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02 5.3 cranks but won’t start after dying on a hill

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Old Feb 11, 2025 | 6:57 PM
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Default 02 5.3 cranks but won’t start after dying on a hill

Hey guys I got a an 02 5.3 4x4 ex cab long bed. 261k, ran out of gas will idling and unloading firewood on the side of a mountain. Well, out come the Jerry cans, I added 5 gallons and gave it a crank. Motor tries to start; I’ve confirmed spark, air, and voltage are all where they should be.

After 5 gallons, fuel gauge still registers empty and I still have a low fuel indicator in the message center. So I figure maybe the incline is so steep that the gas hasn’t hit the float valve yet. 15 gallons later, the issue persists.

After some more observation, I have some weird stuff happening with my instrument panel. Transmission selector no longer indicates what drive mode I’m in. I also have three messages in the message center: Security, Low battery, and low fuel.

I was thinking maybe the tank would register fuel once I got to level ground, but I cant get the transfer case into neutral. I have a winch on a Tahoe, and I think I can slide the truck down the hill with some ****** blocks.

After some googling, I’ve tried a VATS reset, but my security light does not stop blinking after 10 minutes. I still tried starting at 10m intervals over the course of 30m, leaving the ignition in on, but no change in lights or function.

Other suggestions state the fuel pump or related component could be damaged/dead, but I’ve got other issues as well that lead me to think this might not be the case.

I can’t seem to pull any codes with my scan tool. This all feels like a security lock. My security light also blinks rapidly when the key is out. I replaced my battery about 3 months ago, but the truck operated fine until it died on the side of this mountain.

I’m not sure what else to do at this point. I’m about to go through each fuse one by one. The grounds are good, it’s a California truck with little to no rust. I’ve got the battery on a tender.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be much appreciated






Last edited by carbonatd; Feb 11, 2025 at 7:13 PM.
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Old Feb 12, 2025 | 7:41 PM
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This is a total shot in the dark, but perhaps try disconnecting the battery for 5 min and then reconnecting to reset the computer? I know sometimes weird things can happen. It will reset your monitors and all, but would be worth it if it works.
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Old Feb 14, 2025 | 1:20 PM
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Originally Posted by jw11432
This is a total shot in the dark, but perhaps try disconnecting the battery for 5 min and then reconnecting to reset the computer? I know sometimes weird things can happen. It will reset your monitors and all, but would be worth it if it works.
I’ve tried disconnecting the battery overnight. No change. I also disconnected positive and negative battery terminals and then touch them together to discharge capacitors. Also, no change. I’m about to purchase an alternator to install that, as I’ve read on another form that the error codes I’m seeing could sometimes be the result of a failed alternator
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