So I just got a new battery installed because my equinox was giving me numerous maintenance issues warnings on the message display and dashboard symbols. It would start here and there but after I took it to the shop to get a new battery it no longer wants to start. I can turn on my radio and stuff, but it will not fire.

events prior to these issues, yes I’ve been through a lot of water as I live in a rural area. And snow ruts. The shop told me it was the ecm and they couldn’t do it there. Now mind you I tried resetting the system by unplugging my battery.

Once I got it home same issues but most of my ecm fuses look burnt out at the prongs, the shop doesn’t open till Monday for new fuses.

but I’ll attach a picture of what these fuses look like at the prong

 

Not the problem. Find a competent, equipped shop and scan for codes. This is not just OBDII codes but a scan of modules in the car. Condemning an ECM without a reason smacks of guesswork. Keep in mind a trouble code is not a parts list! It is directing you to further testing. There is no fire involved in starting. It's either a crank no start or a no crank issue. Does the starter operate when you try to start it?

 

all I know is when I press the push to start I hear a click noise and just the radio, ac, and dashboard illuminate. Not a single thing moves, my breaks are even stuck and the shop put the thing in neutral so I can tow it home. Now it’s stuck like that. Few of the warnings I get are, put it in Park, battery saver active, battery low start the vehicle, even if I have the booster pack hooked up. Mind you I even try starting it without the booster, same problem. The whole reset the ECM doesn’t help at all. I’m flying blind cause in order to get this to a real shop, I have to put it on a train to get it to the nearest highway or winter road which is a 5 hour commute driving regularly, imagine a tow. Quite the conundrem.

 

Have you checked the other end of the battery cables? The ones going to the starter(+) and body(-)? Make sure the connections are clean and tight. A simple test, if you have jumper cables, is to place one end of the jumper on the battery (-) post and the other to the body, chassis or metallic part of the engine. Thus bypassing the ground cable. Proceed at you're own comfort level, risk. Not knowing your level of ability I caution you to not to experiment if you're not 100% sure.

 

Seeing where you're located, I see your issue with garage options. Do you know anyone handy around that could assist?

 

it’s been awhile cause I sorta gave up on it. But the fact the gas in there has been in there for 2 weeks or more now is bugging me. I have power going with the lights and ****. I am prompting someone tomorrow that helped me towed it home the day a new battery was put in. I’m out of my skill range for this, but most people I’ve talked about it to said it’s my starter. Due to no fire or crank. And the way I explained it to them. I just need one more opinion about someone who worked on cars most of his life. And btw the way I did something stupid with my fuse box, the fuse starters I thought were toasted I pulled out had prongs sticking out the fuse box itself or I thought it got stuck? Now I ain’t doing **** anymore till I get someone who knows this stuff. My diagnostic tool ain’t help as much.


Fuse 1 and 2 were a particular fuse that were 30-40 amps. I’m hoping there’s plugs to replace what I took out online or order a whole new fuse box altogether.

 

And I digress, I should totally stop doing what I’m doing. Lol. Any particular way to test for the starter? Do I try and start it while this tool is plugged in?

 

I did make one progress though, I find out how they moved my vehicle out of park, there this was this lever inside the engine compartment that I plugged with pliers to get it hooked onto this black spring like hook. Now I can move my shift stick into park and freely back and forth. While connected to the booster of course trying to start it. Still won’t fire though.

 

hi Eric,

unwanted to check with you if you found a solution to your problem. I’m having the exact same issue.

A little bit of history, I had the same problem last year and replaced the battery and started. Now a year later, I have the same problem. Battery is good.

Looking forward to hear from you and hopefully you found a solution for this issue.

 

long story short, I pulled the started fuses out and the plugs thinking it was part of the fuse. Doh. No wonder they were tough to get out lol so I ordered a new fuse box and it starts now. I’m guessing from all the salt water from the river last winter did the job to the fuse box as it wasn’t closed right. And I had water coming up to the windshield at times. Driving through a foot of salt water for a mile isn’t exactly a great idea. All in all my problem is solved, it starts with minor issues such as emergency parking break doesn’t engage or side view mirror detection. I will not be driving through a foot of water again in its life time just to make a quick dollar. Thanks for looking out though, the internet is an amazing tool to find people who are willing to help. I actually forgot about this post after I got it running again. We all learn bud and I am no mechanic, this taught me well.