Dash lights, everything works but no starter activation intermittent

[Jerry S]

2003 Tahoe, Z71 all the options, wifes car, 124K miles.

Get in, door chimes, etc., all lights work, put key in and turn on, dash lights light up all gauges work, turn the key to start cranking and nothing, all stays the same, lights bright, dash working, no codes or ck engine on, nothing not even a click. Take the key in and out a few times, move the shift lever up and down, park to low and back and most of the time it will crank right up, sometimes it takes 2 or three of those actions.

Instead of just replacing parts, the ignition key cylinder, the switch, the harness, etc., is there a simple way to actually trouble shoot and isolate the issue? As it is very intermittent, most times it starts right up, I have taken it to a repair shop and they try it several times and it works. It is tough to replicate the issue!

Any ideas of a process to take that will arrive at 'change this out'?

 

[OR VietVet]

How old is the battery and have you checked the battery cables for clean and tight? Look for corrosion under where the cable bolts to the battery and sometimes the corrosion can get bad enough that it is inside the cable insulation near the cable end. Check all connections at the end of the ground cable and at the starter.

On something intermittent like that, you could just as easily kick the LF tire and it starts too.

 

[Doubeleive]

The shift lever maneuver would make me think it's the neutral safety switch being funky, try just putting it in neutral without doing any other dance and see if it starts reliably. a tech2 would be handy right about now

 

[OR VietVet]

I wish there was a major discount this forum and the sister forum, Tahoe Forum, could work out with some supplier for the Tech 2 and members here could get them easier that way. So many members need them.

 

[Jerry S]

Battery is good, new in fact. I did the cable cleaning bit. No codes thrown, it just has an issue that zero happens when the key is turned. No lights dimming, radio is still going good, all dash works. Ignition cylinder is not funky, tight or difficult to turn. Everything is totally stock, bought the truck new. Brake lights come on when pedal pressed and the gear shifter is not funky feeling, all nice and smooth. I originally thought it was some 'interlock' somewhere that was intermittent. Gotta be something simple.

 

[BlackedOutHoe]

Did you get it fixed? I had the same thing with my Tahoe (2003) and it turned out to be the starter relay under the hood in the black box. Replaced it and no problems since.

-Bryant

 

[Jerry S]

Did you get it fixed? I had the same thing with my Tahoe (2003) and it turned out to be the starter relay under the hood in the black box. Replaced it and no problems since.

-Bryant

Not yet, but did yours have the same symptoms? Ours was - get in, close door, put key in and turn to 'accessories on', all lights work, radio plays, instruments come on, ac fan starts, etc.. It is in Park, so I turn the key to the start position and everything goes off, lights everything goes off, like a dead short to ground, but no clicking. Release the key and everything comes back on instantly. sometime I can do that 1 to 20 times in a row, move the shift lever, brake pressed and off, door open and close, move seat back an forth, anything I think of but nothing happens. Get out, come back on 2 to 3 minutes and it starts right up. Took it to a shop and they had it for 5 hours, said they tested everything they could think of could never get it to fail to start.
I tried different keys, and remotes, still the same. Tomorrow I will test that relay.

Tks

 

[Merc1973]

Does your battery read 12v with av multimeter?

 

[BlackedOutHoe]

Not yet, but did yours have the same symptoms? Ours was - get in, close door, put key in and turn to 'accessories on', all lights work, radio plays, instruments come on, ac fan starts, etc.. It is in Park, so I turn the key to the start position and everything goes off, lights everything goes off, like a dead short to ground, but no clicking. Release the key and everything comes back on instantly. sometime I can do that 1 to 20 times in a row, move the shift lever, brake pressed and off, door open and close, move seat back an forth, anything I think of but nothing happens. Get out, come back on 2 to 3 minutes and it starts right up. Took it to a shop and they had it for 5 hours, said they tested everything they could think of could never get it to fail to start.
I tried different keys, and remotes, still the same. Tomorrow I will test that relay.

Tks

Sorry, just seeing this. Did this work for you? An easy way to test also is to swap it with another of the same size under the hood panel.