The Truck Is Possessed! Need Exorcist!

1ntimid8r · September 6, 2008

I need help diagnosing a problem. My truck is an '01 Silverado 4.8L with 130K miles on it.Last winter I was stuck in traffic after ice on a bridge caused an accident and they shut the highway down. I parked the truck, listening to the radio by turning it to Accessory. When the road opened up, I went to start the truck. The starter just kept clicking and the lights would flicker on and off, the "key in the ignition bell would go off, even though the key was in the "On" position. The turck would keep doing this 4 or 5 times before it stopped. It even kept doing it when I shut the key off and removed it from the ignition. Well I pushed the truck to the shoulder and had a friend come give me a jump. After about 20 minutes, the truck fired up, no ill effects after that. Until........... So today, just 2 hours ago, I stop to pick up my boys, shut the truck off, lock it, grab the kids, get in the truck and Lord of Darkness has once again possessed my truck. Same symptoms as before. This time I left the key in the ignition, popped the hood and listened. I heard the clicking in the engine compartment. I quick checked the little battery button. It shows green, so full charge there. So I get the wife's car and start to jump the truck. Nothing, then all by itself the truck starts. The key was "On" but no one turned the key to start it.So, I am worried that my Silverado is going to go all "Chrstine" on me and try to kill me.Ok, now seriously. I have an after market remote starter on the truck. Could the relays in that remote starter be going bad to where it is trying to start the truck without me hitting the button? The remote starter is almost 6 years old. Anyone else experience this or anything like this?

Mike Diaz · September 6, 2008

I need help diagnosing a problem. My truck is an '01 Silverado 4.8L with 130K miles on it.Last winter I was stuck in traffic after ice on a bridge caused an accident and they shut the highway down. I parked the truck, listening to the radio by turning it to Accessory. When the road opened up, I went to start the truck. The starter just kept clicking and the lights would flicker on and off, the "key in the ignition bell would go off, even though the key was in the "On" position. The turck would keep doing this 4 or 5 times before it stopped. It even kept doing it when I shut the key off and removed it from the ignition. Well I pushed the truck to the shoulder and had a friend come give me a jump. After about 20 minutes, the truck fired up, no ill effects after that. Until........... So today, just 2 hours ago, I stop to pick up my boys, shut the truck off, lock it, grab the kids, get in the truck and Lord of Darkness has once again possessed my truck. Same symptoms as before. This time I left the key in the ignition, popped the hood and listened. I heard the clicking in the engine compartment. I quick checked the little battery button. It shows green, so full charge there. So I get the wife's car and start to jump the truck. Nothing, then all by itself the truck starts. The key was "On" but no one turned the key to start it.So, I am worried that my Silverado is going to go all "Chrstine" on me and try to kill me.Ok, now seriously. I have an after market remote starter on the truck. Could the relays in that remote starter be going bad to where it is trying to start the truck without me hitting the button? The remote starter is almost 6 years old. Anyone else experience this or anything like this?

The first thing I would check for is if it has an AC Delco battery. In my experiences with Delco batteries, the positive or negative battery terminals can separate from the connection inside the battery, causing what would feel like is a partially dead battery. Try tightening the battery cables to the battery and try it again. I think you'll probably find some corrosion or a loose connection on the terminals.

nbscanuck · September 6, 2008

GM starters do this when cold and about to fail. I've had several. A quick fix is to have someone turn the key to start position and you beat the hell out of the starter. This will get the armature to engage. The permanent solution, replace the starter.

D&SYukonDenali · September 6, 2008

GM starters do this when cold and about to fail. I've had several. A quick fix is to have someone turn the key to start position and you beat the hell out of the starter. This will get the armature to engage. The permanent solution, replace the starter.

I remember having to do this on my '75. I carried a hammer to hit the starter a few times when it happened. Thank god I'm no longer in high school and can afford a new starter if needed.

Mikeee · September 6, 2008

Art Bell may be interested in your "situation".

*************

Nobody in talk radio quite compares to Art Bell when it comes to entertaining the notions of UFOlogists, psychics and conspiracy theorists. From his one-man broadcasting center in Pahrump, Nevada, Bell hosted a nationally syndicated all-night radio show -- Coast to Coast AM -- specializing in tales of the supernatural, the paranormal and the not-yet-categorized weird

thecraft · September 6, 2008

Starter solenoid most likely.

fbachman · September 6, 2008

>*************
Nobody in talk radio quite compares to Art Bell when it comes to entertaining the notions of UFOlogists, psychics and conspiracy theorists. From his one-man broadcasting center in Pahrump, Nevada, Bell hosted a nationally syndicated all-night radio show -- Coast to Coast AM -- specializing in tales of the supernatural, the paranormal and the not-yet-categorized weird

Is he still on the air ???LOL, I remember catching his show in the way home from 2nd shift....

tramz · September 6, 2008

Had similar problem with remote start, but on top of that my door locks would cycle up and down for about 10 seconds while driving down the road. Replaced batteries in the remote and both problems went away.

Mikeee · September 6, 2008

>*************
Nobody in talk radio quite compares to Art Bell when it comes to entertaining the notions of UFOlogists, psychics and conspiracy theorists. From his one-man broadcasting center in Pahrump, Nevada, Bell hosted a nationally syndicated all-night radio show -- Coast to Coast AM -- specializing in tales of the supernatural, the paranormal and the not-yet-categorized weird

Is he still on the air ???LOL, I remember catching his show in the way home from 2nd shift....

Yea, I used to listen to him and some of his wacho stuff in the wee hours of the AM when I was on the road. At least he kept me out of the ditch on those long trips.

He retired, again, in 2007.

Coast to Coast is still on.

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/

He retired to spend time with his new wife, 40 years his younger, and their new baby.

Wife pics (about 4 foot eight)

http://www.coasttocoastam.com/gen/page1405.html?theme=light

csheatz · September 6, 2008

sounds like the remote start. I had kinda the same issue with my last truck, it was the theftlock being tempremental, but after 20 min it would be fine, only reason i say this is because you said after 20 min it was fine my blazer was also a 01, and i remember someone telling me if you screw with theft lock it takes 20 min to reset

1ntimid8r · September 8, 2008

Ok, it hasn't happened again.I do notice now that starting the truck seems labored. Like the starter is not applying as much torque or the battery is losing charge. the battery is over 7 years old, it's the original battery. Either way, I'm going to take them both off and haul them up to autozone and have them tested.I'll let you know what I find.

rvsahs · September 8, 2008

Hose down "Christine" with Holy H2O if all else fails.

1ntimid8r · September 14, 2008

Ok, so today I crawled under the truck. (Had plenty of jackstands in case the truck decided to attempt to kill me). Removed the starter and battery. I ran up to AutoZone to have them both tested. Turns out, the starter is fine, the battery needs replacing. So I come home, put both back in the truck (I'll stop at Costco on Monday for a battery).

Apparently, I still need the exorcism. As I am hooking the battery back up, the truck starts. Keys are laying in the front seat. I touch the brake, the truck stops. Obviously, the remote starter is messed up. So I get everything buttoned up. Put the key in the ignition, start the truck. Everything's fine.

I go to use the remote starter, it starts right up. I put the key in, turn it on, then back to off to shut the motor off. The motor remains running. So, now if I use the remote starter, I can not turn the engine off with the key.

Any suggestions???

I'm scared that the truck will just start itself whenever and run itself out of gas.

Anyone seen the movie on Sci-Fi channel a few weeks back called "Trucks". It's about these turcks and semis that come to life and start running over the people of this small desert town. Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaah... I'm starting to think my truck is going to do that. LOL