Author Topic: Chevy problem (Read 2133 times)

Dogshooter · « **on:** October 24, 2010, 09:36:22 AM »

I have a 2007 Chevy 2500HD with a Duramax Deisel engine. After I put around 50,000 miles on it I started having problems with the charging system. I have had it in to 3 different dealers and 5 different independant garages and NOBODY can give me a straight answer as to what is causing my problem. I have gone thru 5 batteries and as of right now I have one battery that is 2 months old and one that is 6 months old and my truck wouldn't start again this morning. I have paid out over $2000 for troubleshooting and always get the same answer. "Nothing wrong with that truck". I am on the verge of trading off and it will be very unlikely that I will remain a Chevy man if I have to. Any suggestions from you guys what I could look for as a cause to this?

Ron 1 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 24, 2010, 03:37:42 PM »

do the batterys test good?(the old ones)will they take a charge and hold it?
test the alt. at a auto parts store or battery store (interstate)
if the alt. dose not stop charging when the battery is full charge it will boil the battery dry.(bad alt.)
but if it has a after market stereo it could have a draw when it is shut off to check that you can touch the +terminal to the battery 6 os 8 times to see if it will spark(the bigger the spark the more draw)
then if it dose do the same to the fuses and look for a spark that will tell you witch cerkit it is on.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #2 on:** October 25, 2010, 02:09:49 AM »

heres what id do. I take it to the local chev garage and nicely ask them if they know what there doing and will gurantee there work. Id have them put new batterys in it from there parts dept and trouble shoot it. My local chev garage will gurantee there work. If they work on my truck and dont fix the problem it has i can then bring it back and they will work on it for just the price of any other new parts needed. They will not charge labor or charge to replace parts they allready put in. But you have to ask them to do it. Also dont be suprised to find you have bad batterys. I once bought a battery for my corvette and it lasted a month brought it back and the replacemnt (which was the same model) lasted another month. I told them i wanted my money back and bought a differnt brand and it was still in the car 3 years afterward when i sold it.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #3 on:** October 25, 2010, 02:14:49 AM »

you might want to look here for a few ideas http://www.thedieselpageforums.com/tdpforum/archive/index.php/t-12696.html

Dogshooter · « **Reply #4 on:** October 26, 2010, 07:27:59 AM »

Well I called a factory rep and had a long discussion about the problem. I have an appointment at my local dealer next week. If they can't find what the problem is, and fix it, I will drive it over to the Ford dealer and will be driving a new Ford. I use my truck for work and if you can't depend on it to start EVERY TIME it ain't worth having.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #5 on:** October 26, 2010, 08:53:50 AM »

Sounds like a bad voltage regulator. Either its not letting enough charge to the batteries, or its over charging, also harmful. There could also be a short causing current draw while the truck is off. Any mechanic can easily check for a current draw at the batteries while the truck is turned off. If its there, then isolating the draws location may become a little time consuming.

Larry

Dogshooter · « **Reply #6 on:** October 26, 2010, 01:21:05 PM »

I thought it would be easy to find the problem but it has been seen by more "experts" than my Grandaddy's prostate. Guess I'll find out next week if I keep it. I found it's replacement if they don't fix it this time.

Rex in OTZ · « **Reply #7 on:** November 02, 2010, 11:00:52 AM »

Might look for a parasitic load that draining down the battery overnight.
Check door jamb switches, door and window controls, seat, lighting, dome light will kill a battery faster than anything, check those small cube relays mabe one is stuck on powering some unseen circuit you arnt aware of, kinda like leaving the ignition switch on in Acc in the old days.
Might just pull a fuse each night till you isolate the problem group of circuits.

I have have some friends, ther F150 had cronic winter dead battery, finally figured it was a door jamb switch they have to slamb the door really hard in the winter to get it to shut off, they in the end just pulled out the dome light bulb instead of paying a shop $110/hr to trouble shoot the problem.

scootrd · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2010, 12:55:15 PM »

I also think you have a parasitic drain going on.

here are 3 TSB's
TSB 09-08-44-001: Intermittent Dead Battery (Reprogram Radio), February 03, 2009
TSB 06-06-03-013C: Intermittent Low Battery Voltage, Engine Will Not Crank … (Reprogram BCM), July 14, 2008
TSB 02-01-39-007 OCT 02 A/C - Automatic Dual Zone A/C Battery Draw

General Recalls
TSB Number Issue Date TSB Title 03011 MAR 03 Campaign - Keyless Entry System Inoperative
02066 DEC 02 Campaign - BCM Reprogramming for Battery Drain

Show these TSB and General recall to your mechanic.
Hope this helps

Do you keep anything plugged into your power outlets? GPS?
any type of charger ie: cell phone ?

happened to my cousins Silverado they found an electronic door lock module went bad.

http://www.flashoffroad.com/electrical/Batteries/BatteryDrain.html

Slowpoke Slim · « **Reply #9 on:** November 03, 2010, 05:57:51 PM »

The best way to fix it is to drive it over to a Ford dealer and TRADE that POS!

You couldn't GIVE me a GM ANYTHING!

scootrd · « **Reply #10 on:** November 04, 2010, 09:56:41 AM »

Quote from: Slowpoke Slim on November 03, 2010, 05:57:51 PM

The best way to fix it is to drive it over to a Ford dealer and TRADE that POS!

You couldn't GIVE me a GM ANYTHING!

Best response so Far !!!!

Just kidding

DogShooter - I would be interested in knowing what the fix was.

Lloyd Smale · « **Reply #11 on:** November 05, 2010, 01:13:11 AM »

then you too can be "found on the road dead"

You want a testomnial to the reliability of ford deisels. Go ask my best freind. Hes bought a new one 3 years ago and claims it been in the shop more then his yard. Hes shopping this week for a dodge. He wont look at chevs because he knows he wouldnt be able to live with me after bashing them so long. But hes defianately done with fords.

Quote from: Slowpoke Slim on November 03, 2010, 05:57:51 PM

The best way to fix it is to drive it over to a Ford dealer and TRADE that POS!

You couldn't GIVE me a GM ANYTHING!

WD45 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 05, 2010, 09:41:33 AM »

In reality they are all junk. Some are just junkier than others

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #13 on:** November 05, 2010, 09:46:57 AM »

Quote from: Rex in OTZ on November 02, 2010, 11:00:52 AM

Might look for a parasitic load that draining down the battery overnight.
Check door jamb switches, door and window controls, seat, lighting, dome light will kill a battery faster than anything, check those small cube relays mabe one is stuck on powering some unseen circuit you arnt aware of, kinda like leaving the ignition switch on in Acc in the old days.
Might just pull a fuse each night till you isolate the problem group of circuits.

I have have some friends, ther F150 had cronic winter dead battery, finally figured it was a door jamb switch they have to slamb the door really hard in the winter to get it to shut off, they in the end just pulled out the dome light bulb instead of paying a shop $110/hr to trouble shoot the problem.

Yep if we don't drive our trucks weekly the GPS kills the battry and truck brand dosen't matter

Dogshooter · « **Reply #14 on:** November 05, 2010, 06:14:43 PM »

Well it turned out the Alternator was bad and apparently has been for a while. Guess my local dealer's service dept just didn't want to change it out while it was under warranty. Traded it in with the dealer that diagnosed it right. Yeah, went with another Chev. I don't blame the brand, just the dealer.

hillbill · « **Reply #15 on:** December 07, 2010, 03:29:19 AM »

interesting thread. ive seen this same prob on some newer heavy equipment we have at my workplace. its seems the alternator can malfunction causing a parasitic drain on the batteries, but still continue charging the batteries when the engine is running.we learned to check for it by disconnecting the neg cable and rubbing it on the batt post, if yu see a faint spark, that means yu got a draw on it. then unhook the wires at the alt and do it again. if yu got no sparks then yu know its the alt.

Rex in OTZ · « **Reply #16 on:** December 07, 2010, 12:36:10 PM »

I have a question on the last post, since there is some load draw even with the ignition switch off, the clock would still draw enough current? you'd get a slight spark anyway.... good or bad?
The wires to alternator make sense.
even the starter come to trhink of it.
To get around the whole problem I hardwired a battery mainatiner in with the engine block heat, since I plug it in 8 months out the year here in Arctic Alaska it hasent been a problem yet.

hillbill · « **Reply #17 on:** December 08, 2010, 02:49:50 AM »

true rex ,you would have to pull the fuse on the clock before checking for a draw on the electrical system.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #18 on:** December 10, 2010, 10:35:52 AM »

There is a conn. for hooking up the batt. it is a switch in some cases and others is a thumb screw arrangement that comes apart . You can open the circ. going to the bat when you leave the vehicle. It is used as an anti theft device or to stop bat drain.

hillbill · « **Reply #19 on:** December 10, 2010, 01:56:26 PM »

we did end up putting some of those blade type switches on our batteries. yu lifted a lever and it dissconnected the battery totally, only prob was remembering to do it every evening when yu shut off yur rig.id rather just fix the alt.we got a guy nearby that fixes starters and alts totally cheap.

scootrd · « **Reply #20 on:** December 16, 2010, 03:51:59 PM »

If you use a blade switch , you would lose all your presets on your radio and any other electronics , additionally if your radio is like the wife's CRV radio , you would need to reset anti-theft code (would have to be punched in to radio before radio would work again) every time, also all your diag codes in your computer that fine tunes your engine would be lost.

hillbill · « **Reply #21 on:** December 17, 2010, 01:51:52 AM »

Quote from: scootrd on December 16, 2010, 03:51:59 PM

If you use a blade switch , you would lose all your presets on your radio and any other electronics , additionally if your radio is like the wife's CRV radio , you would need to reset anti-theft code (would have to be punched in to radio before radio would work again) every time, also all your diag codes in your computer that fine tunes your engine would be lost.

lol exactly why i wont own anything made after about 1998!