Battery Problem?

Yukon1999FLA · January 9, 2010

I have a 05 Yukon XL. For about the last 6 months I noticed my battery was getting weak. If I listened to the radio for a while, the battery struggled to crank the truck. On night I left the XM Radio on overnight, and the truck had to be jumped the next morning.

It charged on the way to work, but within a day or two the "tighten fuel cap" warning came on the dash and the engine light came on giving me a error code reading the same problem. I reset the computer code and checked the gap cap. A couple days later the same thing happened. I bought a new gas cap and reset the error code.

All the while, I noticed the bell chime didn't chime as it once did for seat belt warnings and low fuel warning. The stereo also wasn't working properly....the left channel wasn't playing or was distorted.

I was completely stumped.........

Saturday, with the cold temps the battery had to be replaced. I installed an Interstate battery! The truck cranked just like new.

I noticed the stereo was working great and the seat belt warning chime worked just like new. I reset the computer codes and for a week I got no error codes, and I couldn't believe a new battery was the answer to my truck's problems.

Then tonight....it all started again! What is going on?? Help Please!!

Paul in Jax

Nytemare · January 9, 2010

I have a 05 Yukon XL. For about the last 6 months I noticed my battery was getting weak. If I listened to the radio for a while, the battery struggled to crank the truck. On night I left the XM Radio on overnight, and the truck had to be jumped the next morning.
It charged on the way to work, but within a day or two the "tighten fuel cap" warning came on the dash and the engine light came on giving me a error code reading the same problem. I reset the computer code and checked the gap cap. A couple days later the same thing happened. I bought a new gas cap and reset the error code.

All the while, I noticed the bell chime didn't chime as it once did for seat belt warnings and low fuel warning. The stereo also wasn't working properly....the left channel wasn't playing or was distorted.

I was completely stumped.........

Saturday, with the cold temps the battery had to be replaced. I installed an Interstate battery! The truck cranked just like new.

I noticed the stereo was working great and the seat belt warning chime worked just like new. I reset the computer codes and for a week I got no error codes, and I couldn't believe a new battery was the answer to my truck's problems.

Then tonight....it all started again! What is going on?? Help Please!!

Paul in Jax

Bad ground??

maybe your alternator is starting to go. Pull it off and have it tested at an Autozone or something similar.

Clean up all the grounds you can see...and make sure the terminals on the battery are tight.

ColoradoSkiCountry · January 9, 2010

You may have destroyed your alternator. A bad battery that isn't changed out right away will damage the alternator. That or you got a bad battery from Interstate. (Johnson Controls makes Interstate Batteries, along with AC/Delco) It's been known to happen.

Yukon1999FLA · January 10, 2010

So, to follow up on the problem....

I unhooked the battery for about 5 minutes. The voltage of the battery alone was 12.3 volts. I cut some of the plastic off the screw terminal to assure good connection to the battery. Reconnected the battery and cranked the truck. The voltage at the battery was 13.8-13.95 volts.

Everything worked....the radio, the seatbelt warning chime, and after a short drive, no loose gas cap warning!

Then later last night I went out and after about 10 minutes of driving the radio's left channel went out and then the gas cap warning appeared on the dash!

Is it a computer problem? Does it need to be reprogramed? What should I do next??

PhilB · January 10, 2010

I thought I would mention this since you had to replace your battery. You may have a bad battery cable. The OEM AC/Delcos were known to leak at the positive terminal. Sometimes the acid would leak down the positive cable, causing corrosion inside the cable where you can't see it. See this thread: http://www.gm-trucks.com/forums/index.php?...hl=battery+acid

Might be worth checking in to.