Chev Silverado experts - sometimes no cranking

andy r

Member
This is a new problem that has occurred with my 2015 Chevrolet Silverado with the 5.3 engine. Sometimes when I go to start it with the key it will not crank. This occurs primarily in the morning after sitting all night, but sometimes it will do it after sitting 2 hours. It doesn't crank slowly - it will not crank at all. There might be some clicking, but not like a starter engaging. If you switch the key off and on a few times it will eventually catch and crank. I don't know if the monentary current flow is sort of energizing the battery? I did put a new battery in the pickup and no change. Voltage gauge generally reads 14 to 15 volts driving down the road. Once in a while it will show around 10 to 11 volts. One morning when it didn't start I threw the charger on it and the charger said the battery was at 77% charge. I have put the charger on it 3 or 4 times in the morning and it always starts after several minutes of charging at 10 amps. For what it is worth I did get a free alternator test at O'Reilly's and Auto Zone and they both said it was fine. Didn't know if it was common for the switch to go bad? I assume there is a little starter relay in the fuse panel as well. Maybe the starter solenoid is going bad. Lastly maybe there is some kind of current draw pulling the battery down. Anyone have this problem and where should I start first. Hate to just start throwing parts at it. Thanks.
 
Can you have someone hold a test light (or VOM ) at starter solenoid ignition contact while you turn the key to start . Or vice versa
See if its getting lighting
 
I had a similar situation pop up from nowhere with my 2002 Silverado. Eventually I found the starter relay in an underhood relay center, to be loose fitting in the spade connections. A little wiggle and it would roll right over. I tightened up the connectors from below and no issues since. As I bought mine used, I don't know the history- but it looked like someone was probing the relay connection with a large probe.
 
Had a chevy at work that would start one time and then nothing, it was the key losing its communication for the security in the truck. It will not let the computer run the engine. Had to have the dealer make and program new keys.
 
I was going to recommend adding a test wire connecting to the wire energizing the starter solenoid running up to somewhere under the hood to test to see if the solenoid is being energized. Looking at a replacement starter they have done away with the stud type terminal and have a sealed plug now. I am not one to suggest cutting into insulation on wiring of external vehicle wiring. I would not be surprised if there is s relay under the hood as k-effective suggests. I wonder if something on the instruments tells you if the security issue is the problem as was also suggested. A new GM starter on RockAuto is $132 which looking at other offerings of their rebuilds is a real good price of course some shipping on top of that.
Rock Auto starter
 
Interesting.

My 2000 Silverado will do that once in a great while, always in cold weather. Hit the starter switch a couple of times and it will take off.

I'll have to check out that relay.
 
I have a 2017 with the 6.0 and had the same no starter ignition issues. After a couple attempts it would all of a sudden start. I checked all the relays in the fuse box under the hood to make sure they were fully seated. Some of them were not. Since then it has been starting just fine. That was earlier this winter.
 
Sounds like a bad solenoid to me, but we've had good luck for many years so I don't know much about newer vehicles. We had a 13 Silverado that we put 70,000 mile on without any problems, but we sold it last fall and ordered a new Ford, don't know when we'll get it!
 
What doesn't go wrong with the '14 up Silverado? I have found all sorts of issues for the no crank condition. Starter failing, battery cable voltage drop, corroded relay in the under hood electrical center, and spread terminals requiring underhood electrical center replacement is all things I've found to be the culprit when I have one presenting with that symptom. Can really make you pull your hair out trying to duplicate the concern long enough to catch the problem.

Your charging voltage is normal, gm has used on demand charging since 2004. The alternator is commanded on and off based on electrical load and battery state of charge. It tries to keep the voltage as close to 12v as possible to avoid heating the battery. Heat in a battery shortens battery life.
 
The starter relay is # 11 in the underhood fuse box.

Look to see if there is another relay the same as the starter relay (something nonessential), swap them, see if the problem follows the relay.
 
(quoted from post at 16:42:51 01/30/23) What doesn't go wrong with the '14 up Silverado? I have found all sorts of issues for the no crank condition. Starter failing, battery cable voltage drop, corroded relay in the under hood electrical center, and spread terminals requiring underhood electrical center replacement is all things I've found to be the culprit when I have one presenting with that symptom. Can really make you pull your hair out trying to duplicate the concern long enough to catch the problem.

Your charging voltage is normal, gm has used on demand charging since 2004. The alternator is commanded on and off based on electrical load and battery state of charge. It tries to keep the voltage as close to 12v as possible to avoid heating the battery. Heat in a battery shortens battery life.

You the man I don't doubt what you have to say.

I just looked thru a few records cuzz I have seen a few issues like he posted. I had a 2011 Tahoe 178K the battery tested good they wanted a new battery, are a quick last minuet fix. It came back a a week later with the same issue : (

I know this is not the silver bullet folks want to see. This was what resolved the issue.

CHARGE BATTERY
CHECK STARTING AND CHARGING SYSTEM
CHECK FOR BATTERY DRAIN LOW .004MA
CHECK ALTERNATOR RIPPLE
CHECK STARTER WAVE FORM
REPLACE ALTERNATOR

Yes the alt was on its way out to see the issue it took a DSO (scope) It was not a quick Wamm Bamm thank you mamm while you wait job.

The info needed is the battery dead are extremely low when the event happens. That will lead to the direction to resolve the issue. That TSB does move the customer down the road but it does not resolve a real issue. It only resolves a issue if no issue is experienced.
 
Before I went to Florida, I tried to start my 30 year old JD garden tractor. I could hear the solenoid click, the starter wouldn't engage.
cvphoto146225.jpg

When it did engage, this meter measured the cranking voltage, 11v. 12.5 volts when not cranking.

I have an electrical gremlin. I'm guessing I need to replace the solenoid. Doesn't mean the brushes in the starter don't need replaced. It may be in the key. The key may not be applying the full voltage to the solenoid.

Good luck fighting gremlins.
 
Your starter is shot.

Went through the exact same thing over two years. Every few months the starter would not crank on the first attempt. Usually if you clicked it a few times it would crank and run, then be fine for months.

Got a genuine new GM starter from Rock Auto for half what the local auto parts stores wanted for a rebuilt aftermarket. So far so good. Now I'm waiting for it to seize another lifter or dump the transmission on the ground.
 
I had a similar thing in my 91 Silverado. Changed the stater and while doing that discovered the crimp on the cable at the starter end was bad.
 
Check the yellow wire connection on the back of the key switch. They are famous for having a loose connection and it overheats the spade connection.
 
I suspect the Gremlinto is in the connector.
I will wire are the switch and install a push button to the solenoid.
It could be the solenoid or starter motor.
It can wait for spring.
 

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