Rothy
Full Member
Hi new here and i registered after doing days of research and reading hundreds of threads and google searches and still haven’t found a fix.. I’ll try to include all possible information and a quick timeline of events. But as of today, 2 auto shops and the local dealership have not been able to get it fixed and I made more progress on it myself than anyone ( I am an experienced automotive technician) so;
Problem: no start/no crank
Symptoms: -key activates dash, and all other electrical when turned into the on (run) position.
-all lights and electronics go off when you turn key to start and hold as if starting truck and come back in when you let key go but no crank, click, anything when held in start position (normal function minus no crank)
-keyless entry functions normally
-brand new battery, alternator, serpentine belt from previous owner; (I’ve only owned it for a few weeks) you can see the parts are brand new though. I replaced that new battery with another new one myself in Monday hoping to get some kind of response
-non of the cigarette lighters have any power anymore
-will start when jumped at starter solenoid when key is in run position (it’s how I’ve been driving it the last two days)
a) trucks runs and drives when started this way but the turn signals don’t work. The four ways, drl, brakes, reverse, automatic function, low and high beam all seem to function normally though.
b) it will always default the memory settings when I start it even if I set them beforehand
- if I disconnect battery while running the truck will run for about ten minutes on its own then shut off but will start back up with above procedure when I reconnect battery (battery light comes on as expected when I do this and goes off when I hook back up)
-sunroof doesn’t work and has no power at plug
-same symptoms mentioned if truck is tried to start in neutral or park.
-truck will start in reverse park and neutral gear when jumped at starter but not with key ( did not check any others yet) but gear selector reads proper selection in cluster
- no check engine light no codes
- air bag light is now on and will flicker intermittently
- code readers will not connect to the truck now , they will only continue to try to communicate and fail
- tachometer reads zero at (almost) all times but all other gauges, at lealeast the ones that worked beforehand, work. Sometimes it will jump and fluctuate and sometimes actual read normal for about 10 seconds before dying again and this is intermittent and rare
- pcm fuse has 12 Volts on each side
- truck read ~12.4 volts everywhere when checked with millimeter and was hooked up to running vehicle with cables
-checked all cables, removed all grounds and cleaned/ replaced parts for solid connection
-checked every fuse relay harness plug
new parts:
- alternator
Battery (now top post with new terminal connections)
Starter and ecm relay
ignition switch
Light control module (flasher relay)
Starter
Every fuse and lcase fuse is replaced with
timeline of events:
Couple days after I purchased it truck wouldn’t crank when I started it all lights worked and went off when in start position (like it usually does) but no crank. After throwing it in neutral to coast it somewhere for a jump start and a couple turns of the key out of aggravation it fired and was fine. From then until about
Two weeks ago no issues starting until one day last week the truck shut off on the highway out of nowhere. It was like I turned the key off; it immediately died, and all lights shut off on dash. While coasting to the best place to stop I could get too, turning the key off and on and trying to start yielded nothing at all. Not even lights. While stranded trying to get it to start I managed to get lights and four ways back by pulling battery cable and reinstalling but not crank. After over a half hour of checking fuses, cables, relays, tapping on every ignition component I still got no crank and no turn signals. Because of the no turn signal issue i decided to pull the right front turn signal bulb simply because I was out of ideas. Coincidentally when I did this and tried to start the truck it cranked and fired! I took off heading for home before it happened again and stopped at the local parts store I passed hoping they could check my starting and charging system and check for codes because the CEL came on when it started. Because of the COVID 19 poop they weren’t allowed to test people’s vehicles so I went to leave and again no start but dash light up. After 20 minutes of trying everything I could think of I finally pulled the alternator plug and the truck started up! I reconnected it and drove home with no other issues. Next day wtruck shut off while driving again after the tachometer dropped to zero and fluctuated, after checking fuses etc once again it intermittently started after an hour. This time the tachometer did not work. It came on and off a few times racing home, then finally stayed at zero until I got home.towed to local auto shop for repair after not starting next morning. Shop spent 2 days on it and couldn’t repair issue. They tried jump starting it without success as well. I told them to do what needed done to get it fixed because it’s my only vehicle so they started throwing parts at it I guess hoping it work. They replaced the ignition switch, light control module (flasher relay) and diagnosed it to be the ignition key tumbler. They called the local Chevrolet dealership for the parts and asked them for advice. The dealership claimed it was the key lock and needed to be replaced and programmed by them. So I tow truck to them. After two days there they call me and say they are refusing the work and demand I remove the vehicle from their lot with no other explanation. They claim to void the service charges it had from diagnosis because of it which they did. Paperwork said 2 hours. But didn’t go into detail about anything at all. After 8 hours of working in their lot myself; checking fuses and harnesses and plugs throughout entire truck with a multimeter, I got it to start by jumping the starter and drove it home and this is the current status of it. So I’m absolutely lost and sick of throwing parts at it . I apparently have no help from local dealership so I’m hoping anyone can have any input or answers for me as to why my truck won’t crank with key. Is it the alternator intermittently dying and coming back; is it the ignition key cylinder, the neutral safety switch, the cluster? Is I possible it’s in theft mode (even though the lights not lit and the alarm and security light both function and activate normally) is there something I’m missing??
I’m sorry for ridiculously long post but I wanted as much information as I can remember to help someone hopefully help me I’m sure I missed a thing or two as well and if so will come to me if mentioned or reminded. But I have over 1k in labor parts and tows with this thing and no shop can fix it and it’s still not right so I’m really praying I can get some answers or suggestions from here thank you
Problem: no start/no crank
Symptoms: -key activates dash, and all other electrical when turned into the on (run) position.
-all lights and electronics go off when you turn key to start and hold as if starting truck and come back in when you let key go but no crank, click, anything when held in start position (normal function minus no crank)
-keyless entry functions normally
-brand new battery, alternator, serpentine belt from previous owner; (I’ve only owned it for a few weeks) you can see the parts are brand new though. I replaced that new battery with another new one myself in Monday hoping to get some kind of response
-non of the cigarette lighters have any power anymore
-will start when jumped at starter solenoid when key is in run position (it’s how I’ve been driving it the last two days)
a) trucks runs and drives when started this way but the turn signals don’t work. The four ways, drl, brakes, reverse, automatic function, low and high beam all seem to function normally though.
b) it will always default the memory settings when I start it even if I set them beforehand
- if I disconnect battery while running the truck will run for about ten minutes on its own then shut off but will start back up with above procedure when I reconnect battery (battery light comes on as expected when I do this and goes off when I hook back up)
-sunroof doesn’t work and has no power at plug
-same symptoms mentioned if truck is tried to start in neutral or park.
-truck will start in reverse park and neutral gear when jumped at starter but not with key ( did not check any others yet) but gear selector reads proper selection in cluster
- no check engine light no codes
- air bag light is now on and will flicker intermittently
- code readers will not connect to the truck now , they will only continue to try to communicate and fail
- tachometer reads zero at (almost) all times but all other gauges, at lealeast the ones that worked beforehand, work. Sometimes it will jump and fluctuate and sometimes actual read normal for about 10 seconds before dying again and this is intermittent and rare
- pcm fuse has 12 Volts on each side
- truck read ~12.4 volts everywhere when checked with millimeter and was hooked up to running vehicle with cables
-checked all cables, removed all grounds and cleaned/ replaced parts for solid connection
-checked every fuse relay harness plug
new parts:
- alternator
Battery (now top post with new terminal connections)
Starter and ecm relay
ignition switch
Light control module (flasher relay)
Starter
Every fuse and lcase fuse is replaced with
timeline of events:
Couple days after I purchased it truck wouldn’t crank when I started it all lights worked and went off when in start position (like it usually does) but no crank. After throwing it in neutral to coast it somewhere for a jump start and a couple turns of the key out of aggravation it fired and was fine. From then until about
Two weeks ago no issues starting until one day last week the truck shut off on the highway out of nowhere. It was like I turned the key off; it immediately died, and all lights shut off on dash. While coasting to the best place to stop I could get too, turning the key off and on and trying to start yielded nothing at all. Not even lights. While stranded trying to get it to start I managed to get lights and four ways back by pulling battery cable and reinstalling but not crank. After over a half hour of checking fuses, cables, relays, tapping on every ignition component I still got no crank and no turn signals. Because of the no turn signal issue i decided to pull the right front turn signal bulb simply because I was out of ideas. Coincidentally when I did this and tried to start the truck it cranked and fired! I took off heading for home before it happened again and stopped at the local parts store I passed hoping they could check my starting and charging system and check for codes because the CEL came on when it started. Because of the COVID 19 poop they weren’t allowed to test people’s vehicles so I went to leave and again no start but dash light up. After 20 minutes of trying everything I could think of I finally pulled the alternator plug and the truck started up! I reconnected it and drove home with no other issues. Next day wtruck shut off while driving again after the tachometer dropped to zero and fluctuated, after checking fuses etc once again it intermittently started after an hour. This time the tachometer did not work. It came on and off a few times racing home, then finally stayed at zero until I got home.towed to local auto shop for repair after not starting next morning. Shop spent 2 days on it and couldn’t repair issue. They tried jump starting it without success as well. I told them to do what needed done to get it fixed because it’s my only vehicle so they started throwing parts at it I guess hoping it work. They replaced the ignition switch, light control module (flasher relay) and diagnosed it to be the ignition key tumbler. They called the local Chevrolet dealership for the parts and asked them for advice. The dealership claimed it was the key lock and needed to be replaced and programmed by them. So I tow truck to them. After two days there they call me and say they are refusing the work and demand I remove the vehicle from their lot with no other explanation. They claim to void the service charges it had from diagnosis because of it which they did. Paperwork said 2 hours. But didn’t go into detail about anything at all. After 8 hours of working in their lot myself; checking fuses and harnesses and plugs throughout entire truck with a multimeter, I got it to start by jumping the starter and drove it home and this is the current status of it. So I’m absolutely lost and sick of throwing parts at it . I apparently have no help from local dealership so I’m hoping anyone can have any input or answers for me as to why my truck won’t crank with key. Is it the alternator intermittently dying and coming back; is it the ignition key cylinder, the neutral safety switch, the cluster? Is I possible it’s in theft mode (even though the lights not lit and the alarm and security light both function and activate normally) is there something I’m missing??
I’m sorry for ridiculously long post but I wanted as much information as I can remember to help someone hopefully help me I’m sure I missed a thing or two as well and if so will come to me if mentioned or reminded. But I have over 1k in labor parts and tows with this thing and no shop can fix it and it’s still not right so I’m really praying I can get some answers or suggestions from here thank you
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