2000 GMC Jimmy Bad battery connection/car stalls

Tiny
ICPSCIENTIST
  • MEMBER
  • 2000 GMC JIMMY
  • 130,000 MILES
I have what appears to me to be a bad battery connection and/or issue with the electrical system. When attempting to start the vehicle (either hot or cold), there is no electrical response. If I pop the hood and jiggle the battery connections, I can restore the electrical system, and start the car. Sometimes it fires up right away, sometimes it takes some work (as if the battery were drained).

When the engine eventually fires up, it will run rough for a few moments and smooth out. This has been going on for a couple of weeks now, and I used to be able to drive the vehicle for a significant amount of time (100+ miles). Today, however, if I put the vehicle into "drive", the engine dies. I am able to re-start then engine using the method described above, but it will again die when put into "drive".

Other information that may I think may be helpful:
- When driving, the radio will go silent for a very brief moment and then come back on. It's as if the electrical connection is momentarily disrupted and then restored, but it does not appear to be shutting off and turning back on.
- While driving, the dashboard indicator lights sometimes flash on and off, as they do when the engine is started. These problems do not happen at the same time. Both issues described started within the last week or so, after the initial problem and before the engine dying.
- The vehicle interior lights will not come on when a door is opened, but can be turned on using the switch on the dashboard. This has been an ongoing issue since I bought the car a little over two years ago.

Other information that I don't think is pertinent but I'll add it in anyway since I'm not an expert:
- I replaced the muffler and tail pipe about a month ago, before this issue started.

Thanks for any help!
Monday, November 4th, 2013 AT 1:41 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
CJ MEDEVAC
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,004 POSTS
DO THIS 1ST!

........SNATCH THE BATTERY OUT AND TAKE IT TO A POPULAR AUTO PARTS STORE.......WE NEED A THOROUGH TEST...NOT JUST THE VOLTAGE! THIS WILL RULE IN OR RULE OUT THE BATTERY BEING THE PROBLEM, PRIOR TO CHASING YOUR TAIL FOREVER...THEN FINDING OUT THE BATTERY WAS BAD

MANY POPULAR AUTO PARTS STORES....LIKE ADVANCE AUTO PARTS (BEFORE YOU BUY ANYTHING, IS THIS A LOCAL STORE FOR YOU???), CAN CHECK THE BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, STARTER DRAW, AND PARASITIC DRAW (SOMETHING OTHER THAN RADIO MEMORY, ETC BEING "ON" AND DRAWING POWER...THAT SHOULD NOT BE ON)

THIS CAN ALL BE DONE WITH EVERYTHING STILL ON THE VEHICLE!... A LOT OF THE TIME, THIS IS A FREE SERVICE ....SEE PIC 1

THIS IS A SIMPLE TEST...YOU CAN DO, TO SEE IF JUICE FROM THE ALTERNATOR IS GETTING TO THE BATTERY (CHARGING)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bzz7P3qNHcE

SEE IF THE INFO I GAVE IN THIS POST HELPS...I MADE PICS AT THE END......I SEE THIS AS BEING THE PROBLEM MOST OF THE TIME

https://www.2carpros.com/questions/1996-chevrolet-tahoe-wont-start-sounds-dead-battery-jumpbox-get-same-reults

YOUR TURN

THE MEDIC

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Monday, November 4th, 2013 AT 5:36 PM
Tiny
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  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
I pulled the battery and it tested "bad." New battery = problem gone. Thanks!
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Tuesday, November 5th, 2013 AT 11:00 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,747 POSTS
With the new battery, make sure that the terminals are tight and you can't wiggle them.
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Tuesday, November 5th, 2013 AT 5:07 PM

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