I own a '96 Tahoe. For the last 6-8 months, every once in a while, when I turn the key nothing happens, not even a click. All the lights and guages work but the starter won't turn. This only happens a few times a month, but seems to worsen over time.Sometimes if I hold the switch long enough it will turn over, but that is rare. I have replaced the starter, battery, starter relay, and electrical part of the ignition...after all this it seems to not happen as often but none of this has fixed the problem. You never know if or when it will happen again.When this problem occurs I can still start it by crossing it over with a screwdriver, but I don't want to have to do that. Anyone have any ideas on what might be the problem? I am fairly handy on my own, just need a little help this time.

 

Welcome to the forum. Not knowing anymore about it than your post and not knowing what you are shorting with the screwdriver, I'd check the ignition switch. I don't know if they are still on the steering column near the firewall or not. Good luck.

 

I changed the ignition switch. I'm not shorting anything with a screwdriver. When I have to, I will start it by making the connection on the solenoid with a screwdriver.

 

This may sound strange but maybe one of your positive battery cables that connects to your battery has a short in it or the treads on the positive side on the battery are striped allowing just enough current to go to the electrical accessories, but not enough to engage the solenoid to allow the starter to turn. I also have a 95 Silverado and every now and then it would do the same thing, everything lights up but the starter doesn't turn over, not even a click. I have to wiggle the two positive cables that connect to the battery then get back in and it would start like normal. I've had this problem for almost two years and since the battery cables are original, im sure it wouldnt hurt to replace both of them, but I keep forgeting about it once I get it started.

Hope this helps

 

I had a similar problem in my 2000 Tahoe.

Had a sharp mechanic discover that thetwo positive cables had corroded where they meet together as oneinside the positive battery clamp.

This caused the same thing rruelas is describing. I would jump start it, and it ran fine after that...turns out that by jump starting it, I was simply wiggling the positive terminal until a good connection was made.

I just cut off &replaced the positive battery clamp, worked like a charm after that.

Frosty

 

Thanks, I will try changing out the positive cables and see what happens. This does make complete sense to me now.