Another 2007 with weird electrical issue....

[Ryans Rebel]

It's a 2007 Yukon XL Denali. Once or twice a month, the vehicle appears to be dead. Keyless entry does not work (unlock with key). Open the door and no running board, no interior lights, no dinging, nothing! Stick the key in the ignition, turn, and the whole thing comes to life, complete with running engine. Other times when you turn the key, the car stays dead. From that point, the only thing that has worked to get the car started is to remove the underhood fuse panel and immediately reinstall. Then the car starts.

I have read about the negative cable but I don't think that is my problem. I've pulled on it and giggled it until I'm blue in the face but nothing. I have cleaned all connections from the battery to the fuse panel, and engine block. I put a new battery in last week and had a technician buddy of mine check the alternator. All good.

It has left my wife stranded several times. At least she knows how to remove an underhood fuse panel! It never cuts out once started.

Any ideas? I'm desperate to get this fixed. I just put a few grand into it (tires, cv joints....) and need it to last me several more years. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Ryan

 

[Ben]

Its the ground cable, and its not at the battery end its at the engine block end. Worth looking into.

 

[Ryans Rebel]

I thought I would post an update to my problem. Needless to say I was having a terrible time with all sorts of electrical gremlins for years: Car would not start at times, running boards not functioning properly, the entire dash cluster going off and on while driving, just an endless list of problems…. Then, while on vacation in Indiana things got much worse, the car would not start unless you left the battery unplugged overnight (I assume to reset the system), and once started you could not turn it off or it would not restart. For fear of being left on the highway while on vacation, we bought it into a GMC dealer. Low and behold the technician traced the problem to an aftermarket blue-tooth device (Schooch brand) that plugs in-line with the XM system. Once unplugged, he said all codes went away immediately. I removed the blue-tooth module from the vehicle and we have not had a single electrical issue since. Funny how some simple aftermarket device can cause these kinds of problems. This Yukon will remain fully stock until the day I sell it.

 

[doc_sun]

Wow, never heard of the Scoche doing that. Several members here including myself have it and love it. But good to know if that ever comes up. thanks for posting the cause.