Jump to content

Starter Bad after Car Wash

Tanya

By Tanya
in Troubleshooting, Warranty & Recalls

 Share

Recommended Posts

Chase89 New Member

Chase89

Posted
Posted
On 2/28/2020 at 2:01 PM, Tanya said:

Has anyone had any issues with their starter on a 2019 Chevy Trail Boss going bad after going through a car wash.    I am on my third starter today in less than two months.  My vehicle has 13,000 miles on.  The last three times I washed it, I used two different car washes and all three times, when I shut the truck off, it will not start again.  Have to have it towed to the dealership, they replace the starter and cannot find anything else.  They cannot see where anything would be getting wet.   I am not washing the engine just the outside using the carwash places I have for the past year.   It was fine up until the first part of January when it quit the first time.  Then the next two times I washed it, boom wrecked the starter.  

 

 

I had mine go out at the car wash a few days ago. Wouldn’t turn over. This is a 2021 Trailboss so I’m so blown away. 

  • Sad 1
  • 1 year later...
Roofed up New Member

Roofed up

Posted
Posted

I have a 2021 GMC AT4 took it to the car wash washed the mats put the mats back in the truck dried off all my windows and door jams as I live in Manitoba and our winter get below -40 at times. Once I was done I tried to start the truck to leave and it would not start. After having a neighbour mechanic look it over we were dumbfounded. Thought the fuel pump was not working, had it towed to GMC to find out my FLOOR MAT WAS OVER THE GAS PEDAL, "REALLY"!!! I Mean when has a floor mat ever been a problem like this?

First I have ever heard of it. Apparently the truck thinks it's being flooded and won't start.

Anyways just wanted to share so if anyone else has the issue it at least saves the tow.

Best to all of you.

Regards,

 

  • 2 weeks later...
Johnat4 New Member

Johnat4

Posted
Posted

Wow so glad I found this post. Did the same thing with my 2020 AT4. Replaced the washed floor mat over the gas pedal as it was too dark to see under there. Walked a mile to a Starbucks and then read this post. I was just going to arrange a tow truck, but I instead went back and noticed the floor mat issue and it started right up. How dumb do I feel. You saved my day. John (Alberta) 

Mike Duhaime Enthusiast

Mike Duhaime

Posted
Posted
On 2/21/2023 at 12:11 PM, Roofed up said:

I have a 2021 GMC AT4 took it to the car wash washed the mats put the mats back in the truck dried off all my windows and door jams as I live in Manitoba and our winter get below -40 at times. Once I was done I tried to start the truck to leave and it would not start. After having a neighbour mechanic look it over we were dumbfounded. Thought the fuel pump was not working, had it towed to GMC to find out my FLOOR MAT WAS OVER THE GAS PEDAL, "REALLY"!!! I Mean when has a floor mat ever been a problem like this?

First I have ever heard of it. Apparently the truck thinks it's being flooded and won't start.

Anyways just wanted to share so if anyone else has the issue it at least saves the tow.

Best to all of you.

Regards,

 

Any vehicle has that strategy. Foot to floor, computer cuts fuel....but it cranks. This lady has no crank, different issue

Mike Duhaime Enthusiast

Mike Duhaime

Posted
Posted
On 3/2/2020 at 6:45 PM, Tanya said:

Thanks for the responses.  The dealer had my truck ready for me today.  They said they could not find anything electrical. Supposedly checked it all and worked with a chevy adviser and still couldn't find anything.    They have ran it through their car wash twice leaving it sit and starting it as well as leave it run for awhile, turning it off and then starting it.  It started every time.  I told the service adviser to take it over to the car wash I went to and use my account and wash it again.   They did and guess what.... They got it back to the dealership and it wouldn't start!  So now they are baffled and maybe it will actually get fixed.  Nothing like putting a brand new starter in and 4hours later shorting it out.  They are on Starter #4 in two months.  Frustrating.  

Sorry to hear about this!

You have no crank right...no noise...just nothing? That starter gets power from a relay, before that computer..all fuses.

It could be something as simple as the negative cable to frame. I've seen it all as an auto, truck and construction equipment tech. When the truck is towed, they twist the frame and may cause bad connection to work again. We just don't know if 12 volts made it to solenoid of starter. Sad thing is, it must fail to test. In some really hard cases, we added a jumper wire to the starter solenoid. If you got stuck and had no crank, you simply touched the positive of battery and starter worked....if it was relay or wiring, computer. As long as starter was good, it cranked with jumper.

The tech at garage needs to do this and park truck. spray water all over and test...

Please let us know how you make out with this..

JimCost2014 Senior Enthusiast

JimCost2014

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, Mike Duhaime said:

Sorry to hear about this!

 

Please let us know how you make out with this..

She last posted 3 years and 7 days ago. Thinking problem solved or truck sold.

  • Thanks 2
Mike Duhaime Enthusiast

Mike Duhaime

Posted
Posted
15 hours ago, JimCost2014 said:

She last posted 3 years and 7 days ago. Thinking problem solved or truck sold.

Ouch, didn't see that. I'll have to stop posting late at night after a lot of drinks..

I always wish people would respond with outcome.

  • Haha 1

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Latest Articles

  • Posts

    • asilverblazer
      Is the 6.2L L87 in a 2026 Sierra 1500 ok?

      By asilverblazer · Posted

      What meaningful corrections were done to fix the "machining errors?"   I bet nothing, because the 6.2 is soon to be obsolete. Why would GM implement any fix let alone an "expensive one?"   Until someone can provide any convincing information that GM did ANYTHING to correct the engines - the 6.2 is no for me.    Which means keeping the 2016 Denali longer until the next generation (6.6?) proves itself.
    • KARNUT
      The Peckish Synapse

      By KARNUT · Posted

      If my father took a Sunday off. We did the Sunday drive. Usually stopping at a Geno’s for dinner that we eat in the car. Six of us with my little sister up front. It was always a Buick growing up. In New Jersey you couldn’t get lost. Not like Texas.
    • Atlas
      Gas Prices

      By Atlas · Posted

      Hoooooooly smokes, batman!    
    • Grumpy Bear
      Some Assembly is Required

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      I suppose I am Atlas. It can always be worse, eh?   I had a friend once that rolled one payment into another until he was paying the price of Benz for a 10 year old back marker. Wouldn't be often you start a new payment the month following your old one. 
    • Grumpy Bear
      The Peckish Synapse

      By Grumpy Bear · Posted

      I still enjoy the drive   Some people fish when they retire; some golf. I drive. We've lived in the same general area now for twenty eight years and I'm still finding at least monthly some sweet quite little road to explore. When I tell the Mrs. I'm heading out for coffee she knows that could be a five hour event. Often she even goes along.    I like finding new rural routes used mainly by the locals that start nowhere in particular and end the same way. Many in the area of that type are narrow paved and twisty, hilly and run through field and timber. Often along creeks or wetlands. Unfarmable areas of great natural beauty.    After years of this type of exploration they start to fit together. One ending a mile or so from another and you start threading together a new path from a unfamiliar place to a new adventure. Sometimes to a little town of under five hundred that used to be something before the Interstate or some railroad or US highway bled the life out of it that has a small dinner with the greatest slice of pie you've eaten since grandma made her last. A little village museum or library or even a town square park with grand old oak, walnut and Osage orange trees to sit under while you sip you gas station coffee and chat up some locals.    Often they are full of stories about the main streets more interesting buildings and the who's who of the area. Sometimes some hidden attraction or unseen history. Our area is full of old coal mines.     A younger self used to do this going cross country by motorcycle. Only a general area as a destination with no time to get there and no time to be back. Sitting at days end in a 10 unit off the main highway motel under a Sycamore tree yacking with the owner or his one semipermanent guest while I adjusted valves or the chain. Always a wave and a shout "Hey there stranger"!  It's how I came by my love of old Brit iron. There is no such things as a ten minute gas stop when your on a Enfield or a vintage Triumph. Same being true of old cars.    If you take the time to really look I've found everywhere is someplace interesting. Illinois or West Virginia. Different and yet the same.    People are in a more relaxed mood and will talk about anything and everything and if they like you there may be a cupp'a or a lemonade and a sandwich in it. 😉 

  • GM-Trucks.com Clubs

  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...