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2012 Tahoe SSV will not start

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Old Feb 16, 2019 | 10:40 PM
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Question 2012 Tahoe SSV will not start

2012 tahoe will not start. Turn the key to start and the dash goes dark. No lights or power.
While using the remote start I do hear a clicking noise in the fuse box under the hood on the drivers side. I can feel it in the parking light relay.
Inside on the dash it says service the 4 wheel drive on the information display. But then a few days later the message is gone and it will start
The battery is fully charged. I checked it with my battery charger and it says 100% charged
2 days ago while driving the door locks cycled a few times between lock and unlock. When it did this the needles on the gauges in the dash jumped with every cycle

does anyone have any ideas what this could be?
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Old Feb 17, 2019 | 6:44 AM
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Check both your battery cables for corrosion and being tight at both ends. It sounds like a bad connection somewhere.
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Old Feb 17, 2019 | 9:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Phillip C
2012 tahoe will not start. Turn the key to start and the dash goes dark. No lights or power.

The battery is fully charged. I checked it with my battery charger and it says 100% charged

does anyone have any ideas what this could be?
Humor me:
(1) Measure voltage across the battery terminals WHILE trying to start. Post that, should be over 9.6 volts, batteries MUST be checked under load

(2) Try a jump start from a running vehicle, even let the Tahoe charge up 20 minutes, then try. See if it's then better/worse/same.

Remember your safety glasses when working near that battery !!!

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Old Feb 17, 2019 | 10:02 AM
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Agree to check the battery cables but don't rule out the battery, an old batter can show correct voltage but not be able to provide the amperage needed. Consider having the battery load tested. but I do suspect the battery cable, most likely the negative as I had a very similar issue on my 07...
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Old Feb 17, 2019 | 10:15 AM
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Originally Posted by in2pro
Consider having the battery load tested.
(1) in my post is a load test that one can do at home; it does NOT measure cranking amps though.


Originally Posted by in2pro
I do suspect the battery cable, most likely the negative as I had a very similar issue on my 07...
Then - leaving your battery connected - temporarily connect the battery negative terminal to one cable of your jumper cables and connect the other end of that to good clean engine metal, to give an additional pathway for the electricity, and then see what happens. If this helps, isolates to bad negative cable or bad connection. Route that cable clear of any moving parts.

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Old Feb 17, 2019 | 10:39 AM
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I was able to find my bad neg cable by moving it, I had the key in, in the ignition on position and had nothing on the IP, popped the hood with key still in and as soon as I lifted up on the neg cable from the battery, relays started clicking and chimes came on, the poor connections was at the eyelet/ring terminal of the battery cable to the engine block. wiring was sound however corrosion had built up under the crimp connection to the terminal. With a meter connected to measure ohm's, I could flex the terminal and get an open to 2 ohms, rather then clean or re-crimp, I replaced the entire neg cable. Ended up do the same for the positive cable from battery to mega-fuse/starter.
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