Electrical Problems 08 Silverado

[Ben Bassinger]

Last week after watching some College Football at the neighborhood place, we drove home. When I parked and turned off the keyy, everything shut off. All lights, interior lights engine..everything. My radio didn't even retract it's screen back in. I tried to turn the key and the dash just flashed its lights and went back off. No start no clicks...nothing. We got out of the car and tried to lock it with the fob, but nothing. So, I locked it manually and went to bed. The next day, I went to check it out and the car made some strange clicks after unlocking it with the key and trying to start it. It finally started up and began to behave normally. I turned it off and waited a few days before driving again. Next time I tried to start it, it started right up and didn't have any issues since and have driven ~40-50 miles. I did notice my voltmeter dropping around to the halfway mark on the left side then rising to around 15 volts or so. Has anyone had this happen, should I just take it in to the shop or let it be? Its a 2008 Extended Cab Silverado 5.3 AFM

[sillyazz]

Never heard of any problem like this , but the volt gauge moving around is normal on these truck that what the alternator is designed to do.

[saxdogg]

"radio didn't even retract its screen in"

 

Is this an aftermarket radio I assume? Electrical/stereo install work you've had done on your truck? Checked things like loose/dirty battery cables?

[Diesail]

On the firewall, passenger side, near the battery, you will find several Mega Fuses. Check that they are all tight.

[Wires]

Could also be a bad battery. Plates shorting inside sometimes.

 

I'd take it in and have them test it.

[ColoradoSkiCountry]

Had similar issues with my 07, dealer never could figure out what it was because it happened so infrequently. I suspected a bad ignition switch. Battery and fuses and charging system was fine, and tested multiple times. I traded the truck in for my 08.

Could also be a bad battery. Plates shorting inside sometimes.

 

I'd take it in and have them test it.

[pjp]

My 2008 had an intermittent starting problem where it wouldn't crank or anything and also had a A/C problem where it would just quit once in a while. It had to get towed to the dealer twice, but both times it wouldn't set a code! One mechanic moved some of the relays under the hood around (start/run) and then it started and he contributed it to a "bad relay". After purchasing new relays and still having the problem occur it did it again and was towed to a different dealer. This time they didn't move relays around and still couldn't get it going. They attributed it to a bad relay block (box) under then hood. They replaced the entire box and all of the relays and it actually runs better, the A/C blows colder than ever and it hasn't had a starting issue in over 2 months.

[Ben Bassinger]

So this has happened 3-4 times now and finally left me stranded. I tried to jump the battery, but still no power to anything. No interior lights, no dash lights, no fuel pump "click"...nothing. I pushed in my cell phone charger to the 12v outlet and it came on. It was the only thing with power. Very strange. The dealer towed the car on Tuesday and called me to tell me it was fixed. I missed the call, so when I called back I talked to the cashier and she pulled up the invoice and said all they did was replace the battery. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the battery because a jump from another car didn't fix the problem. Should I tell them to keep searching for the issue? I'm thinking it would be something else because of the "direct connection" of the 12v outlet to the battery being the only power available even with jumper cables.

[ColoradoSkiCountry]

Ben, as frustrating as it is, and as justified as we may feel to insist that they keep it until they fix it, I really don't think that they can do anything else until they can duplicate the problem themselves. They can have it for weeks where they wiggle wires, replace things and pull it apart and still not find the problem. It's just one of the unfortunite things we have to deal with in this day and age of electronics and such, never as simple as it used to be. I'm sure this also applies to all the other auto makers out there regardless of import or domestic.

 

 

So this has happened 3-4 times now and finally left me stranded. I tried to jump the battery, but still no power to anything. No interior lights, no dash lights, no fuel pump "click"...nothing. I pushed in my cell phone charger to the 12v outlet and it came on. It was the only thing with power. Very strange. The dealer towed the car on Tuesday and called me to tell me it was fixed. I missed the call, so when I called back I talked to the cashier and she pulled up the invoice and said all they did was replace the battery. I'm pretty sure it wasn't the battery because a jump from another car didn't fix the problem. Should I tell them to keep searching for the issue? I'm thinking it would be something else because of the "direct connection" of the 12v outlet to the battery being the only power available even with jumper cables.

[old-chevy-dude]

check the ground cables at the battery, if they are loose on the battery or on the frame it will cause this.. bouncing and vibration from driving will cause them to move resulting in intermittent behaviors.

 

 

for the record I've had my 2010 for 6 days and noticed that the Voltage meter would bounce from just past 14 down to way under 14 and back while driving.. checked the battery cables and sure enough the ground at the frame was loose.

[Ben Bassinger]

check the ground cables at the battery, if they are loose on the battery or on the frame it will cause this.. bouncing and vibration from driving will cause them to move resulting in intermittent behaviors.

 

 

for the record I've had my 2010 for 6 days and noticed that the Voltage meter would bounce from just past 14 down to way under 14 and back while driving.. checked the battery cables and sure enough the ground at the frame was loose.

 

I finally got ahold of my service advisor. He said that the battery had an internal short so they replaced it. I inquired about the cigarette lighter and my phone charger and he said the computer has a capacitor in it that would be able to power a very small load(the phone charger light). This makes sense to me. My warranty is going to expire at the end of December and I can get a multitude of extended options from GMPP. I kinda like the 4 year/56000 for $1500. Is this price negotable? Should I haggle with him on it, or just get it? I have had the truck 3 years and have about 25000 miles on it. What do you guys think?

[tmoney82]

I had the same happen to me kinda! I was told that maybe it could be the negative wire to the battery. It can't me check just ohm it out, you have to check it under load. I haven't change mine out yet, but I played with it to make sure it was tight at battery and block and it hasn't done it again yet. I'm planning on swapping the cable first before I take it to the shop.

[old-chevy-dude]

yeah they are negotiable, the higher your mileage is the more than cost though. I got the 72 month 100K bumper to bumper for $1500 when I purchased the truck. @ 25K miles it's nearly twice that..

 

 

the service contracts are pure profit for the dealerships so there is a lot of room for them to negotiate the pricing. just be aware there are $0, $50, $100, and $250 deductible pricing on the same year/mile contracts.. make sure you read, if they give you are better deal on the 4/56K it could be because they upped the deductible from $100 to $250 (so you have to pay the first $250 on every warranty repair).

 

Mine was for the $100 deduct. the $0 was $2600 for the same coverage..

[Ben Bassinger]

yeah they are negotiable, the higher your mileage is the more than cost though. I got the 72 month 100K bumper to bumper for $1500 when I purchased the truck. @ 25K miles it's nearly twice that..

 

 

the service contracts are pure profit for the dealerships so there is a lot of room for them to negotiate the pricing. just be aware there are $0, $50, $100, and $250 deductible pricing on the same year/mile contracts.. make sure you read, if they give you are better deal on the 4/56K it could be because they upped the deductible from $100 to $250 (so you have to pay the first $250 on every warranty repair).

 

Mine was for the $100 deduct. the $0 was $2600 for the same coverage..

 

That's good to know. I like haggling! Ha. Hopefully I can just get it for peace of mind. I will check the negative cable too.