positive battery cable
New battery... won’t start. key reset? engine immobilization?
- Thread starter austindave
- Start date
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positive battery cable
The positive red battery cable on the left as your facing the battery.
- Thread starter
- #63
- Thread starter
- #64
Nothing worked. Trying to find a local mechanic that makes house calls.
Does your battery dash gauge read 14 volts or close to it when the jumper cables are hooked up ? And how far away is the key from the starter button?
Was this tried? That is what I came to suggest. A weak FOB key will create this condition, but I believe the car usually warns of a low FOB battery.
A few thoughts:
If the immobilizer says "Shift to [P]ark" that seems like a key bit of info. You should also be able to start in Neutral, but this makes me think your neutral safety switch is failing or misaligned.
I thought the engine immobilizer was also activated if the hood was open, but perhaps I'm remembering wrong. I know many aftermarket remote start systems do that to prevent someone from trying to bypass the system, so I may be confusing the remote starter with the key-based starter
Battery voltages can be misleading. 12.7V is considered full on a sealed lead acid battery. If you charge a battery it might read up to 14.4V when you take it off the charger, but that's not the real charge - rather there's a "surface charge" which needs to dissipate. After you've charged it for a while, take it off the charger and put a load on the battery. You can do that by turning your headlights (or high beams) on for a few minutes. Then after you turn them off check the voltage to see where it's really at. You want the "resting charge" to be >12.5V... if it's not put it back on the charger and try again.
As far as charging, remember power = volts x amps. If you're on the margin between a solenoid click and a proper start like Iwas a couple hours on a trickle charge might do, but if the battery is really low you will need possibly days to get it recharged. Assuming your 100AH battery is at 40% and you need to get it to 80% that's 40A @ 12V. If your charger is providing 1A @ 12V it will take 40 hours to get to 80%. (Above 80% the charging rate slows...)
FWIW read RV Tech Library - Battery Charge Voltage if you have a few minutes but 11.5V is near dead, so your old battery wasn't going to start your vehicle.
The LC will drain the battery over time if you're not driving it. The current stay-at-home orders will make this worse. This weekend I went to start my rig and it was a slow crank for a moment and then started up OK. Ran it for a minute, then shut it down, and it wouldn't start again.... a few slow cranks and then just a solenoid click on the second attempt. Third attempt did nothing. My battery voltage was >12V (only had an analog meter handy) but I did notice the battery cable wasn't fully tight so in my case I think when I did run the truck it wasn't getting charged correctly. I put it on a crappy trickle charger I had lying around for a couple hours and it started OK after that.
If the immobilizer says "Shift to [P]ark" that seems like a key bit of info. You should also be able to start in Neutral, but this makes me think your neutral safety switch is failing or misaligned.
I thought the engine immobilizer was also activated if the hood was open, but perhaps I'm remembering wrong. I know many aftermarket remote start systems do that to prevent someone from trying to bypass the system, so I may be confusing the remote starter with the key-based starter
Battery voltages can be misleading. 12.7V is considered full on a sealed lead acid battery. If you charge a battery it might read up to 14.4V when you take it off the charger, but that's not the real charge - rather there's a "surface charge" which needs to dissipate. After you've charged it for a while, take it off the charger and put a load on the battery. You can do that by turning your headlights (or high beams) on for a few minutes. Then after you turn them off check the voltage to see where it's really at. You want the "resting charge" to be >12.5V... if it's not put it back on the charger and try again.
As far as charging, remember power = volts x amps. If you're on the margin between a solenoid click and a proper start like Iwas a couple hours on a trickle charge might do, but if the battery is really low you will need possibly days to get it recharged. Assuming your 100AH battery is at 40% and you need to get it to 80% that's 40A @ 12V. If your charger is providing 1A @ 12V it will take 40 hours to get to 80%. (Above 80% the charging rate slows...)
FWIW read RV Tech Library - Battery Charge Voltage if you have a few minutes but 11.5V is near dead, so your old battery wasn't going to start your vehicle.
The LC will drain the battery over time if you're not driving it. The current stay-at-home orders will make this worse. This weekend I went to start my rig and it was a slow crank for a moment and then started up OK. Ran it for a minute, then shut it down, and it wouldn't start again.... a few slow cranks and then just a solenoid click on the second attempt. Third attempt did nothing. My battery voltage was >12V (only had an analog meter handy) but I did notice the battery cable wasn't fully tight so in my case I think when I did run the truck it wasn't getting charged correctly. I put it on a crappy trickle charger I had lying around for a couple hours and it started OK after that.
- Thread starter
- #68
The dealer mechanic was not helpful “tow it in” got to see if there is someone who can make house calls that is decent 
Retrace. Gotta be something simple.
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- #71
All of a sudden. No idea what caused it.
this is going toward starter for me
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- #73
ugh!
Crazy for a failure after 5 years /65k Miles
wonder how much a new one costs - $$$$
I've had a no start in my driveway too, so I feel your pain. In my case it was cranking fine . . . I'd just run out of gas
- Thread starter
- #75
I've had a no start in my driveway too, so I feel your pain. In my case it was cranking fine . . . I'd just run out of gas
oh lol. Well at least it’s not side of road.
bloc
SILVER Star
If the solenoid has failed it might be possible to do the solenoid bypass trick, though it is a little complicated and needs two people and a special tool.
RET2
SILVER Star
Turn lights on and see if they get very dim when trying to start or measure voltage as someone pushes Start button.
- Thread starter
- #78
We already jumped it and no start so doesn't that eliminate the battery as issue?
RET2
SILVER Star
Not necessarily, actual voltage is the real measure that will help diagnose issue.
- Thread starter
- #80
The mechanic won't send someone because they think it's electrical and it needs to get to a shop with a scanner
So I am going to look into towing.
So I am going to look into towing.
