ohioguy

I have a 2002 Tahoe. I bought it new. I had the transmission replaced twice, once at 27K miles and once at 49K miles. Other than that, the only things ever done wiith it were routine oil changes and brake jobs. It also has an aftermarket stereo in it and had a remote start unit installed in it. The vehicle has 105K miles on it. It has never had a tune-up, fuel filter replacement,etc. Only oil changes, transmission fluid changes, and air filter changes.

About a month ago while driving home I noticed the lights start to flicker. It made it home alright (about 2 mi from home). A few days later I got in it and was going to check into it further and it started up and ran fine. (I went out to run a short errand)

I don't drive it much since we have another vehicle and the Tahoe is hard on gas. A week later my family borrowed it. They called me when they stopped to get gas and they told me that it was "trying to start" on its own. The best description I got was that all the gauges would go dead and the inside lights, etc. would dim and they felt it was acting like it was doing what it would do when you go to start it. I don't believe they actually heard the starter turning over (it was already running). Since there as a carload they brought it home (again, they were only about 2.5 mi from home at the time).

It set for a few weeks. Then I decided to go out and move it to mow grass under it. I got in, and before I even inserted the key I looked at the dashboard and saw the needle for the gas gauge jumping between empty and full. I put the key in and put it in the ON position and nothing different happened. I tried to start it - nothign happened. I was frustrated and just got out of it and left it.

Today I went out and yanked out the remote starter unit - I properly uninstalled it - it only took a few minutes. I then unhooked the battery for 30 minutes (figuring maybe that would "reset" the computer.. I'm not a mechanic. Somebody just told me to do that)

I put the negative back on the battery and I attempted to start the vehicle. It started instantly. Then within a second it stopped. It gave no signs of a struggle. it stopped just as easily as it started. I then turned the ignition again to start it up and it started right up - then stopped within a second later.

Then I went ot start it again and it wouldn't turn over. i went to check the battery connections again and realized that the positive terminal was lose. I could barely move the positive wire and I'd lose lights, etc. So I tightened all ofthat back up.

Got back in the vehicle and it turned right over. It started right up and then within a second stopped.

Like I said, there was absolutely no struggle starting it - It fires right up and then seems to die within a second after that [in the fashion you'd expect when you turn off the key].

I apologize for such a lengthy post, but I'm just trying to give you as much information as I can to go on.

All of the gauges look normal when the key is in the on position. Prior to this i didn't have any computer idiot lights coming on telling me to check engine or anything. And I don't have any warning lights come on when the key is in the on position now.

This one baffles me. Somebody told me "maybe it's vapor lock." They suggested that I remove the gas cap and let the pressure release and then tighten the cap back up. I did that.

The problem persists - It starts immediately and then dies a second later.

Any suggestions? I have did a bit of searching [not on these forums] and found quite a few different recommendations, but none of the posts I read were for symptoms exactly like mine.

Thanks,

Mike

MDTAHOE

Sounds like the factory security system is shutting it down. Is the security light flashing or steady on while this is happening? How did you disconnect your remote start? When remote start is installed a bypass module is installed so that when it is remote started the factory security does not shut it down. Your description is exactly what factory security would do. If you did not disconnect the bypass and put the wires back together properly you would have this problem. The security wire must be soldered back together any increase in resistance would mess with the circuit.

ohioguy

Here's what I can tell you. My niece's husband installed this aftermarket remote start back in 2004 or so. When they called me the one day they thought the vehicle was trying to "start up on its own", I determined that the first thing I wanted done is for the remote start to be pulled out.

So, today when my niece's husband was over, I asked him to take it out. He took all teh guts out - took him only 3-4 minutes (was a box with a bunch of wiring). He said that there was just a little bit of wiring left in there - two wires - He said the wires aren't bare, they have some sort of ends on them so they won't touch anything and short. But he said he'll have to do something else the next time he was over because he was in a hurry.

So perhaps these "two wires" that are terminated [so they can't short out on anything] are the ones that need soldered back together? Wow, it would be really great if that fixed the problem.

I will ask him to come over and fix the rest tomorrow after he is done with work. He mentioned that they should be soldered back together - If these wires are the ones you are referring to, is it imperative that they be soldered back together rather than twisted back together or something? Would the resistance be different if they were just twisted rather than soldered?

Well, you certainly have given me some hope. When I talk to him tomorrow afternoon I'll ask him to be more specific about what is left to be done - i.e. what he plans on doing with those wires that he didn't do today. And I'll tell him what you said.

I'm sure he didn't twist any wires back together today or solder anything back together today. I know that he merely pulled the guts of the remote start unit out and made sure that some wires which were remaining weren't going to touch anything and short out. He definitely has intentions of doing something with whatever is left there...but he never said it wouldn't work without it and he seemed very surprised that the vehicle wouldn't start up and stay running.

Yes, the security light is flashing all the time (i think except for when I turn the key to start it). I didn't go out and try it again to verify, but I do remember when I was out there testing earlier that the security light was flashing.

Mike

MDTAHOE

If the light is flashing while you are trying to start it then it is definitely the factory security shutting it down.

ohioguy

I went out and checked again - the security light is not on.

When I open the door and keep the door open, the security light is flashing. When I close the door the security light goes out.

I turn the key on - wait about 5 seconds. During that time the ABS light is on and then goes out - the air bag light is flashing and then goes out - the seat belt light remains on. No security light the whole time.

I turn it over, it fires right up - then within a second it shuts off and the lights mentioned above come on doing their routine and go out [except for the seat belt obviously].

So it doesn't appear that any lights are abnormally.

I'm not losing hope yet though - I appreciate you mentioning that to me about the security since I know he left some wires on thier own that he had intentions of doing something further with.

Mike

ohioguy

Thanks for the welcome, Gary. These forums are definitely a great resource. See my next post.

Mike

ohioguy

MDTAHOE (I'd call you by your name if I knew it rofl),

You hit the nail right on the head. When I mentioned the bypass module and the wire you were referring to, it joggled my niece's husband's memory. He had remembered cutting that wire initially when he installed the Remote Start unit.

Tonight he soldered the wire back together and taped it, and the truck started right up and appears to be running great.

I can't thank you enough for sharing your knowledge with me. That saved me a tow truck charge and a potentially pricy repair somewhere else!

Mike

shawnvw

Did pulling the remote starter fix the gauges moving on their own? or "trying to start on its own"?

ohioguy

I've only driven it once, into town. And I haven't had any weird happenings such as it trying to start on its own or gauges moving erratically. Granted, it was only 20 minutes in the vehicle. So far so good though.

See, there also was an issue [bad battery connection] that I was unaware of until after the remote was pulled. And I suspect it is possible that a bad/intermittent battery connection could cause the gauges to jump around when it wasn't started.

I really am still unsure about the "trying to start" part. I was unable to determine whether they actually heard the starter turning over [the vehicle was already running] or if they just noticed other things happening (flicking dash lights and things like that) and that that since it was acting like it would when you turn the key then it must be actually trying to start.

I'm going out for a drive in it shortly so I'll give it a workout. I wanted to make sure and do this when others were home so that if it died on me Id' have somebody to call for a ride home.

Mike

ohioguy

I'm a happy camper. It looks like the tightening the battery terminals along with removing the remote start and re-soldering the wire that was split apart to accomodate the remote start did the trick.

Perhaps the original problem was simply loose cables on the battery causing strange things to happen inside the truck... and maybe there was never a problem with the remote start when it was installed. We'll never know that. I won't have the remote start put back in.

The bottom line is that MDTahoe's recommendation certainly fixed my issue with the vehicle not staying started.

I was out three hours driving around today and it ran superbly with no sign of any problems.

I appreciate everyone's help with this. You guys are really great.

Mike