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Chevrolet Uplander won't start
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bluetulip21
New User
Jan 24, 2013, 11:28 AM
Post #1 of 9
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Chevrolet Uplander won't start
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Our van has been starting fine up until today. It was -30 this morning, now -23 and it still won't start. The radio goes on, fan blows, lights all come on. But when you turn it to start the horn honks like the alarm is going off and the engine light blinks with it. Husband said this morning the wipers were going and they weren't even on! Is it just that our sensors are frozen? This week it has started good so long as plugged in, so we are confused. Battery is at 10 volts and charger is hooked up since morning too, hasn't made difference besides wipers not going. Please help.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Jan 24, 2013, 1:20 PM
Post #2 of 9
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Re: Chevrolet Uplander won't start
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You need a new battery and don't skimp on the capacity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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nickwarner
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/ Moderator
Jan 24, 2013, 10:29 PM
Post #3 of 9
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Re: Chevrolet Uplander won't start
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Considering the weather in Canada I'd also make sure you have a block heater installed in this and you plug it in.
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nickwarner
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Jan 25, 2013, 7:48 PM
Post #5 of 9
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Re: Chevrolet Uplander won't start
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Indeed not, but with a new battery that will start it you will get higher than normal cylinder wear at a disproportionate rate due to the engine being a block of ice. The heater will take its sweet time to give any semblance of warmth and you could run it for an hour just to defrost the windows. Block heater helps for those that don't have a heated garage to park in. I fully agree that the battery and likely the connections as well need servicing or replacement as they have shown themselves inadequate during testing.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jan 25, 2013, 7:49 PM
Post #6 of 9
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Re: Chevrolet Uplander won't start
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I agree ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Jan 25, 2013, 7:57 PM
Post #7 of 9
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Re: Chevrolet Uplander won't start
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What is a block heater? I keep hearing about it, but don't know what it is. Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
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nickwarner
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Jan 25, 2013, 8:06 PM
Post #9 of 9
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Re: Chevrolet Uplander won't start
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They don't sell them to you because people in Florida need them like a lesbian needs a boyfriend. It is a heater element that runs on 110v household current and is a miniature version of a water heater element. It take the place of a frost plug in the water jacket of your engine and has a cord that you route to an easily accessed area of the car, typically through the grille. When you see what looks like an extension cord end hanging from a grill, it plugs into a block heater. You plug that into a cord going to household current and it heats the coolant in the engine. When the air temp is -15 you can imagine the benefit to already getting the coolant up to even as high as 25 degrees. Thats a huge difference. Diesel trucks all use them as they are far more temp sensitive. I've put quilts over motors overnight with block heaters on when the cold gets bad to ensure they would easily fire in the morning. Otherwise I get out the propane torch and that isn't fun.
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