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2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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JKTheberge
Novice
Apr 13, 2023, 7:43 PM
Post #1 of 19
(1428 views)
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2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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My daughter’s 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start OCCASIONALLY. At work, she has to park so the front end slants downward. 4 times, now, her car wouldn’t start after her shift ended. The first time, it started right up the next morning. Another time, she slammed her door hard, and it started. This last time, she ran the gearshift down and back up and it started. She has a new battery, and she had a new starter put in it today. That didn’t help. Her ex boyfriend is part owner of an auto shop, and he recently replaced her transmission. Then they broke up, so can’t go to him for help. I wonder if that transmission might be part of the problem. Any help would be much appreciated.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 13, 2023, 10:25 PM
Post #2 of 19
(1410 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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Have you witnessed this? It's all second hand info concentrating on how it's parked?
The parts tossing game is never the right approach IMO now complicates it.
Step one is does it crank the engine or not? Why both the starter and a battery didn't help a waste or again IDK.
Here's some things you can do short of just finding a shop and send this out the web isn't fixing it, it needs diagnosing what the problem is.
This is the approach if not cranking so far you didn't say or know but it's a good read on what you do if so....
http://autoforums.carjunky.com/...ILL_NOT_START_P75655
Tom
PS: If the story of the break up could include this being tampered with or something intentionally broken tend to that!
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Apr 14, 2023, 4:19 AM)
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Sidom
Veteran
/ Moderator
Apr 13, 2023, 10:47 PM
Post #3 of 19
(1405 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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The most basic level of any no start, you have to find out if you're missing spark or fuel. GM has a pretty poor track record with their fuel pumps But you don't wanna blindly throw one in.
It would be best if you could take a fuel pressure reading and check for spark when it's not starting.
In a pinch guys will beat on the fuel tank with something heavy and dull ight about where the fuel pump sits, if this gets it to start well it's not for sure, it does put you in the 80 to 90% range of a bad fuel pump
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 14, 2023, 4:23 AM
Post #4 of 19
(1392 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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Before we can help you we need you to clarify what is happening.
Is this a "no crank" situation where the starter is not engaging at all?
or
Is this a "crank, no start" where the starter is cranking the engine but it's just not firing up?
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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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JKTheberge
Novice
Apr 14, 2023, 5:47 AM
Post #5 of 19
(1383 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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Thanks for responding. I have witnessed this twice. I don’t believe her boyfriend sabotaged the car, but maybe made a mistake - possibly.
When it won’t start, it doesn’t crank. It makes one click, then nothing. Turn the key, and a single click, won’t crank or start, and always when parked at work.
She can drive it all day with no issues starting right up. At work, the place she has to park is on a pretty steep incline. I thought maybe it was a loose connection, due to not starting when parked on that steep incline, nose down. |
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 14, 2023, 6:54 AM
Post #6 of 19
(1379 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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That clears up a lot.
The symptoms are sounding like a bad starter.
You might be able to confirm this with a small hammer. Have a helper attempt to start it while you simultaneously, GENTLY tap on the starter. If it fires up, then you confirmed the starter being bad.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Apr 14, 2023, 6:55 AM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 14, 2023, 9:02 AM
Post #7 of 19
(1368 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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2 starters have done this AGAIN you mention the incline? Is that steep enough for a hood light to come on UNSEEN? Take bulbs out of stuff like that just anyway carry a $1 flashlight.
I'm not sure if that senses angle or trigged by just being open but do take bulb out of stupid things that don't trigger a fault of some kind.
I beat on this as it's happed (not my own fleet) others hard to diagnose nothing is wrong when you see it!
2 starters rare but possible more likely cable to it sure it would near certainly be removed for the trans job (most likely) and a lot of others.
Question is ARE YOU TAKING THIS ON OR JUST GOING TO SUGGEST TO DAUGHTER WHAT TO DO?
I was serious about convenience lights, glove boxes + Most of these use push on always lights in rear or for back seat passengers make sure they are off,
Tom
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 14, 2023, 9:07 AM
Post #8 of 19
(1365 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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I missed the part about just changing the starter.
Do we know if the battery is going dead or not?
Have you tried jump starting?
Could he have forgot to attach a ground strap when he did the transmission?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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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JKTheberge
Novice
Apr 14, 2023, 10:51 AM
Post #9 of 19
(1352 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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The battery is new, less than a year old, and is holding charge just fine. Jump starting does nothing. Still just turn the key, single click, then nothing, and only when parked on that steep angle.
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JKTheberge
Novice
Apr 14, 2023, 10:56 AM
Post #10 of 19
(1350 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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She is going to have the new starter removed and returned to the parts store. A friend is helping her, but can’t seem to diagnose the problem.
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JKTheberge
Novice
Apr 14, 2023, 11:07 AM
Post #11 of 19
(1348 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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I’m suggesting to my daughter what to do. I am her 68 year old mother, but I am mechanically inclined - have done most of my own car repairs most of my life. This looks to me like a loose connection someplace because it only happens on that incline, so I thought maybe things shift just enough to break connection. I’m not sure what connections are involved or in what order between ignition switch, alternator, battery, and starter. Is there something else?
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 14, 2023, 11:23 AM
Post #12 of 19
(1344 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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Just an FYI. Side post batteries if jumping to the little bolt is just the bolt NOT the eyet to wire and on, either one.
Single clicks are a clue of just a tiny connection (with jump) that works falls out car would go dark maybe?
It's a pest but true on the side posts you're just getting directly to bat. Try twisting the ends may work or really kill it then you'll know, Tom
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JKTheberge
Novice
Apr 14, 2023, 11:50 AM
Post #13 of 19
(1339 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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Her car does not go dark. All electronics on the car work and are strong.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 14, 2023, 12:17 PM
Post #14 of 19
(1337 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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Once again I'll mention............... did he forget any engine ground cables when changing the transmission. They sometimes attach to the bellhousing bolts and would give symptoms like this.
Have you tried starting it in neutral?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.
(This post was edited by Hammer Time on Apr 14, 2023, 12:30 PM)
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JKTheberge
Novice
Apr 14, 2023, 2:47 PM
Post #15 of 19
(1312 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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I don’t know what he did, but that’s sure something I’ll have her check out. Thank you.
I don’t know if she’s tried starting it in neutral. I’ll ask. She’s at work now. Thanks again.
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JKTheberge
Novice
Apr 14, 2023, 10:20 PM
Post #16 of 19
(1289 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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She told me she has tried starting it in neutral when it wouldn’t start. But that did the same thing. It started right up after her shift at work tonight, but she backed into the parking lot, so the incline was reversed. Go figure.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 14, 2023, 11:35 PM
Post #17 of 19
(1282 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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? Time to be checking some things to rule stuff OUT. So far I'm ruling out starter itself, battery itself and charging system still check, double check.
The parking angle clue is either a clue or this IDK the neutral safety switch isn't ruled out just didn't magically work all the time with Hammer's suggestion. That's still in the cards either inside trans or at linkage that shifts it usually failed it's all or nothing not a whisper or trying to start if normally it would reject starting in a gear.
Now I want to know if the parking brake is really strong on this?? Why: They historically stink, small drum brake inside rear rotors will not hold well first in "N" then put shifter in "P" on a slope was the issue common to this post #1!
That's driving habits, daughter, you, me - anyone is supposed to do that before shutting down a vehicle not a habit, me too always level parking @ assorted routines do think of it still when NOT (hate it will chose other spot) isn't a choice and seems it isn't here.
All should work if your daughter just puts it in park that's locking inside transmission hold this thru the driveshaft to wheels NOT a brake! This angle/slope if severe is a LOT of force some cases will bend shifter parts, puts the load essentially on mounts of trans/engine still should start but the bad habit I suspect may have caused a problem?
These things must be known, checked and ruled in or out.
This vehicle's shape @ age is it remarkable shape with good history or plenty of use/miles and use if not now before. Not all vehicle need a trans job @ 11 years old +/- so what went wrong if you know?
We've brought up several ideas for an "intermittent" problem some need to be caught when it happens or see evidence.
I want to know now in this missive if parking brake works it sure does matter if the slope matters this much + the list already presented,
Tom
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JKTheberge
Novice
Apr 25, 2023, 11:17 PM
Post #18 of 19
(1197 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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I wanted to update you guys and thank you so VERY MUCH for the advice you offered. It was a HUGE help!
After checking to make sure all the ground wires were clean and attached properly, we discovered her oil pan was leaking. When parked on that weird angle, oil was dripping onto her starter. Replaced the oil pan and oil, cleaned the starter, and she has had no problem since.
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Apr 26, 2023, 1:38 AM
Post #19 of 19
(1195 views)
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Re: 2012 Chevy Tahoe won’t start
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Thanks for the follow up and success with fix.
I'll close as solved, ask if you want this thread opened again,
Tom
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