06 let me down

[Psych0matt]

06 let me down tonight. Was weird starting up going to work, I thought it was a bad battery connection. On my way out I went to start it and it cranked for a second, then nothing. Jiggled the cables and got stuff back but now no crank, dic doesn’t turn on, and after I turn it off, remove the key, and open the door the radio stayed on. 
 

things I know:

 

-battery had a solid 12v

-when turning the key I could hear a relay but that’s it, buddy said it was making a tick noise but I’m thinking that was the relay

 

-alternator was showing 14-15v all the way to work

 

-was fine both times until I tried to crank it

every once in a while in the past it would crank maybe twice, act like it all the sudden got way bogged down, and then continue cranking and start fine. 

I was thinking either started related or somehow security related. With the battery disconnected I’m wondering if that will reset something, but still leaves the main issue unsolved. 

got a ride home from a buddy, currently have my moms avalanche but I gotta get my car to the house somehow, I have the weekend coming up off. 

Edited December 1, 2020 by Psych0matt

[GnatGoSplat]

Have you gotten the battery tested?  It might not be putting out enough cranking amps.  I would rule that out first.

 

[runt]

30 minutes ago, GnatGoSplat said:

Have you gotten the battery tested?  It might not be putting out enough cranking amps.  I would rule that out first.

 

Yes, start here.  Had a similar issue with my '07 and it was the battery starting to fault.  During summer months, it was OK.  Once it got colder out, it would act odd.  New battery fixed it up.

[Psych0matt]

Maybe I’ll grab one, but both with a jump box and then booster cables on another vehicle it still wouldn’t budge, and the booster box seemed to show that the battery was at 12v before we flipped it on (not sure if that’s how that box works though). 
 

Gonna think about it today, I’m home with the kids, when amber gets home I was thinking about having her run me up there and see if it’ll start up to being it home. 

[Breakdown]

55 minutes ago, Psych0matt said:

Maybe I’ll grab one, but both with a jump box and then booster cables on another vehicle it still wouldn’t budge, and the booster box seemed to show that the battery was at 12v before we flipped it on (not sure if that’s how that box works though). 
 

Gonna think about it today, I’m home with the kids, when amber gets home I was thinking about having her run me up there and see if it’ll start up to being it home. 

Most places will test the battery for free.

If nothing else it will trickle charge your battery to 100%, and then if that doesn't work you know your problem lies elsewhere.  Spoiler alert - it's going to be your battery.

Just as an FYI jump boxes (unless you have a AAA one that's industrial use, will succeed in jumping a car about 5% of the time.  Sorry if you own one, but if you don't - don't buy one!!

Also . . . . . . if your car is doing the radio thing at the wrong points when turning the key try turning it the other way (aux) to reset it.  But that should clear once you have a functional battery in there.

[Psych0matt]

Not my jump box, coworker had one so it was the easiest first thing to try. But even a jump from another vehicle (‘17ish Silverado) did nothing. 
 

If you guys  are leaning battery I might just buy one at work since I’ll be there, ours are rebranded Delco ones that I’ve had good luck with. 
 

I guess my question is  why wouldn’t it start when jumped?

[Breakdown]

2 minutes ago, Psych0matt said:

Not my jump box, coworker had one so it was the easiest first thing to try. But even a jump from another vehicle (‘17ish Silverado) did nothing. 
 

If you guys  are leaning battery I might just buy one at work since I’ll be there, ours are rebranded Delco ones that I’ve had good luck with. 
 

I guess my question is  why wouldn’t it start when jumped?

I went to Barney's house last Saturday for the same non-sense.  The Lexus simply proved in capable of jumping his car.  AAA's super-powered jump box had no issue.

There's dead and super-dead.

And just because I'm a complete jack-ass reminding everyone of this.  Positive-to-positive and Negative to ground when you're jumping.

[Psych0matt]

I guess I’ve never had a battery work fine , then not do anything, then be fine, then not do anything even though showing it’s fine, is this what you guys are saying is likely the issue? I’ve always just had them get weaker and weaker.

[Breakdown]

1 hour ago, Psych0matt said:

Maybe I’ll grab one, but both with a jump box and then booster cables on another vehicle it still wouldn’t budge, and the booster box seemed to show that the battery was at 12v before we flipped it on (not sure if that’s how that box works though). 
 

Gonna think about it today, I’m home with the kids, when amber gets home I was thinking about having her run me up there and see if it’ll start up to being it home. 

Find the date on the current battery, if you bought it and it was in the last 4 years or so take it back there and you'll get a pro-rated portion of the original purchase price back from them - even without the receipt.  Most places just look at the date on the battery and if it's so many years old, they don't even test and you'll have a cheap or free new battery.

Typical battery warranties (even the crappiest) are 2-3 years Free replacement.  Then 5-6 years of pro-rated warranty (if it was a 5 year and the battery is 4 years old and cost $100, you'll get $20 off), if you're right up against the 5 or 6 year pro-rated warranty, it's not worth it to go to somewhere specific to get $5 off a shitty battery that's not really what you're after so go with your plan to get the Delco.

 

Maybe the jump box was just indicating that your battery was a 12V and not a 6V, not really measuring what it is putting out.

[Psych0matt]

Wel, I’ve had the car for what, 4 1/2 years now and I’m pretty sure I haven’t replaced the battery, 

 

actually I just looked it up and it’s 2 1/2 years old... 2/2/19. Not sure that matters but like I said the battery didn’t otherwise show any signs of being weak, almost like I was either having a security issue or bad connection, but I know batteries can be finicky. Thanks for the thoughts, I’m at home and can’t do anything at he moment, so I’m kinda hoping I can get it home tonight and mess with it tomorrow, I can get a new battery once I troubleshoot more and/or get it tested, mom doesn’t need her truck back right away thankfully. 

[runt]

It can have correct voltage but could have improper CCA's.  With the colder temps, that'll drop it's CCA even lower. 

If you can get it started it, Advance Auto (at least near me) have a neat tool that they can hook up and it'll show if there are any "leaky" electrical things going on in the car.  I'm not sure if it can check CCA or not, you might have to pull it for that.

 

You are correct though, it could be a corroded wire/connection somewhere but any time I had issues on my '07 it always walked back to the battery.  You could also pull the alternator and get it tested.

[Breakdown]

41 minutes ago, Psych0matt said:

Wel, I’ve had the car for what, 4 1/2 years now and I’m pretty sure I haven’t replaced the battery, 

 

actually I just looked it up and it’s 2 1/2 years old... 2/2/19. Not sure that matters but like I said the battery didn’t otherwise show any signs of being weak, almost like I was either having a security issue or bad connection, but I know batteries can be finicky. Thanks for the thoughts, I’m at home and can’t do anything at he moment, so I’m kinda hoping I can get it home tonight and mess with it tomorrow, I can get a new battery once I troubleshoot more and/or get it tested, mom doesn’t need her truck back right away thankfully. 

I was going to provide a disclaimer not to be offended by my post with its simplistic contents, but 1.) we're friends, and 2.) I don't know what you know, so I just barf out everything  3.) For some reason batteries on cars seem to be a blind-spot, most forget doing it or thought it was done more recently which is why I said, look at battery and not asked how old.

 

Anyhow, if the date is:  2/2/19 it's 1/5 years old, which should qualify for free replacement.  So . . . . . your next step should be pretty simple.  Best case they give you a new battery and send you on your way.  Worst they insist on testing and you'll see what happens when they're done.  I have a trickle-charger jumpbox at home (plug in) it's a very, very good investment to make.  It won't get your car started in that lot, but worst case you can steal the battery out and try and charge at home and return.

[Psych0matt]

Yeah, I wasn’t arguing your points, just that until I get there I’m having lots of thoughts. The inability to jump it is weird but if the connection was weird... I have no idea where I bought the battery so my first thought is to suck it up and buy a new one, but just trying to rule anything out/type out all my thoughts before buying one and then finding something stupid next week haha. No offense taken, Rixh, just trying to consider all angles. 
 

I have a trickle charger (I might have 2, but I think one is lacking leads), but getting it tested somewhere makes more sense. I’ll have to see what model the battery is and see if I can back track it to a store, as I don’t think I purchased that one at work, it’s an actual ac delco branded one. 

Edited December 1, 2020 by Psych0matt

[runt]

13 minutes ago, Psych0matt said:

The inability to jump it is weird but if the connection was weird...

This sounds like you may have dropped a cell in that battery.  Had that happen on my '01 GP.  It just DIED in the middle of the road.  Couldn't jump it, no or limited lights inside.  Granted that battery was 9 years old when it stopped.

[Psych0matt]

Looking again it’s possible I bought the battery at work, likely now that I’m seeing we carry the actual Delco brand (didn’t used to a while back). The plan is to head up there and see if I can’t get it started, and if i can’t then I’ll get a new one and see what happens

[Breakdown]

1 hour ago, Psych0matt said:

Yeah, I wasn’t arguing your points, just that until I get there I’m having lots of thoughts. The inability to jump it is weird but if the connection was weird... I have no idea where I bought the battery so my first thought is to suck it up and buy a new one, but just trying to rule anything out/type out all my thoughts before buying one and then finding something stupid next week haha. No offense taken, Rixh, just trying to consider all angles. 
 

I have a trickle charger (I might have 2, but I think one is lacking leads), but getting it tested somewhere makes more sense. I’ll have to see what model the battery is and see if I can back track it to a store, as I don’t think I purchased that one at work, it’s an actual ac delco branded one. 

I wasn't taking offense to anything, but telling someone who knows their way around a car to "check the date on the battery" could come off as very offensive.  I didn't detect the least bit of hostility, I only mentioned because I kinda broke down everything, I'm just a little too thorough sometimes.

 

Best of luck hopefully your weather is a little less oppressive than here.

[Psych0matt]

From now on my typo of “Rixh” is your new name. It fits with the other uses of Xs on the forum: Bxx, Bxx evans, Axxxy, etc

[GnatGoSplat]

On newer cars, if there are weird inexplicable electrical problems that don't make any sense, the culprit is often the battery.

Might be completely unrelated, but first step is ruling it out.  I think all auto parts stores and Walmarts with auto center have the tester to check it for free.

I've seen jumpstarters not work when a battery is too weak.

 

 

[Psych0matt]

Ran up to work, reconnected the battery and she fired right up and drove completely fine. Gonna take the truck tomorrow just in case. Debating taking the battery out tonight and taking it with me so I can have them test it on my way home. It’s gotta be the battery, or at the very least dirty contacts. I’ll for sure have it tested though. 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Psych0matt

[Breakdown]

[Psych0matt]

Found the culprit. I’m also gonna upgrade the stupid connectors this weekend, they don’t hold as tight as they should, replaced them on the 04 for the same reasons

 

 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Psych0matt

[GnatGoSplat]

Looks pretty crusty.  When did GM go to top-post batteries?

 

[rich_e777]

Check the wire to make sure that funk didnt get behind the insulation, I had to replace a cable once because of that.

[Psych0matt]

It was pretty much contained to right at the post, I used a bit of vinegar to neutralize. I didn’t realize it was as bad originally because there was only a little on top but once I took it off I saw how bad it was

[Regal]

2 hours ago, GnatGoSplat said:

Looks pretty crusty.  When did GM go to top-post batteries?

 

2000. Also hidden inside of battery cable can go crusty and cause issues.

Edited December 2, 2020 by Regal