Won't start or crank. Clicking in the dash (I think) no start with jump box. Had 9v dash lights would dim trying to start. Put trickle charger still won't start after 2 days now 0v. at 15 v last week

760

Asked by rdlove Nov 19, 2014 at 05:49 PM about the 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe LT 4-Door 4WD

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

15v was after jump from a car. No volt
meter to check. Battery, alternator or
starter? Not anti theft, key turned and
doesn't crank. Serpentine belt good.
Thermostat is stuck open. Fuel pump
always buzzes. Money in it already, learning
how unreliable they are looking everything
up. Shakes above 30 and needs brakes all
around plus mysterious issues also. Any
info would be helpful. I think its a drain, alt
or starter idk...

38 Answers

55,810

Check your connections at the starter and battery they should be clean and tight. You could have a junk battery and starter. Try unhooking the battery and jumping the Tahoe with the jumper cables hooked to the terminals. If it starts its the battery. If it makes a tick sound every time you try starting it the starter is the problem.

66 people found this helpful.
760

All connections are clean as I could get. Damn clean. Lol I will disconnect cables and try and jump start. Can I do it with a jump box? I only have 1 car live in country. It sounded like the quick clicking was in the dash, I thought the clicking was the solenoid trying to crank but not enough voltage to engage?

28 people found this helpful.
55,810

Yes a jump box is perfect. I sure love mine when its cold out like this. The quick clicking is a relay or solenoid draining its voltage. Usually a dead battery will do that.

27 people found this helpful.
Best Answer Mark helpful
760

Ok. I'll try first thing. I think there's a drain and I want to test alternator and starter. The cli cking sounded like an interior relay, not from out the interior of cab. I'll try box. Tried to get battery out to charge and its bolted in tight. I want to rule out one by one not buy all three. Thank you!

20 people found this helpful.
760

I can't get the gm side post plastic cables off terminals. I did connect jump box this morning and gauge for battery is now at 10 v. Just sitting overnight after being at zero all yesterday. So, I'm pretty confused, yesterday charger said 100% charged and the gauge was at zero. Let it sit overnight and now it's at 10v. Alternator battery? I don't think it has drain from alternator due to adding v. Still no crank only clicks. After start attempt put key on acc. Setting the only lights that stay on are check engine, battery and check gauges.

19 people found this helpful.
55,810

You don't have to take the plastic off of the terminals. Find a couple nuts that fit the side terminal screws and leave the screws in the terminals. Its either a bad battery or starter from what you're stating.

9 people found this helpful.
2,985

Assuming you have tight connections, and no corrosion on the battery terminals, and all wires to and from battery and starter are ok and tight at both ends, and free from damage, corrosion. The clicking is usually a solenoid (when battery voltage is strong enough, it holds the solenoid down to supply starter with full voltage.) So, Battery may be old, or damaged or out of water, it needs to be checked with a hydrometer or battery tester (each individual cell). If all else fails, try putting an aspirin in each cell (not kidding), this may get you ONE start, allowing you to get to town. If not then the starter or other issue is present.

22 people found this helpful.
1,500

Ok I don't know what could be wrong with my truck. It has a new battery but every time I try ton

30 people found this helpful.
1,500

To turn on it makes a clicking noise somewhere around the dash board other then that it's not making a single noise. Lights turn on just the truck doesn't. Help!!!

120 people found this helpful.
570

I have a 2001 Chevy suburban and the problem with it is that it makes a clicking noise but we already gotten the starter replaced what more can it be and its not the battery either we changed that too ??

57 people found this helpful.
560

I have the same issue with an 03 Tahoe. New starter. New battery. New solenoid. Emory clothed all ground wires. Another thread suggested a faulty ground on the back of the block. Rerouted the ground to the front of the engine and still have the same issue. What do I do now?

56 people found this helpful.
430

My husband has solved this problem. My daughter has a 2011 tahoe ltz. It had all the issues noted in this a many other forums. He figured out it was a combination of two issues combined on my daughter's car. First the battery cables are garbage he switch out the new style battery cable connectors, with old school style clamp connectors, and routed all the wires back to their original points, with the exception of the alternator cable. He ran that cable to the same point as the battery cable that feeds the 175 amp 32 volt fuse. On the other side of the fuse he left the cable that connects to the fuse box inside the engine compartment. My daughter car has started without fail since.

43 people found this helpful.
300

My 2002 tahoe had similar problems. At times it would not start. The battery is new. Alternator is new. One day it would not start and I finally got it started three days later. It started out of the blue. Mechanic found computer code related to neutral safety switch. Had new one installed. Next day truck would not start. Following day same thing. Got it towed and mechanic found it was the starter. Power going to starter solenoid but no power coming out to the starter motor. All is good now.

30 people found this helpful.
440

Ok I have 1999 GMC Sierra z71 ext cab. Have brand new transmission built by transmission shop. Good starter good alternator. Good battery had everything checked today. Turn my key on. And it clicks one time for everytime you turn the key. And will not start. If I fight with it for 30 minutes it will finally start after shifting through all the gears and unlocking locking doors. Closing opening doors. I cannot figure it out someone help

44 people found this helpful.
400

Gmcsierraz71---did you ever figure the issue out? My 2000 yukon denali does exactly the same and also playing with locks etc will get it started but now it just clicks

14 people found this helpful.
135

I need help with my 2001 LT Suburban with starting issues that come and go. New battery Alternator tests good Starter tests good The stereo amp was disconnected because they told me it was draining the battery. Sometimes if I wiggle the starter relay it will fire up. Sometimes not. I can not afford a new car:( someone please help. Im a single lady. I'm alone in this mess.

13 people found this helpful.
2,985

sell the sub. you don't need it, and it will cause you many issues, buy a small toyota and enjoy many maintenance free miles. Camrys and tercels are plentiful on craigslist, and you can get a decent one for about $3-5,000. As for your relay loose connections can cause intermittant problems. Have a AAA certified mechanic check it out.

7 people found this helpful.
100

My husbands 1999 silVerano 1500 was doing this, replaced starter & selenoid with no luck. Disconectted his battery used mine still would not work. FINALLY we thought of the rubber around his cables, (his battery connections are side mount) cut off excess rubber and fired right up first try, we switch over to top post connectors. Just wasn't getting enough power to turn over! Hope this helps someone.

10 people found this helpful.
90

There is a ground wire that comes from a wire harness on the passenger side of the engine, that needs to be grounded due to breakage.

9 people found this helpful.
400

Fellow GM Truck owners with the dreaded no crank issue. We found the root cause! Replaced the neutral safety switch but the truck would still not start--could jump the starter but when turned the key nothing. Checked the voltage coming from the ignition to the switch and it was 11.7v. Replaced the wire from the ignition to the switch and that resolved issue---must of had a dead spot because we could not find any open wire. Hope that helps everyone.

18 people found this helpful.
120

this is a question for "IhateGMC", when you say to check the voltage coming from the ignition to the switch. what is the "switch" that you are talking about. and when you said, "replaced the Wire from the Ignition" I have no idea how i can begin to look for this because I used the phrases you wrote to try and find the parts online, and nothing came up. So there must be other "formal" names for the parts you are referring to. I am also working on a 99 Chevy S10, motor was switched out for a used motor. Now there is some clicking coming from the center-and-back wall near the distributor. I have hooked up a portable jump starter and the Chevy drains the jump starter immediately. Need help!

12 people found this helpful.
130

Anybody out there I need help ....PLEASE I have a 2002 Chevy suburban and my pulley locked up on me and popped my main belt I changed that and my truck started back up but do to the fact that I drove my truck a couple blocks to get home after the belt popped the battery was dead ...so I took the battery out to charge it when I put the battery back in my truck doesn't wonna start just a chucking noise come from relay on driver side fuse box ...and I even tried to put a strong jump box to a fully charged battery and still just chicking from relay and then I charged the battery and it did a noise like a bad starter only once and now just chicking again can it be my starter ...and can a bad starter my my truck not run and battery is good .....please help

13 people found this helpful.
70

I had a Yukon 2002 and it was clicking and we replaced the alternator still nothing new starter so nothing took it to the dealer ship it was the ignition switch only 92$ parts and installed at the dealership!!!!

7 people found this helpful.
90

Check your fuses under the hood.i replaced my transmission and it put power to engine but would not turn over. Come to find out it was a large 40 amp fuse that controlled the ignition.had clicking under the hood from a relay. Now new problem just changed my crankshaft​ sensor now it's popping fuses.tge same 40 amp large orange 1.think I have a broken wire now.i have a 2000 z71 with a hd transmission I had built and hd converter.

9 people found this helpful.
60

my car wont start bought battery starter and voltage regulator what could be the problem

6 people found this helpful.
50

2002 Chevy Tahoe 5.3 z71 crank fuse blowing when starting

5 people found this helpful.
30

OK, still not starting, but it did turn the starter (for a second) before going back to the clicking a couple of times in a row. Recharging battery with charger now. Any more ideas from those who got past this point (shown below) would be great. Here is what I have done up to now: 1) Made sure contact to battery and fuses were clean. 2) Tried the moving of shift from park to drive and back, then turned locks on and off (Windows opening and closing did nothing). 3) Hooking up a jump start does not help.

3 people found this helpful.
400

Try removing the starer relay and make a jumper wire. Put the wire in cross ways and see if starter fires. If yes, then the starter circuit is good. Common issue on the late 90's is the neutral safety harness. There is a replacement plug with short harness available at parts stores. Splice that into existing harness with new safety switch and your problem should be corrected. Hope that helps and trust me----I went through everything to figure that one out.

8 people found this helpful.
120

2008 Avalanche. Has a new starter and a new battery. Every once in a while you go to start it and it does nothing. Won't turn over or even try to turn over. I have cleaned all electrical connections. Yesterday it did the same thing but after the key was turned off and out of the ignition the gauges on the dash started to go crazy. They kept going back and fourth. After about 5 minutes it started like nothing ever happened. Im thinking maybe ignition switch but im really not sure what to think. anyone have any ideas????

12 people found this helpful.
100

My 2004 Chevy Tahoe wouldn't start. It's been clicking on and off for a while, but now that it's cold outside, it will start right away. Now that it warmed up today, it went back to not starting AT ALL. I went and wiggled all the wires coming from the battery, and whatever else I can find, that sometimes fixes it, but not today. I crawled under the car with a flashlight and something long enough to reach the starter, and banged around....well, now it will start without hesitation, but will die as soon as I take my foot off of the gas- it's never done that before. Any suggestions? My ex husband is on his way over, I'm sure he'll be thrilled to work on my car...

10 people found this helpful.
40

2003 Tahoe LT - Started with the Dash Marquee Dimming. Removed the instrument panel, touched up solder joints some resistors on the circuit board. Voila, marquee working. Then the real trouble started. It would stall going around corners, not good in a heavy vehicle. Replaced plugs, wires, battery, alternator - no dice. EMI/RF Shield cable from Hood to Firewall frayed and broken. Turns out this cable is to keep electrical noise from the engine out of the cabin, and large (overhead powerline) fields from getting in. Since the vehicle is drive by wire (no throttle cable) this is huge. Then battery drain. 3 batteries later took it to the shop. Recommended replacing Body Control Module. $800 later it started reliably for a week. Keeps draining the battery - sometimes in as little as 4 hours. New Dash cluster - will last for 8 hours. I have to keep it on a trickle charger and I keep a jump box with me at all times. I have found, cleaned and/or repaired every ground on the front end of this vehicle with a dremmel and a brass wire wheel. I simply love this truck. It hauls everything and I can navigate parking lots with ease - compared to my silverado crew cab that drives like a city bus. recent cold snap - I forgot to connect the trickle charger and it started Right Up after being parked for 14 hours. I do have a rear marker light out. when I get a minute I'll take a look in there and see. I noticed a clicking behind the glove box the other day while driving around town. Note - my vehicle is Bone Stock 0 modifications 235,000 miles. Note: The old ammeter - pull fuses method doesn't work because you wake up the BCM every time you pull anything. Next step is a voltmeter on each fuse and some math to see which ones are pulling too much current. Any additional help would be grand

4 people found this helpful.
120

We have a 1999 Chevy Tahoe we change the battery neutral safety switch and the starter and it still doesn't start.do anyone have any answers on what to do, from this point?

12 people found this helpful.
60

98 2 wheel drive Tahoe wont start , after breaking the ignition due , to losing the keys . It will sputter but not start. At the same time. between losing the key , I changed sparkplug's. So I'm not sure why its not starting ?

6 people found this helpful.
10

I have a 2004 chevy Tahoe I thought it was the ignitiom switch and changed it becuz sometimes it would start when I would move the key around now with new ignition switch it still dont start has a brand new battery starter alternator... All the lights turn on but still dont start... Can somebody help me

1 people found this helpful.

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