No electricity in the car?

Tiny
DRMRQ
  • MEMBER
  • 2011 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
  • 5.3L
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 160,000 MILES
After driving for a while (around 30 minutes), gauges went off and return to work, and after stopping the car the central lock didi not work as there is no electricity when insert the key into the switch.
Monday, August 24th, 2015 AT 11:58 PM

18 Replies

Tiny
HMAC300
  • MECHANIC
  • 48,601 POSTS
Hello,

This sounds like the battery connection or the battery shorted out, either way these two guides will help us fix the issue.

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/everything-goes-dead-when-engine-is-cranked

and

https://www.2carpros.com/articles/car-battery-load-test

Please run down these guides and report back.
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Tuesday, August 25th, 2015 AT 6:16 AM
Tiny
SMITHGAR
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • 2002 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 28,000 MILES
After getting oil and lube service, including a changing of the interior cabin air filters, I drove home and put truck in the garage. About 3 hours later I went out to start and their was zero power. It was like a kill switch had been tripped. There is a new battery (less than 6 months old) Has anyone experienced this before?
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:09 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
HI
Dash gagues work? Radio? Or everything out? Have you tried to jumpstart?
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:09 AM (Merged)
Tiny
SMITHGAR
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Everything is out. Jump start doesn't work.
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:09 AM (Merged)
Tiny
DOCFIXIT
  • MECHANIC
  • 18,828 POSTS
Measure battery voltage It is possible for a battery to have an open cell. You may need a new battery. When you jump pos cable on batt term neg. On block.
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:09 AM (Merged)
Tiny
VMO67
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
  • 1999 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
  • V8
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 149,000 MILES
Hi
I been having a real puzzler recently. My truck battery keeps going dead. I charge it up, The auto store charges it and checks my alternator, everything is fine. The next day I get out to start it and it either is really weak and won't start or it's totally dead. I will say that my starter has been giving my that I need a new sylanoid spin out every once in a while. Don't know if tat is something to do with it. I am charging it right now again to try and take it to the mechanic tomorrow fully charged. Any ideas before I go would be helpful. Thanks!
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RHALL77
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,361 POSTS
Sounds like the vehicle has a current draw that is draining your power. Is your glove box light and other light shutting off that you know of. Is there a cell phone or IPOD charger that is plugged in over night. Did you have the battery tested for a bad cell
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
VMO67
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
It got a new alternator yesterday. Apparently the Auto Zone store checked it and called it good but my mechanic did a few tests and called it a bad Alternator. He did run a weird test I had never seen before, he disconnected to red post while the truck was running and it died on the spot. He said it was the alternator at that point. Does that sound right to you?

I been outside one already this morning to crank it and it works fine. I will probably go back out there in a minute to try it again. I'm telling you, after 3 weeks of charged to dead I am still weary.
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
RHALL77
  • MECHANIC
  • 3,361 POSTS
I would never test it that way, but if it is working I guess try it for a while.
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
VMO67
  • MEMBER
  • 3 POSTS
It seamed a bit strange to do that to me too but I don't know, all I can do is trust the guy. So far it cranks.

Well it seams the problem is solved. New Delco Alternator did the trick.
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STATII
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
  • CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
Hello,

I own a chevrolet suburban, 1999, 102,000 miles. 6.0L 8 cylinder (pretty sure).

I am having an intermitment power failure. This is a total failure, what I mean by this is that the car shuts completly down as if you turned off the switch. The odd part is that if you sit there a minute or two the power comes back on (gauges light up, cranks etc. Another odd part is the the "clock" resets to 1:00 pm as if you had taken the battery out. I've checked the battery connections, and no problem. Plus this happens while the engine is running or I'm under way when the alternator should keep it running. Any ideas, I'm afraid this baby is going to leave me on the side of the road. Oh, I did the "giggle" test with the ignition switch with no results
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
2CARPRO JACK
  • MECHANIC
  • 11,533 POSTS
Gonna have to start digging in. Sounds like a bad connection heats up and goes away. Start at the main power box under the hood. Look for battery acid leeching up the pos cable to the power center. Check all grounds too
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
STATII
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Hey jack,

Got it fixed. I had missed something when examining the battery terminals. This model has 2 heavy cables attached to the positive pole on the battery. They are attached together. I guess one supplies power to the starter and the other main voltage to other systems. While I had looked at the "front" connection to the battery on the positive side, I did not split the connections apart. When I did, I noticed a lot of corrosion. I couldn’t see it before because rubber sleeves protect and hide connections. The small piece of lead that makes the connect between the two positive leads was badly corroded and not allowing current to pass to the lead that supplies main voltage to the electric system. Long story/short. Seems to works okay now and thanks for the advice. Doug
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
EHUNTJR02
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1997 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
  • V8
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 157,900 MILES
No lights, alarms, radio, no response when turning ignition on. Security system, auto locks not working. Used drivers side key to open door.

Hlep.
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
Check battery and connections, see if vehicle will take a boost. You may have a parasitic drain.
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
LEGITIMATE007
  • MECHANIC
  • 5,121 POSTS
Could be an alternator issue also may not be charging battery
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
KEKE69
  • MEMBER
  • 1 POST
  • 1994 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN
  • 4WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 210,123 MILES
Someone hooked up and amp and subs and now when I start my truck the wipers come on and if I roll the windows down it shut off so I took everything off and I still do it what wrong
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)
Tiny
MHPAUTOS
  • MECHANIC
  • 31,937 POSTS
With any wiring fault like this, any mechanic trying to unravel the fault will have to be testing the circuits as they go, as I can't do that, I would suggest that you carefully undo the radio and Amp wiring first, check the colour coding of any cut wires, make sure that none are wrongly connected, start here.

Mark (mhpautos)
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Friday, July 17th, 2020 AT 11:10 AM (Merged)

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