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2011 Silverado Starting Issues

GSP9

By GSP9
in 1999-2013 Silverado & Sierra 1500

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GSP9 Enthusiast

GSP9

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Was hoping maybe you guys could help me pinpoint a starting issue I'm having.  I have a 2011 Silverado 5.3L with 125,000 miles.  Owned it since new and it has been well taken care of.  Typically the past two years or so in the winter (PA), the truck will always crank right over but I will have low RPM for the first 2-3 seconds.  After a few seconds, it jumps right up to 1,500 RPM like normal.  I have read in the past that the fuel trims can get out of whack and running premium fuel or non ethanol fuel will help straighten it out and that's what I have done in the past.

 

Saturday night I filled the tank and drove home about 10 miles.  On Sunday, I went out to start the truck and it wouldn't fire after 7-8 seconds.  This has never happened before.  Tried again and it fired but it idled rough and had low RPM for the first 8-10 seconds.  I backed it out of the garage and could smell a strong odor of gas coming from the exhaust plus I could see a fair amount of exhaust in the garage.  Drove it up the road and it ran fine.  Parked it and tried throughout the day to duplicate the issue but it would start right up.  Since then, every cold start has been the same except it will start on the first try but usually takes 5 seconds or so of cranking and then low rough idle for the next few seconds.   Once it's running, it always runs fine.  Yesterday was basically the same except after 4-5 seconds of cranking I let off the key but it continued to crank until it fired.  I was in and out of the truck several times yesterday and it started up fine after sitting a few hours and ran fine all day.

 

This morning was the same scenario.  Started after 8-10 seconds.  As I was heading up the driveway, I noticed the gauge cluster was frozen and not working at all.  Rpm was at 1,500, speedo at 0, fuel at half a tank, P for Park, seat belt indicator was on even though my belt was on, etc.  Took the kids to school and came home and disconnected the battery for 10 minutes.  Went back out and it fired right up and the gauge cluster was working.  Headed off to work and after 10 minutes thought it seemed cold in the truck.  Heat was set at 80 but it was not blowing warm air.  The gauge cluster was still working and the fan speed and all that was working but just no warm air.  

 

Any info on where to start with this?  I've had the battery tested and it checks out fine.  I've read that the starting issue could be the fuel trims being out of whack or to have the PCM reprogrammed.   I hate to just drop it off at the dealer and let them go to town on it.  It has been a very reliable truck up until this past weekend.  Any input would be appreciated.  Thanks.

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GSP9 Enthusiast

GSP9

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After letting the truck sit all day at work, it had another rough start but started after about 8 seconds.  Made one quick stop on the way home and when I started the truck up again it started right up but was immediately given the "Service Traction Control" and "Service Stabilitrak".  Ride home was only about 10 minutes but the speedometer was jumping around and door locks were locking.  

 

I was almost home when I scrolled thru the computer display and I noticed it was calculating my MPG on the high side.  It's generally around 17 this time of year but it said I was getting over 19 MPG.  Then I noticed my odometer was racking up miles pretty quick.  As I pulled into my neighborhood, I know it's just less than 1 mile to my house but in that span, the odometer rang up 7 miles!  

 

I pulled a new battery from another vehicle and thought I would try that but that didn't help either.  I also cleaned up the ground cable to the frame even though it looked to be in good condition.  Not sure what my next step is.

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sefiroxx Enthusiast

sefiroxx

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there are multiple ground connections throughout the vehicle, I would check them all. also, cables can break in the middle and it not be noticeable which will give you intermittent issues
Possible:
- check battery
- check battery and ground connections
- fuel pump. Try putting key on position for 5 seconds before starting
- water temp sensor, could be sending indicating engine is warm instead of cold
- tps/throttle motor could be off and not opening enough (extra rich condition on start)

Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk

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GSP9 Enthusiast

GSP9

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I changed the battery last night and cleaned the negative ground area where it attaches to the frame.  Started it up last night but still got some error messages.  Unhooked the battery and let it sit all night.  Connected the battery this morning and it still had a rough start but not as bad as before.  Ended up driving it about 30 miles with no issues.  No check engine light or any other weird things going on with it.  Did make a few stops along the way and it started back up fine and still no codes or anything.  

 

I also stopped and picked up a new ground cable to run from the engine block to the body.  The braided one looks to be ok but I have read that guys had issue with it causing similar problems.  I'm hopeful my next tank of gas with no ethanol will solve the starting issue.  Time will tell.

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bgbdwlf2500 Enthusiast

bgbdwlf2500

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2 hours ago, GSP9 said:

I changed the battery last night and cleaned the negative ground area where it attaches to the frame.  Started it up last night but still got some error messages.  Unhooked the battery and let it sit all night.  Connected the battery this morning and it still had a rough start but not as bad as before.  Ended up driving it about 30 miles with no issues.  No check engine light or any other weird things going on with it.  Did make a few stops along the way and it started back up fine and still no codes or anything.  

 

I also stopped and picked up a new ground cable to run from the engine block to the body.  The braided one looks to be ok but I have read that guys had issue with it causing similar problems.  I'm hopeful my next tank of gas with no ethanol will solve the starting issue.  Time will tell.

like I said before, that main cable is not the only ground, there are multiple. replace the main and then check the rest of them. I would bet that both your issues are related

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GSP9 Enthusiast

GSP9

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7 minutes ago, bgbdwlf2500 said:

like I said before, that main cable is not the only ground, there are multiple. replace the main and then check the rest of them. I would bet that both your issues are related

Can you point me in the right direction as to where they all are?  I know from the battery that one goes to the block and the other to the frame.  Then the one from the engine block to the body on the drivers side.  Where else should I be looking?  Thanks. 

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bgbdwlf2500 Enthusiast

bgbdwlf2500

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no I cant tell where all of them are but I have seen at least one hooked to the firewall on the engine side and there could be at least one under the carpet near the pedals. anything hooked to the chassis or body as you know would be a ground....

 

http://www.silveradosierra.com/electrical/electrical-gremlins-where-does-gm-hide-the-grounds-t9300.html

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