2005 Chevy Tahoe 5.3 2wd... at random it will not crank or start. Turn key to on position all electronics turn on as normal turn key the rest of the way and nada, not a dam sound nothing. Could take a few tries or could be as many as 50+ for 20 min and then bam she fires right up like normal. I have replaced everything dealing with starting even the neutral safety switch to no avail. I’m at my wits end she is lucky I love her or I’d be trading the moddy ***** in. Anyone have any insight? My next thought is possibly something to do with my on star. In pondering for the last few months ( this has been happening for over a year) it stopped happening around when I stopped my on star. Then 4 months later with no trouble from mrs moody I locked the key in and well yep I restarted my on star and viola mrs moody became moody and is randomly not starting again!!!!! Please help
Dam thing won’t start!!!
- Thread starter Klaper2
- Start date
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Warning: My response does not help at all!
I will tell you that years ago I was riding in a persons vehicle that had onstar. We were having a VERY important business discussion. This was a person that is recognized globally and we were discussing some very private and sensitive stuff. At the end of the conversation a voice chimed in from onstar and asked us how they could help us. Neither one of us even came close to touching the button. We asked how long they had been listening and they just disconnected from us. We ripped the onstar ecu out of that vehicle that day and I have done it to every other GM product that I have purchased.
I will tell you that years ago I was riding in a persons vehicle that had onstar. We were having a VERY important business discussion. This was a person that is recognized globally and we were discussing some very private and sensitive stuff. At the end of the conversation a voice chimed in from onstar and asked us how they could help us. Neither one of us even came close to touching the button. We asked how long they had been listening and they just disconnected from us. We ripped the onstar ecu out of that vehicle that day and I have done it to every other GM product that I have purchased.
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swathdiver
Full Access Member
Could be grounds but probably the ECM. Do you have access to a Tech2 or similar scan tool that can monitor engine functions? Welcome aboard by the way!
had a problem like that before, turned out the starter had a flat spot, if it happened to stop on that spot it wouldn't start, might be 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 10minutes, it was completely random, never figured it was the starter because it worked, after replacing the ignition and checking everywhere for shorts, etc finally figured it out one day by putting it in drive and rocking the truck a little doing that moved the flat spot just enough and it would start every time, changed the starter never had a problem again with it.
rockola1971
Full Access Member
Bad starter or ignition switch. When you get a no start condition measure down on the solenoid to see if you are getting power there or just smack the starter with a hammer and see if it works after.
Start with basics and check for the correct power at starter when try to crank engine.
rockola1971
Full Access Member
To clarify there are 2 places at the starter that voltage has to be checked at. When the ignition switch is moved to the crank position the ignition switch sends 12vdc to the S terminal of the solenoid. When that happens then the solenoid close and directly connects the starter positive terminal to the positive side of the battery. The current flow through the starter ONLY flows through the batter cables to the starter. The ignition (also called control power) is low current (relative to what the starter motor draws) is fed from the battery through the fusebox then through the ignition switch at the base of your steering column. So you actually have 2 systems here to have a failure within.
Common failures within these 2 systems.
Solenoid feed via ignition switch---
Bad ignition switch, corroded feed fuse in fusebox, bad solenoid (s terminal coil within solenoid), bad ground to starter, loose/corroded wires from the fusebox all the way to the solenoid S terminal itself. Mechanical misadjustment of ignition switch itself.
Starter solenoid high current path to starter---
Solenoid high current contacts burnt or even melted, loose/corroded positive wire (large red cable at starter), loose positive cable at battery (unlikely), Starter motor electrical fault (bad brushes, worn commutator, etc.) Bad ground to starter. The starter gets its ground through the engine block and starter mounting bolts so this being the problem is highly unlikely.
But since I believe you mentioned during the failures you dont even hear the solenoid click I would look at the control circuit (s terminal of solenoid) for 12vdc during a failure and see if the voltage is there or not and work your way back from there. Remember that just because 12vdc is there doesnt mean the ground is good so to not get wrapped up around the axle on that type of problem you should use the case of the starter as your ground reference when testing for voltage at the s terminal. That will prove ground is good to and within the starter.
inmypassatlife
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You replaced the ignition switch, but did you replace the switch housing? That's what has the sensor in it.
Replace the housing and relearn the keys, if that doesn't work, then replace BCM
Replace the housing and relearn the keys, if that doesn't work, then replace BCM
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