Push button start Starter cranks endlessly no crank

[19RSTZ71]

Towed to dealer says it started. 2019 Silverado RST Crew 5.3 left me stranded at zero degrees.  I pressed the start button and the starter cranked at high rpm without the bendix engaging to crank the engine.  I had to press the button to stop it from spinning.  Tried several times still only starter spinning.  Roadside tow last night to dealer.  Dealer said started fine had a few codes ie fuel pump etc.  said come and get it NPF.  Now that is disappointing from a reliability trustworthy stand point.   Curious if anyone has heard of this symptom.  3024 miles on vehicle. 

[RaisedByWolves]

Yes, cars have done this from the inception of the electric starter.

 

 

The fix is to crawl under there and hit the starter with a hammer.

[redwngr]

Spinning without engaging has NOTHING to do with it being a push button.

Both the key and push button systems (and also the remote start, for that matter) just send an input to the computer.

 

As raisedbywolves pointed out, the starter drive not engaging (resulting in a free-wheeling starter) has always been an occasional problem.

 

The hammer certainly isn't a 'repair' solution, but sometimes it will get you home.

 

I think I'd be pissed that the shop just gave an NPF diagnosis. 

[Chris Callanan]

1 hour ago, RaisedByWolves said:

Yes, cars have done this from the inception of the electric starter.

 

 

The fix is to crawl under there and hit the starter with a hammer.

I always carried a hammer in my old Diesel VW Dasher....  got me out of quite a few jams...    even better, always tried to park on a hill whenever I could

[19RSTZ71]

So I press the brake pedal and press and release the start button and the starter free wheels for ever until it burns out the starter or I press the start button again to stop the starter.  I have never turned a key to start any vehicle and and released the key and it kept free wheeling.  If a new Push button start GM vehicle has no flywheel engagement the starter can spin itself out of control with no fail safe?  Unless grandma Mabel figures out she has to start the vehicle again to get it to stop trying to start?  Odd. At no time is the engine running.

Edited December 12, 2019 by 19RSTZ71

[OnTheReel]

I’m sure there’s some kind of cranking time limit built in, but it’s probably higher than most people would be comfortable with letting it run out.

 

Either way, there’s not much difference between having a key or push button besides the different motion. GM vehicles with keyed ignition have only required a “bump” of the key for years. Bump the key to the start position and the engine would continue to crank over until started. You’d still have to intervene or it would just keep cranking without holding the key there.

[19RSTZ71]

Boeing and Hitachi were pretty sure about things as well.  I appreciate the reasonable responses so I’ll just note that I threw the penalty flag while standing outside of my 3,000 mile new truck listening to the starter spin until I jumped back in and stopped it.  I will update this post should a software anomaly with the start stop remote start systems be tied to some of the codes present.  Might be more to it.  It starts ok today repeatedly with no service performed.  Thanks all. 

[greco2003]

Could of let it burn out then they couldn’t of said npf.

[19RSTZ71]

I suppose I could have.  May still need to.  I spent 30 years in my past life working with factory auto engineers from the field sharing and convincing them there was something brewing and contributed to numerous factory TSB’s.   It always blew me away how they would quietly share back that “This is a problem”.  There were many issues where I was the first to ring the bell.   I now know very little but that same alarm goes off. 

[tbarn]

What trans code? MQB, MQE, MYC?

[Robert Wigand]

Just had the same problem with 2019 Silverado. Spinning starter with no engagement. Three hours later when tow truck arrived of course it started. I have appointment in a few days with dealerships and I will repost their prognosis. 750 miles on this truck.  Should not have this problem 

Edited February 3, 2020 by Robert Wigand

[Jessica92]

I have a 2019 Sierra and it won’t start at all it doesn’t crank the dash lights will come on as well as the radio but then turn back off a mechanic said it could be a short circuit somewhere but idk what to do at this point or how much it’s going to cost 

[Rob Mugs]

On 10/7/2020 at 9:31 PM, Jessica92 said:

I have a 2019 Sierra and it won’t start at all it doesn’t crank the dash lights will come on as well as the radio but then turn back off a mechanic said it could be a short circuit somewhere but idk what to do at this point or how much it’s going to cost 

Not at all the same issue.  You should still be under warranty so bring it in

 

On that note, I DID just have the exact problem mentioned above and CEL light

[Theynine]

My 2021 5.3 with 7000 miles did this to me today.  Tried four times.  Sounded like an electric machine gun until I buttoned it back off.  Let it sit a few minutes and it fired up like there was nothing wrong.  Hasn’t done it since,  but now my confidence level is out the window.  What if it works a while and then strands me in the middle of nowhere by some fishing lake?  Totally blows.  Any updates?

[GJR1212]

On 7/9/2021 at 4:53 PM, Theynine said:

My 2021 5.3 with 7000 miles did this to me today.  Tried four times.  Sounded like an electric machine gun until I buttoned it back off.  Let it sit a few minutes and it fired up like there was nothing wrong.  Hasn’t done it since,  but now my confidence level is out the window.  What if it works a while and then strands me in the middle of nowhere by some fishing lake?  Totally blows.  Any updates?

There are other threads on this subject as it relates to 2021 trucks.   The problem in this thread seems to be about the bendix gear not engaging.   Your problem sounds more like the one I have had on my 2021 3.0 diesel.   The starter engages but the engine will not fire so it just cranks until the ecu times out the starter at about 15 seconds.   The problem appears common on both gas and diesel trucks.    GM is aware of the problem but they have not issue a fix and the dealers are clueless.    Search something like "Cranks over but will not start"  or "Starter times out".