I had to pay for) even though it checked good and was within the allowable specification range noted by Chevy.
The only problem is that my wife and I are back on the road with a vehicle that may die in traffic any minute. No power, no brakes, no power steering, no lights... No nothing!! Huge risk!!
These vehicles have a problem and the owners need help.
I have service ticket in with Chevy but it has turned out to be useless as they just send me back to the dealership who can't find the problem. The girl / agent tells me every time she'll keep me posted on the progress although she never calls me back. I have to call her every time.... So frustrating!!!
Scott
I can't believe these post I'm reading. I have a 2010 chevy Tahoe with 48K miles that has these very same symptoms!! I purchased the truck used from a dealer in June 2014. I've been fighting this problem for 7 months. I'm afraid someone will get injured or killed.
The Tahoe has an intermittent electrical problem that is very dangerous. At random while driving down the road the radio will make a pop or snap sound then black out. The gauge cluster will go nuts. The door locks - lock and unlock, lock and unlock repeatedly all while the head lights blink and or go out completely. The engine dies down to no power then it may resume only to lose power again. There's no power steering, no power brakes. It comes and goes. Often if the truck dies completely it will not start back. It sits dead. If you wait a minute or two or up to several hours it will wake up on its own. The AC resets to a default setting. I've had it at my local chevy dealer at least 6 times. They are trying to help but have not been able to reproduce the problem. Just 2 weeks ago it died for 12+ hours so I had it towed to the dealer. When the tech began to troubleshoot it woke up.
They decided to replace the ground cable (that I had to pay for) even though it checked good and was within the allowable specification range noted by Chevy.
The only problem is that my wife and I are back on the road with a vehicle that may die in traffic any minute. No power, no brakes, no power steering, no lights... No nothing!! Huge risk!!
These vehicles have a problem and the owners need help.
I have service ticket in with Chevy but it has turned out to be useless as they just send me back to the dealership who can't find the problem. The girl / agent tells me every time she'll keep me posted on the progress although she never calls me back. I have to call her every time.... So frustrating!!!
Scott
Hi Scott - Read my post on what the dealer did to fix my truck. It hasn't had the problem since, so hoping this actually was the problem. Good luck!
Scottmeadows1
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So you think it was the alternator? Technically that makes sense I guess but I've had a volt meter connected to the + lead for weeks with no signs of low voltage. (Even during the occurance of doors locking and unlocking the battery voltage maintained constant). My dealer replaced the main ground cable a couple of weeks ago. I'm still monitoring as it has went 3 weeks once before with no issue, only to act up again in week number 4.
I'll keep the alternator in mind. Thank You.
I'll keep the alternator in mind. Thank You.
Scottmeadows1
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Battery Ground Cable
Not sure if this actually got it but my local dealer and I split the cost of a new main ground cable. I'm going on 6 weeks with no sign of the issue. We'll see.
Not sure if this actually got it but my local dealer and I split the cost of a new main ground cable. I'm going on 6 weeks with no sign of the issue. We'll see.
