Random Engine Shutoffs In My 2001 Z71

Mckenzie · April 26, 2009

I recently bought a 2001 Chevy Z71 extended cab with the LT package. The truck has 176,000 miles on,but the truck is in excellent condition. I got it in a little mud so i washed it off,but right after i washed it off and cranked it up to move it, the whole truck just turned off-motor and everything and it was still in drive when it turned off. This happened one other time proceeding the first time. We found a loose connection between the battery and the truck,and i think this might have caused it,what's your thoughts/opinions?

Second problem. While pulling into a parking space,the steering wheel sort of frooze and became real hard to steer. I had to turn the truck on and off real quick to fix the problem. What is causing this?

Also, can anyone else notice a difference between driving a Z71 and a two wheel drive. The regualr ole' chevy seems to steer alot smoother.

While pulling into a parking spot yesterday, the engine shutoff and the steering froze up. I think making a sharp trun causes it to do this. I would really like some input so i can hopefully fix this problem without breaking my almost empty wallet.

superjim · April 27, 2009

what is your idle speed?

Does it idle smooth?

bill190 · April 27, 2009

As a rule at my house, the times when my wallet is the most empty is when everything will break!

As to the engine dying, this could be anything! Is there a security light on?

Other than that, I would check all wires everywhere to be sure they look good and have good connections.

Then the first thing I look for when there are intermittant electrical problems is "add-on" do-it-yourself wiring. This is the cause of many electrical problems in vehicles. If protective electrical tape has been removed from wiring to connect or install something, retape it. Wires can rub against metal parts and short. Look for any bare wires and tape them. Look for any security add on stuff which would cut the ignition.

Then it may be the power steering which I assume you have? Maybe this is locking up and killing the engine? Is there a separate belt to the power steering? If yes try removing the power steering belt and see if you can steer without power steering. See if the engine stops dying.

But you probably have the type of belt which goes to everything! And can't remove it from just the power steering. I'm more of an electrical type and not a power steering guru. Might want to ask in the fullsize forum above about troubleshooting the powersteering or possibly disconnecting it somehow to see if that makes the engine dying problem go away.

Does the electricity in the cab seem to go off before the engine dies or when the engine dies?

If the above does not work for the engine dying problem and it is looking like an electrical problem, then what you can do is to "monitor" various electrical points to see if they are losing electricity. You would need a factory wiring diagram for this. But just get a 12 volt light and run one wire to ground and the other wire to what you want to monitor. The first place I would monitior is the ignition on circuit. Just run the wire to something that needs the ignition switch on to work. And place the light where you can see it. Then drive around and see if the light goes out or flickers just before the engine dies. (As if you were turning off the ignition switch.)

Then try different key electrical spots like power to engine computer and whatnot. Just look through the wiring diagrams and see what, if it lost power, would shut off the engine. Then monitor that wire with your test light. (At the device.)

Another possiblity (remote) for the steering locking up... There is a "locking plate" in the steering column. This engages when you remove the key and should not engage when the ignition is on. But if that was the problem, I would think you would hear some sort of metal clicking noise in the steering column when you tried to turn the wheel?

Mckenzie · May 3, 2009

As a rule at my house, the times when my wallet is the most empty is when everything will break!

As to the engine dying, this could be anything! Is there a security light on?

Other than that, I would check all wires everywhere to be sure they look good and have good connections.

Then the first thing I look for when there are intermittant electrical problems is "add-on" do-it-yourself wiring. This is the cause of many electrical problems in vehicles. If protective electrical tape has been removed from wiring to connect or install something, retape it. Wires can rub against metal parts and short. Look for any bare wires and tape them. Look for any security add on stuff which would cut the ignition.

Then it may be the power steering which I assume you have? Maybe this is locking up and killing the engine? Is there a separate belt to the power steering? If yes try removing the power steering belt and see if you can steer without power steering. See if the engine stops dying.

But you probably have the type of belt which goes to everything! And can't remove it from just the power steering. I'm more of an electrical type and not a power steering guru. Might want to ask in the fullsize forum above about troubleshooting the powersteering or possibly disconnecting it somehow to see if that makes the engine dying problem go away.

Does the electricity in the cab seem to go off before the engine dies or when the engine dies?

If the above does not work for the engine dying problem and it is looking like an electrical problem, then what you can do is to "monitor" various electrical points to see if they are losing electricity. You would need a factory wiring diagram for this. But just get a 12 volt light and run one wire to ground and the other wire to what you want to monitor. The first place I would monitior is the ignition on circuit. Just run the wire to something that needs the ignition switch on to work. And place the light where you can see it. Then drive around and see if the light goes out or flickers just before the engine dies. (As if you were turning off the ignition switch.)

Then try different key electrical spots like power to engine computer and whatnot. Just look through the wiring diagrams and see what, if it lost power, would shut off the engine. Then monitor that wire with your test light. (At the device.)

Another possiblity (remote) for the steering locking up... There is a "locking plate" in the steering column. This engages when you remove the key and should not engage when the ignition is on. But if that was the problem, I would think you would hear some sort of metal clicking noise in the steering column when you tried to turn the wheel?

The truck has a remote starter, it is hardwired for a radar, and it has multi-disk cd player in it. Im pretty sure all this stuff was professionally intalled. There is no security light, i think it has something to do with in incorrect ground; we are going to take it and have it looked at. Is there any sort of cheap item that you can plug in or use that will check for faulty wiring,and the electricity does not go off in the cab.

Also,the AC vent on the far left side doesn't blow much air even on the highest setting.Any thoughts/advice. This isn't a serious problem because all the other vents work fine,just hoping for a quick and easy fix.

popps · May 3, 2009

If you could post if you have a battery light or voltage guage that would be helpful, because the idiot light would go on just before loosing power, or if you have a guage you can see how much power you are running

bigredmariner · May 4, 2009

I had a 2001 that would just shut off like you explained, it happened several times going 70+ down the interstate. The dealer finally fixed it and said it was a connection in the door harness wiring, causing the factory security to shut it down.

The steering, is it getting hard after the engine dies or is it binding with engine still running? If it is doing this when the engine dies that is normal, but if the engine is still running and it freezes up, then I wouldn't try to guess on that one. Good luck either way.