Strange issue - no power (1 Viewer)

[cgs2k2]

Hi guys - weird issue I am having / just had.

For probably the last few weeks my stereo and HVAC has completely turned off and then back on while driving. This has probably happened 3 times in the last 3 weeks. So not every drive by any means, but not so infrequently that it is not a concern.

Today, the weather is 0 degrees outside, but the car is in a garage. The garage is not heated and is about 25 degrees. I took the car out this morning, no issues. Started right up, drove around a while, ran some errands, came home. Later this afternoon, I went to start the car... NOTHING. No lights, can't turn on the map lights, lock or unlock the car, etc. I get out and pop the hood to see if the battery connections are bad - as I get out of the car, the lights turn on and the screen on the dash says it is "reloading" and not to turn off the car. The same message you'd see if the battery was disconnected.

Any ideas?? I drive around with my toddler and pregnant wife. I would not want the car to turn off while I'm driving and for me to lose control of power brakes, power steering, etc.

Thought maybe it would be the battery, but the symptoms coming and going like an on/off switch are very weird to me. Maybe some bad or loose fuses? If that's the case, any ideas where to look or what fuses to check?

Thanks guys!

 

[Bang Bang]

Have your battery load tested at an auto parts store. Cold weather will kill a battery quickly and do weird things. I am assuming you checked how tight the connections to the battery are.

 

[cgs2k2]

Have your battery load tested at an auto parts store. Cold weather will kill a battery quickly and do weird things. I am assuming you checked how tight the connections to the battery are.

I will have that checked tomorrow. The connections are good, but it is definitely an older battery. Hoping its that simple. The only thing making me overthink this is how it was totally normal, then COMPLETELY dead, then back to normal. To me that usually indicates a complete break of connection somewhere in the system as opposed to just a weak signal from the battery - but like you said, cold weather and dying batteries can do some weird s***.

 

[suitcase]

Give the connections to the battery an actual tug. Last year as I was preparing to rollout of camp, the GX wasn't starting - nothing. Luckily I was with a friend and we had jumper cables. As he was repositioning his truck, I pulled up on the plastic cover covering the positive terminal and the whole connection came off. Turns out the connection was working itself loose each time I pulled up on the plastic cover to expose the terminal for my air compressor.

 

[ericm979]

The battery clamp bolts can seem tight when the clamp itself is loose on the post. I try to twist them on the post to check that they're solidly clamped on.

It sure sounds like an intermittent fault with a major electrical part. Those can be difficult to diagnose. It could be the battery or connections or even wires. Like a bad ground between body and frame.

 

[cgs2k2]

Thanks guys for the replies and suggestions. It feels like -20 up here today so I am probably just going to keep the GX parked and drive our Yukon until it gets a little warmer in a few days. I'm going to mess with the connections a bit and make sure everything is solid and get the battery tested. Hopefully that will do it. I will report back!

 

[Rednexus]

In my experience, 5-6 years is the lifespan for a lead-acid battery. If your battery is getting up to that age, it is probably due for replacement. Also, if untreated, pretty much any vehicle will develop corrosion on the battery terminals, that will manifest itself as intermittent no-start or otherwise dead condition. It's a good idea to clean the terminals and cable ends with some battery spray, wire brush them, and then coat them with something like FluidFilm or NCP2 to keep them from corroding.

 

[HVLA]

This is why I change out my batteries once they hit 4 years old no matter what.

 

[cgs2k2]

update for anyone who cares:

snagged a new battery today. had the old one tested. they got 4 volts haha... also terminals were pretty toasted and even the tester was having a hard time getting a real good connection. hoping the new battery solves all my problems and it there isn't some strange underlying issue. started right up immediately. will drive it around later and see if all symptoms have resolved.

 

[r2m]

update for anyone who cares:

snagged a new battery today. had the old one tested. they got 4 volts haha... also terminals were pretty toasted and even the tester was having a hard time getting a real good connection. hoping the new battery solves all my problems and it there isn't some strange underlying issue. started right up immediately. will drive it around later and see if all symptoms have resolved.

You'll know pretty quickly if it's the battery if this new battery takes a dump on you also.
Hopefully not and as you said, it was just a bad battery.

 

[ericm979]

FOUR volts? I have seen a lot of recently deceased batteries but never one that low. Must have had multiple cells fail at once. Looks like you used that one up.

BTW a cheap multi meter is totally worth having.

 

[cgs2k2]

FOUR volts? I have seen a lot of recently deceased batteries but never one that low. Must have had multiple cells fail at once. Looks like you used that one up.

BTW a cheap multi meter is totally worth having.

yeah this thing was toast! I have a multimeter somewhere in my very messy garage haha

 

[cgs2k2]

You'll know pretty quickly if it's the battery if this new battery takes a dump on you also.
Hopefully not and as you said, it was just a bad battery.

hope so!

 

[Bang Bang]

Wiling to bet your issues disappear. Glad it was an easy fix.

 

[cgs2k2]

Wiling to bet your issues disappear. Glad it was an easy fix.

so far so good! drove about 50 miles yesterday and 20 miles this AM with no issues

 

[r2m]

so far so good! drove about 50 miles yesterday and 20 miles this AM with no issues

Now that's all fixed, time to start modding it?

 

[cgs2k2]

Now that's all fixed, time to start modding it?

already pretty modified! but as you know, it is never done

 

[re_guderian]

@cgs2k2 - Checking in to see how this worked out. I'm having the same issues, including the intermittent off of touchscreen and HVAC. Wife went to start it, totally dead. I just threw it on the charger overnight, and removed charger this morning on my way out the door without a test start, though charger showed full charge on a 10-month old Interstate battery that hasn't even been through an AZ summer. Did a new battery solve all your issues for the last six months?

 

[Rednexus]

@cgs2k2 - Checking in to see how this worked out. I'm having the same issues, including the intermittent off of touchscreen and HVAC. Wife went to start it, totally dead. I just threw it on the charger overnight, and removed charger this morning on my way out the door without a test start, though charger showed full charge on a 10-month old Interstate battery that hasn't even been through an AZ summer. Did a new battery solve all your issues for the last six months?

Have you done a parasitic draw test with a 10A multimeter? I had one (rear dome light) that killed a battery in less than a year.

 

[re_guderian]

Have you done a parasitic draw test with a 10A multimeter? I had one (rear dome light) that killed a battery in less than a year.

How do you do that? Probe each fuse at the box?