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Car shut off and will not start?

Tiny
FPHILLIPS93
  • MEMBER
  • 2010 CADILLAC SRX
  • 3.0L
  • V6
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 218,000 MILES
My car listed above had some trouble the last couple of weeks.
It started with the power steering leaking from somewhere by the front passenger tire. It went everywhere, from the front of the car to the back tire.
Car wouldn’t turn left or right.
Didn’t drive it hardly. Something started squeaking after that. Loud squeaking. At first it would stop, then it didn’t stop, then the car shut off.
I had driven the car about 25 miles with squeak. I turned it off once in between these 25 miles sometime. Turned it back on. It did fine. Squeaked the whole time. Turned it off again. Turned it back on. Squeak but drove. Got it about 100 yards after I started it and it just shut off. Didn’t even know that it had shut off until I went to pull out into traffic and the car wasn’t moving. The lights worked. The doors barely locked. The headlights stayed on and wouldn’t go off even after the car died. It was hard to get into N position after it died. It would not restart. I had to have it towed.
It sat for a few days.
I tried to start it today and the engine seems like it wants to start, but now it grinds.
It was not grinding at any point whatsoever before it died. The engine had an oil leak. I added 1 quart power steering fluid and 1.5 quarts oil 24 hours after the power steering went out.
The car was due in 3 days to go have the oil leak and back brakes fixed, but then the power steering and squeaking started, and it shut off all of a sudden.
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Friday, January 26th, 2024 AT 1:21 PM

8 Replies

Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,645 POSTS
Hi,

The idea you hear a grinding now when starting and there was a loud squealing before it refused to start leads me to think the squealing may have been the alternator belt. If that is the case, the battery would have drained, and this could be the result.

If you try to jump-start it, what happens? Here is a link you may find helpful:

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-jump-start-car-battery-using-jumper-cables

Also, is it possible for you to record it when you try starting the engine and upload it for me to hear?

Let me know.

Joe
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Friday, January 26th, 2024 AT 7:43 PM
Tiny
FPHILLIPS93
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
If you try to jump start it, it tries to start.
One person got it started off a jump, but it was grinding so we turned it off.
The lights and everything were still working when it shut off that day. The headlights and inside lights would not go off for a while, though, and it locked very slowly. I didn’t try the windows or anything and it did not restart at the time it shut off, or 2 hours later when the tow truck got there.
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Friday, January 26th, 2024 AT 8:44 PM
Tiny
FPHILLIPS93
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Any thoughts on the power steering issue just before the squeaking belt? It was within a day or 2 of losing power steering that the belt started squeaking. Also, no warning lights on the dash ever came on before the car shut off. The engine light didn’t blink, no battery light. It just shut off.
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Friday, January 26th, 2024 AT 8:48 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,645 POSTS
Hi,

As far as the power steering issue is concerned, if there was a leak, it may have been from the pump or one of the two power steering hoses to the pump. I think fluid may have gotten onto the belt causing the noise and ultimately, allowing the battery to get weak.

On the other hand, the grinding has me a bit confused. Keep in mind, it may have been from a faulty PS pump. If you add fluid to the pump, does it work? Also, inspect the belts to see if there is fluid on them.

One other thought is this. I would remove the battery and have it load-tested at a parts store. The idea that it cranks with a jump but not without reinforces the idea of a weak battery. Most parts stores will recharge it and then load it free of charge. Let me know if that is something you can do.

One last thought, I promise. LOL (They keep popping into my head). Remove the belts and see if anything is locked up as far as belt-driven accessories. You may be surprised by what you find. If there is something locked, that may have caused the grinding and screeching sounds, and if it places enough extra load on the starter, it can prevent it from turning over. These are theories based on what has happened to this point. Not being there makes it a bit more difficult, but certainly, these are things to consider.

Let me know.

Joe
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Saturday, January 27th, 2024 AT 6:41 PM
Tiny
FPHILLIPS93
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
Putting power steering fluid in it did not fix the problem whatsoever. It leaked all right back out when we drove it.
Is there much of a chance the grinding sound could be the engine? It did have an oil leak, but we had been adding 2-3 quarts of oil between oil changes and checking it regularly all the time. The engine rotates with a wrench and all that but, it’s slow and hard to rotate.
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Saturday, January 27th, 2024 AT 7:02 PM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
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Hi,

Anything is possible, but I doubt that is the issue. I say that because it started shortly after the PS leak.

Are you comfortable removing the drive belts to check if there are any of the accessories that are difficult to turn or are locked?

Let me know.

Joe
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Saturday, January 27th, 2024 AT 8:12 PM
Tiny
FPHILLIPS93
  • MEMBER
  • 5 POSTS
I took the car to the dealership.

It ended up being the power steering pump, the starter, thermostat, and back brake pads, calipers, rotors.
$800 for starter, $800 for steering pump, $400 for thermostat, $800 for each side on the brakes. This is the dealership’s cost to repair these parts.
Is there any of this I can do myself to save myself money? Thermostats are easy on other cars, and this is the newest car I’ve ever owned. I’m used to a $7 thermostat and a five-minute change out. $400 seems like a lot of detailed work for a thermostat.
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Tuesday, January 30th, 2024 AT 9:50 AM
Tiny
JACOBANDNICKOLAS
  • MECHANIC
  • 109,645 POSTS
Hi,

Wow, that is a lot of money. It sounds like they want you to buy a new vehicle. LOL

As far as repairs are concerned, the only thing that I see that would have caused it not to start would be the starter. The thermostat and brakes aren't related.

I would be happy to help you get things replaced if you want. The PS pump is a must because of the leak and the starter, if it doesn't engage, needs to be replaced as well. Let me know. Also, because these are two different types of repairs, I will need you to start a new post for each indicating how to replace each component.

Here are two links that explain in general how things are replaced. I will get more specific on the new posts.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-starter-motor

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-a-power-steering-pump

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/replace-thermostat

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/how-to-replace-rear-brake-pads-and-rotors

Take a look through those links and let me know which you are comfortable performing. Also, the reason we ask to start new posts is because it becomes more helpful to others. I hope you understand.

Let me know.

Joe
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Tuesday, January 30th, 2024 AT 7:59 PM

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